Time management is a crucial skill for advancing your career, but many people struggle with it and make mistakes that hold them back from getting a promotion. In this article, you will learn about the most common time management mistakes that prevent you from getting a promotion and how to avoid them.
One of the biggest time management mistakes that prevent you from getting a promotion is not setting SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These are the criteria that make your goals clear, realistic, and trackable. Without SMART goals, you will waste time on vague, unrealistic, or irrelevant tasks that don't contribute to your career growth. To avoid this mistake, you should set SMART goals for yourself and your team, and review them regularly to measure your progress and adjust them as needed.
To be promoted and be happy you need to: 1) make sure you and your boss know ahead of time where do you want to be in the future, 2) work really hard in whatever your SMART objectives are and deliver those with the right attitude always having in mind that reaching expectations is good but surpassing it is better 3) own and showcase your results with a humble and positive attitude. In the end success in whatever you do 99% is perspiration and 1% inspiration. Own your path in life and work hard in a persistent way to reach it.
To some extent I agree with the idea of having SMART goals as suggested by the Author, however, we are also required to prioritise these goals depending upon the urgency or weightage of such assignments in your function or organisation. If there is a gap in your team's perspective and the senior management's perspective although you will achieve your goals but may feel disheartened it may not be in line with their aspirations. So clear understanding or aspectation should be there while setting the goals.
In the world of reactive maintenance, it is very hard to go down wormholes that will take you off task. Some of these "wormholes" can send you on a tangent that lasts an hour or more. Not setting aside specific time blocks to focus on these wormholes will get you off task very quickly.
Multi-tasking is another time management mistake, it can cause tasks to pile up because a clear goal is being neglected. Overcommitting without considering the available time can lead to burnout. Failure often stems from not valuing time as a finite and precious resources
Not knowing when to delegate or prioritize - nothing kills your efficiency faster than not knowing what and when to delegate or prioritize. Look at what you have on your plate and figure out what the 20% is that takes your actual expertise and what portion could be handed off to someone else given the proper instruction and framework. Also the priority needs to be looked at. Way too many get stuck in the time consuming details of projects that don’t have much of an impact.
Another common time management mistake that prevent you from getting a promotion is procrastinating on important tasks. Procrastination is the habit of delaying or avoiding tasks that are difficult, boring, or unpleasant. Procrastination can lead to missed deadlines, poor quality work, stress, and low self-esteem. To avoid this mistake, you should identify the root causes of your procrastination, such as fear of failure, lack of motivation, or distraction, and overcome them with strategies such as breaking down large tasks into smaller steps, rewarding yourself for completing them, or asking for help or feedback.
Procrastination is a killer in the sales field. Your customers want timely responses, quotes, advice ect. In my experience, I have gained the majority of my business just by being available and doing what I say I’m going to do every time. I have witnessed too many people say they will do things for accounts/customers and then never follow up or do what they said. This is the number one way to lose business! Stay on your game and do the easy stuff well and you will be successful for a very long time!
Many people do not even set a real deadline that they intend to honour in the first place. "I have to take care of this sometime this week" means nothing, "I have to prepare the report by Friday, I'll set 2 hours on Thursday morning to do it, since it tend to be quiet" make it more difficult to find an excuse to procrastinate
Time management is an important skill to showcase your maturity, professionalism and discipline. When you start procrastinating you are showcasing laziness, immaturity and lack of discipline. It doesn't affect anyone on the individual level but it affects the business and the whole team. How to avoid it; ?? Keep focused ?? Make a To Do List ?? Sort tasks by priority Matrix ?? Optimize your time using calendars
In my experience, procrastination oftentimes occurs in front of complex and long-lasting tasks. It is much easier, mentally, to start with simple tasks and to obtain quick wins. A key strategy is to think at the puzzle as a sum of pieces: our goal should be adding up one piece everyday to enjoy all the small advancements, until the puzzle is complete.
