Effective Time Management

We are all and always in a rush. Deadlines keep approaching, meetings keep multiplying and sometimes it can feel overwhelming. We gathered some tips & tricks for effective time management that you can try and we guarantee they will make your life easier.

Set your priorities!

What do you hope to accomplish in a day or in a month or in a year? What commitments have you already made and what new activities would you like to get involved in? For example, would you like to be part of a cross-departmental collaboration or learn about new technologies? Put these and similar goals based on their priority and try to estimate how much time each would take.

Keep track of your activity

Try to track 5 working days and analyze how you spend your time at each moment. Then, at the end of the week, review your activity habits. Is the level of importance of the activity appropriate to the time you devote to it? Let's say you spent two hours deleting old emails, even though you had more important things to do. This is an example of wasting time on tasks that don't lead to the desired results.

Dedicate yourself to a system that you will actually implement

Find tools both online and offline that help you stick to scheduled meetings and compose a detailed work schedule. Whichever system you choose to implement (a regular calendar or a digital assistant) will only work if you use it rigorously. What matters is not the tool or application itself, but the habits and discipline you impose on yourself.

Outline a work plan every day

Many time management experts believe that people should spend 10 to 15 minutes setting priorities at the beginning of each day. Your schedule isn't set in stone; you can change it throughout the day. And knowing this information will help you make the most of opportunities as they arise.

Group similar tasks

Schedules tasks that require similar efforts or resources in the same time frame. For example, you might find it easier to do online research for 3 or 4 important projects in the same timeframe. Similarly deal with emails and other correspondence in a carefully determined time frame.

Notice when you are the most productive

When are you more creative and performing better? Early morning, midday or late afternoon? On the other hand when do you have your worst moments? By becoming aware of the times when you are performing or not, you can schedule your tasks for the right times. For example, if you have a let's say unproductive time at 3pm in the afternoon, you might be better off tidying up files than drafting an important document.

Control distractions

Although interruptions at work are inevitable, their impact can be limited. During busy periods, select the calls you answer. Also, resist the temptation to check your email or reply to a message immediately.

Resist the temptation to multitask

This is one of the easiest tips for organizing your time, but it can also be one of the hardest to follow. Focus on the task at hand and block out all distractions. It can be tempting to multitask, but you only self-sabotage yourself when you try to do so. You waste time and lower the productivity of your actions when you switch from one task to another.

Stop procrastinating!

Instead of putting off a big project, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. If it still overwhelms you, seek to delegate parts of it or ask colleagues for help.

Learn to say "no"!

If a task or request isn't of major importance to your job or professional goals and you have a lot of tasks already pending, politely decline. However, you could offer the person some alternatives as a sign of consideration and team spirit.

The main objective of honing your time organization skills is to perform at your best every day. By following the above suggestions, you may find that you have all the time you need for the most important issues. But if, even after applying these recommendations, you still don't feel like you're coping with the workload, it may be time to reorient yourself to another job.

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