What is time management?
Time management is the practice of organising your daily activities in a way that means you work smarter, not harder. The trick to this is to organise your tasks whilst using your time effectively to get the most out of your day. If you feel like you have more tasks to do than time to do them, perhaps a rethink of your time management skills is what you need. However, old habits can be hard to shake off and developing good time management skills will take time, effort and figuring out what works best for you.
Here is our list of top tips for improving your time management skills.
1. Start early and keep a routine
The human body needs a solid and consistent routine, this involves going to sleep and waking up at around the same time each day and night, this gives people time to think and plan ahead for their day in the morning.
2. Create and maintain a schedule
Putting together a list of all your daily tasks can help you stay focussed; you can also order these tasks in order of importance to prioritise jobs and keep your eye on the essentials.
3. Set up and stick to deadlines
Making a set deadline for individual tasks will further keep you focussed on the priority of tasks. As well as this, it should incite thought about any jobs that can be done together.
4. Avoid procrastination
Everyone procrastinates, so if you know you do, don't worry, instead focus on why you are procrastinating. Typically, you find yourself filling your time with unimportant issues, and this may be because you are unsure, or undirected on the most effective approach. In this case, speak to a colleague or friend for inspiration to get you back on the right track.
5. Take breaks when you need them!
You should never feel guilty for taking a short break when necessary. Even better if you schedule your break times, meaning you always have a break coming up to decompress a little and get back into the action afterwards.
6. Manage your stress levels
Stress can feel like it's swallowing you whole when you get overwhelmed. That is why it's important to deal with stress in productive ways. This can include talking to a friend, exercising, changing your environment, doing an activity you enjoy or listening to music.
7. Set realistic goals
Think about what you want to achieve in a single day, can help you order your tasks into goals to help you see that the end is in sight as well as remind you to celebrate the little victories throughout the day.
8. Delegate tasks and be able to say no when necessary
If you never let your colleagues know your workload is too high, then likely they will continue to add tasks to the pile. Letting your team know as soon as possible that you aren't available to do certain things, allows them time to plan accordingly.
It certainly might not come naturally to you at first, but as with any skill in life, practise the methods enough and it will become engrained in your everyday life, with the right dedication. Another important thing to remember is not to get disheartened. Remember that on average it takes one month of determination to change a habit, so don't feel low if you don't feel an immediate change.
There are many tools available to businesses that can help with time management. However, deciding which one suits your business model best may be the problem. It's important to assess and identify which tools work for you before committing to implementing any software. Zigaflow might just be the solution you need, our real-time reporting module will make sure you have access to information and updates as and when they happen, always keeping you in the loop. If you would like any more information on our software, feel free to book a demo with us today.