Procrastination, especially on pivotal tasks, often leads to detrimental outcomes. It's essential to recognize that delaying or avoiding tasks stems from various underlying causes, such as a fear of failure, a lack of motivation, or external distractions. Addressing these root causes is crucial, and strategies might include segmenting larger tasks into manageable steps, setting up reward systems for task completion, or seeking external feedback and assistance. It's worth noting, especially in the realm of manufacturing, that delaying certain smaller tasks can sometimes result in increased efficiency and productivity. It's a nuanced approach where the key lies in discerning which tasks to prioritize and which can afford some delay.
A third common time management mistake that prevent you from getting a promotion is not prioritizing your tasks. Prioritizing your tasks means ranking them according to their urgency and importance, and focusing on the ones that have the most impact on your goals and performance. Without prioritizing your tasks, you will spend time on trivial or low-value tasks that don't help you achieve your objectives or impress your boss. To avoid this mistake, you should use a prioritization tool such as the Eisenhower matrix, which divides your tasks into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. Then, you should do the urgent and important tasks first, schedule the important but not urgent tasks for later, delegate or outsource the urgent but not important tasks, and eliminate or minimize the neither urgent nor important tasks.
When it comes to avoiding mistakes in time management you must sort, organize and prioritize your tasks. "Priority Matrix" is a tool to optimize your time management. The tips and tricks to use it: ?? Use it after writing all the tasks in your "To Do List" ?? Assess every task according to urgency and importance factors. ?? Any urgent and important task has to been done immediately by yourself ?? Scheduled urgent but less important tasks to be done after finishing the urgent and important tasks. ?? The not urgent tasks but yet important have to be delegated (ask someone to do it for you or use a service to get it done). ?? If you find a task that is not urgent and not important, you have to ignore it or remove it from your To Do list.
To expand on how to prioritize you can use the 2-minute method. If it can be done in less than 2, don’t put it off, do it immediately. The small tasks can pile up and take much longer than anticipated if put off for too long. Time blocking can also be a beneficial practice in prioritization, identify which tasks must be completed, and allocate a time in which you must complete them. If you aren’t able to complete in the self-established timeline, assess if the task requires more time allocated or if you’re distracted by other tasks(emails, calls, pop-ins, etc.) and find a way to mitigate those distractions.
One thing I have found helpful is applying emotional intelligence to assessing my approach to priorities in a workday. I may have planned to do a large, urgent, important task that will take hours but I find myself unmotivated or tired or distracted. I have to recognize my own current state and adjust. In these situations I will often switch tactic and choose a few ‘short and sweet’ tasks to get my energy going. Answer a few quick emails, write that one paragraph rather than tackling a three page document. This will help me get closer to that ‘flow’ state I keep hearing about and then I can take on a bigger task. Other days I can just jump right in eagerly from my first login. This self-awareness of my energy is critical to time management.
Productive leaders have a competitive edge. They know how to achieve more with less. To they're more profitable. Productive leaders know that productivity is not about doing more, but about delivering what matters. They use their goal as guiding star to apply the Eisenhower matrix. An important question to ask when using the matrix starts with "who can...". We don't ask enough for help, but 90% of help comes in response to that question.
Often, individuals accept additional tasks from their superiors in an effort to impress, without understanding the importance of prioritization. I used to overload one of my subordinates to assess their capacity for refusal and to observe which tasks they would prioritize. However, they never responded as anticipated. Effective management entails the ability to say ‘no’ when necessary.
A fourth common time management mistake that prevent you from getting a promotion is multitasking too much. Multitasking is the practice of doing several tasks at the same time or switching between them frequently. Multitasking can seem like a good way to save time and get more done, but in reality, it can reduce your productivity, quality, and focus. Multitasking can also increase your stress, errors, and mental fatigue. To avoid this mistake, you should limit your multitasking to simple or routine tasks that don't require much concentration or creativity, and focus on one complex or critical task at a time. You should also minimize distractions and interruptions that can disrupt your flow and attention.
Frequent task-switching, or "context switching," cannot only lower productivity but also create an impression of disorganization. While multitasking might seem efficient, it often results in poor attention to detail and can make you seem scattered. This could adversely affect your prospects for promotion, as higher-level roles require strong focus and the ability to manage complex tasks effectively.
