According to Starling Bank’s “2020 Make Business Simple” report, it is a known fact that microbusinesses with one to nine employees dedicate 15 hours per week to administrative tasks.
If you’re a business owner or manager, you understand that admin and financial housekeeping is one of several essential tasks that must be completed. It is even more vital for solopreneurs who spend 31% of their weekly time on this task, highlighting the importance of time management.
How to better manage your time at work
One of the benefits of time management is being able to plan and control the time spent in order to enhance productivity and accomplish more in less time.
- Better work quality
- Less stress
- More time to work on strategic or creative projects
- Less procrastination
- More self-confidence
To begin, follow these steps:
1. Know how you’re spending your time
If your output over a certain period determines your productivity, wasted time can result in financial loss. Similar to creating a budget, it is necessary to monitor how you are utilizing your time to identify any hindrances or routines preventing you from achieving your objectives.
To begin, check the time. Utilize time-tracking tools like RescueTime, which can inform you about the number of productive hours in your day and the amount of time you devote to non-work-related tasks, like social media browsing or shopping, based on the categories you establish.
2. Stick to a daily schedule
Success is achieved by creating a daily schedule that includes specific time slots for various tasks and adhering to it closely.
- Create realistic timelines. People overestimate their capacity to get things done, a phenomenon scientists call “planning fallacy,” which usually results in overly optimistic delivery estimates. Add time buffers between tasks so that even if one goes over the time limit, the overall schedule stays intact.
- Give your undivided attention. Avoid sneaking to non-work-related sites (or whatever it is you’re not supposed to be doing) during work hours. Close all those “for later” browser tabs. Turn off your phone or stow it out of reach until it’s time for a scheduled break. Again, self-discipline is your best friend here.
3. Prioritize
To-do lists have the potential to greatly enhance productivity. However, it is possible for them to become overly large and daunting, leading to a lack of clarity on how to begin. In order to address this issue, the Eisenhower Matrix can be utilized as a valuable tool for determining priorities based on both importance and urgency. By employing this decision matrix, individuals can effectively categorize their tasks into the following divisions:
- Do immediately: Important tasks with defined deadlines, or ones you’ve put off for so long they’re now overdue
- Schedule for later: Important tasks with no defined deadlines
- Delegate: Tasks that someone else can do
- Delete: Tasks you can eliminate because they’re not critical to your goals or mission
4. Tackle the most difficult task first
No matter who we are, we all experience distractions, such as phone calls, requests from coworkers, or household chores, which can cause us to lose track of time. In such situations, it becomes necessary to prioritize and tackle the most challenging task first.
The Eat That Frog productivity method, created by leadership expert Brian Tracy, is effective for individuals who struggle with procrastination or find it difficult to stay focused. The method suggests prioritizing the largest, most challenging, and most significant task as the first priority—a task that one would typically postpone. Only once this task has been completed should one proceed with other responsibilities.
5. Batch-process similar tasks
Batching, also known as batch processing, involves the act of grouping similar tasks together in order to work on them simultaneously. These tasks are typically grouped based on their objective or function. To illustrate,
- Client meetings on Wednesdays and Thursdays
- Respond to emails from 10 to 11 a.m. only
- Generate reports first thing in the morning, and distribute
6. Set reasonable time limits
According to Parkinson’s law, the amount of work required will always increase to fit the time given to finish it.
If you give yourself a full day to complete two tasks that should take only three hours, it is likely that you will end up using the entire day to finish those two tasks. However, if you allocate yourself a smaller amount of time, it is probable that you will still manage to meet the initial deadline.
7. Learn when to say no
In a day, we have a limited amount of energy, and it decreases as the day goes on. To avoid completing tasks poorly, it is important to understand your capabilities and be willing to decline certain responsibilities. Identify your strengths and weaknesses and concentrate on tasks that align with your abilities. If feasible, delegate tasks that others can perform more efficiently and quickly.
8. Avoid multitasking
Multitasking, as indicated by scientific research, has a clear impact: It reduces efficiency and can pose potential dangers. The American Psychological Association states that engaging in mental juggling incurs “switching costs” that significantly diminish productivity. Even though each instance of task switching may only consume a few seconds, the cumulative effect becomes substantial if multitasking occurs frequently. Additionally, the probability of making errors also increases.