There is an entire romanticism around multitasking that needs to be addressed. Yes , our daily tasks keep evolving and it’s crucial to adjust and adapt as quickly as never before so multitasking is inevitable. But we do also need as professionals to regain the ability to say No . That might sound basic , but sometimes is just what we need. So ,do not feel guilt or less productive the next time you need to say No to multitasking to complete that important task that is in your radar , we all should . Will that contribute directly to a promotion? I can’t guarantee, but it will for your mental health and life.
Multitasking seems efficient but often hampers focus and productivity. It's essential to tackle tasks with undivided attention to avoid errors and stress. Chet Holmes' "one-touch rule" in "The Ultimate Sales Machine" emphasizes this. Adopting this principle, I've learned to ignore distractions, and stay committed to the current task. This discipline has enhanced my work routine. Effective task management increases productivity. Staying focused and delivering consistent, high-quality work can pave the way for recognition and career advancement.
I used to think multi-tasking was a good thing, but as time goes by, I try to avoid it at all costs. One small thing I started this year was turning off email notifications at work. If my teammates need me, they can send a Teams message or call. I check email frequently throughout the day but when it's convenient for me- when I'm "in-between tasks". The constant email notifications were too distracting and I am more productive for it!
"Multitasking" is a myth busted. Multi tasking is what our body can do, breathing while walking, talking etc. Performing any other task, is part of this Multi tasking. Truth is, we can fully concentrate on what lies in front of us: The center of our attention is ~50 cm in front of our 8th vertebra (center of gravity). When we focus on what happens over there, it can be really hard to simultaneously perform another task. So, by "multitasking" we mainly mean switching between tasks: don't just wait doing nothing, while anticipating a response to an email, make a new contact or do documentation. Keep in mind, it can take up to 20' to completely focus on a task and 10' to regain focus after a distraction (eg a phone call or a text).
A fifth common time management mistake that prevent you from getting a promotion is not managing your energy. Managing your energy means understanding your natural rhythms, preferences, and needs, and aligning your tasks and activities with them. Without managing your energy, you will work against your body and mind, and experience low performance, motivation, and well-being. To avoid this mistake, you should identify your peak and low energy times, and schedule your most important and demanding tasks for when you are most alert and energized. You should also take regular breaks, eat healthy, exercise, sleep well, and do things that recharge you and make you happy.
Make time for creative work when your energy is high, and do routine work when your energy is low. When you work in a company is not always easy to have the perfect schedule since you have to meet with people at certain times, but you can always make reasonable adjustments to your agenda so that you can block focus time away to work on what really matters.
Managing your energy is crucial for maintaining productivity and overall well-being. Prioritize self-care, including sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Take regular breaks to rest and rejuvenate. Schedule important tasks during peak energy times. Practice stress management techniques like deep breathing and mindfulness. Delegate tasks and ask for help when needed. By prioritizing self-care, taking breaks, scheduling tasks strategically, managing stress, and seeking support, you can optimize your energy levels and enhance productivity. Remember, managing your energy is just as important as managing your time.
I know my best time is morning, energy is high, concentration is high. So I prioritise important and urgent things straight away! But I’m not employed just for morning work. So a good solid break away from work at lunch. A healthy lunch to recharge the battery. A fixed start point ie 12:30 and I’m back! Finally removing distractions all ensure I’m ready for the afternoon ahead Knowing your own body and how to get the best from yourself will help you adjust your style of working.
When our body's natural rhythms and needs are not taken into account, quality, performance, motivation and overall well-being can and will decrease. To avoid this, it is always best to stop and analyze what our peak energy periods are in order to schedule our day around that. Obviously (perhaps not for everyone), we need to be in good physical and mental health if we want to get the most out of this idea. So to be brief, the best is to be rested, physically satisfied, and well fed (but not in excess, and if possible avoiding meals with excessive amount of carbohydrates!). This way, I am sure you will improve both your time management skills and your productivity, and with much less effort!
One thing i’ve found helpful is to keep in mind the 80/20 rule. If you find yourself expending extra energy trying to get something “perfect” you’re actually wasting time and won’t get much more productivity benefit at that point. According to the 80/20 Rule, 20% of your efforts produce 80% of your results. Once you get to an acceptable level of satisfaction, move on to the next task. You will be a production machine! :)
A sixth common time management mistake that prevent you from getting a promotion is not asking for help or feedback. Asking for help or feedback means seeking support, advice, or input from others who can assist you or improve your work. Without asking for help or feedback, you will miss opportunities to learn, grow, and solve problems faster and better. You will also risk making mistakes, overlooking details, or delivering subpar results. To avoid this mistake, you should cultivate a growth mindset, which is the belief that you can improve your skills and abilities with effort and feedback. You should also build trust and rapport with your colleagues, managers, and mentors, and ask them for help or feedback when you need it or when they offer it.
Many feel insecure when they ask for help or ask for guidance. Although it showcases maturity and self awareness. Efficient individuals know that asking for help and support is a sign of strength. As well, it shows your intention to learn and grow.
Every good professional (and person) must always be a good learner. We start by learning, but as we gain experience we usually tend to forget that learning MUST BE CONTINUOUS: A good example is the story of Kanō Jigorō, a Japanese athlete who became the founder of a world-renowned martial art called Judo. It is said that on his deathbed he only had one request: He did not want to be buried with the black belt he had been wearing for much of his later years, what he wanted was to be buried with the WHITE BELT, as the good apprentice he always was. Hope this example will help you on your way to becoming a better professional.
Most times, an employer thinks that asking for support is a sign of weakness but it is not. Once in awhile, if the need arises a worker should ask for support from peers and mentors to help him stay on track and maintain focus.
Asking for help or feedback is still something that employees view as a big taboo. From my experience, this is something that team members need to get over as feedback is critical in providing context to their quality of work. For myself, I constantly ask for feedback by focusing on the end result of the task and also preparing questions that can help me to overcome any existing roadblocks. This I believe leads to the long term manifestation of growth as team members start imbedding it into their culture at work.
Don't hesitate to seek assistance when needed. Request feedback to improve your performance. Build a support network to share the workload and gain insights.
Here's a surprise - spending too much time thinking about time management can be its own time management problem (irony!). It's so easy to spiral down the wormhole of productivity posts, to-do apps, and so on when you're stressing about getting it all done. The best advice I have come across is to go ahead and try new strategies, tools and whatever else, but give yourself some grace if/when you come up short. Don't beat yourself up about how you think you're supposed to manage your time, work towards finding the "uniquely you" way of managing your time.
There are two time management factors to consider when wanting to get promoted. 1. Doing your existing job to the best of your ability and excelling. A promotion is not going to come because you want it. You have to demonstrate it by performance that helps you stand out from a group. 2. Investing time in personal improvement and education, in addition to performing at high standards. To be promoted means greater responsibility and understanding or acquiring new and different skill sets. That may require time outside of your regular work to prepare yourself.
First thoughts that come to mind that I have identified in my own career: 1) Lack of Delegation - do you need to be doing ALL of it? How much could be delegated? 2) Over-Emphasis on Perfection --- this was BIG BIG BIG for me - I'd agonize and spend way too much time on trying to get it perfect (and BTW, there's no such thing!!) 3) Failure to reflect and adapt - I often didn't take the time to reflect on what could be improved - I was stuck in a groove of just doing what I was doing - because "I didn't have time" to review and reflect. 4) Ineffective email and document management - it doesn't take much to have your email reading and organizing to suck the entire day away! Finding efficiencies and/or AI to make these tasks automated.
Emails are a productivity killer and a driver to inefficient multi-tasking as you switch between tasks and email. We feel pressured to read and respond instantly. Instead start only doing emails at set times - i.e. first thing, midday and before finishing. Turn off pop-up notifications for them as well.
In my opinion, a common mistake is the lack of effective planning. It's not enough to set goals; it is necessary to incorporate planning into various timeframes (weekly, daily, yearly) to maintain focus on objectives and track progress. Effective planning allows for a structured and proactive approach rather than a reactive one.