9. Focus without distractions
To achieve successful time management at work, it can be effective to remove yourself from distractions. It can be challenging to remain focused when faced with numerous tasks, and getting distracted is a common occurrence. To stay aligned with your desired accomplishments, remember your ultimate objectives. Concentrate on one aspect of your work at a time, avoiding distractions such as responding to texts or browsing the internet.
10. Time-blocking method
Elon Musk, who may be one of the busiest individuals in the world, employs the method of time blocking as his secret to efficient time management. By harnessing his “superhuman” ability to concentrate without being interrupted, Musk dedicates a specific amount of time solely to a single task, while also setting aside time for other tasks.
In his book “15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management,” Kevin Kruse proposes that top achievers structure their day using time blocks as a means to enhance productivity. Having a plan of action increases the likelihood of being productive.
11. Decision-making
There are few jobs that allow you to begin working without making a deliberate decision or considering how to organize your tasks. There are numerous factors to contemplate, such as:
- Which task is of high-priority
- When a task is to be completed
- Which resources are available to do the task
- Which task needs to be done later
It is important to make all decisions before starting work, ensuring that one task does not negatively impact another. Failure to properly implement this time management strategy may result in an unproductive day. By making clear decisions about your tasks, you can greatly enhance your workflow.
12. Tony Robbins rapid planning method
Tony Robbins has developed the rapid planning method, which is a system focused on achieving results and shifting your mindset to prioritize the outcome. The acronym RPM stands for a result-oriented, purpose-driven, and massive-action plan. These three components assist in obtaining improved solutions and directing our efforts more effectively.
13. Record your daily routine
By following this time management strategy, you will be able to easily identify the activities that are causing you to waste time. Begin by utilizing time-tracking apps and productivity apps to monitor your work activities. After maintaining a log of your daily routines for a week, you will be able to identify all the activities that are consuming your time unnecessarily. This will enable you to make a more conscious effort to eliminate these activities from your day.
14. Automate your workflow
One of the most effective time management strategies is automating recurring tasks, which is relevant to our discussion on time management strategies. If a task needs to be done regularly, it can be created as a recurring task. This eliminates the need to manually create such tasks, saving valuable time.
With the utilization of leading project management software, you have the ability to generate automated recurring tasks on a Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly basis.
15. Get organized
Super-achievers are known to be highly organized, as having numerous tasks to concentrate on can be overwhelming and hinder productivity. Nevertheless, employing a proficient project management system, equipped with task management software, will enable you to break down larger tasks into more manageable subtasks.
By utilizing this time management technique, you will be able to categorize all your tasks into manageable categories, enabling you to handle your work in a systematic manner while prioritizing important goals. Additionally, it facilitates the division of workload among multiple individuals.
16. Spend your mornings on MITs
If you want to be productive with your time, the first thing you should do in the morning is identify the most important tasks (MITs) from your to-do list and complete them.
It is widely known that you have the highest level of energy and enthusiasm in the morning. Therefore, why not utilize it to tackle the most significant and demanding tasks? Additionally, by completing the crucial tasks, it will significantly improve your ability to handle the remainder of the day.
17. Batch similar tasks together
Due to varying time and effort requirements, team members are faced with different demands for different tasks. However, given that most tasks assigned to teams nowadays are similar in nature, the most effective approach is to consolidate and handle them as a group.
Teams can deliver projects faster by batching similar or related tasks together within a project. This is because it eliminates the need to spend time reorienting. Additionally, custom labels can be applied to filter tasks under one label.
18. Stop being a perfectionist
One of the main reasons why people tend to procrastinate or continuously postpone a project or task is because they are striving for perfection. It is admirable to have a strong desire to excel in the task at hand, but it is vital to consider this important question – Are you solely focused on one task on your to-do list?
Without a doubt, the answer is negative. Due to the presence of numerous other tasks that must be accomplished within the same day, it is advisable to refrain from pursuing perfection and instead focus on efficiently and realistically completing each task on the to-do list.
Importance of time management
The more you value your time, the better you will become at time management. It enhances productivity in all aspects of your life by providing a clear direction and understanding of the time required for each task.
Time management involves completing tasks in a timely manner through a consistent and efficient workflow. Failing to effectively manage time can have negative impacts on effectiveness and induce stress.