Time Management Tips for 2021
Start the year off on time!
Have you made a New Year’s resolution to get more done? Are you trying to be more productive and efficient?
I don’t know anyone who couldn’t do with a little more time, and the more I find that I must do, the faster the time seems to go.
Well, join me in starting the year off right with a set of time management tips that are sure to make a difference.
Leave the proverbial “gerbil wheel” behind and make a commitment to avoid undue pressure and get things done on time by adopting some of the time management suggestions below:
Use a Calendar (or another management tool)
This sounds so basic, yet many of us do not have a viable management tool for our time. Calendars have been used for ages and they are still effective tools. People still rely on them to manage time and organize tasks. A calendar is a universal tool, but you could also choose to use a software program or a phone app. The point is, find the time management tool that works for you and use it!
Tackle the Priority Tasks First Thing
Mark Twain once said, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." His point? Tackle your biggest or most pressing (or most difficult) tasks in the morning. My Mother used to call them her “hate jobs.” Once you get these biggies off your plate, the rest of the day’s tasks will be completed in short order.
Make To-do Lists in the Evening for the Next Day
Before you quit for the day, make your priority to-do list for the next day. By organizing your tasks for the next day, and placing them in priority order, you are effectively setting goals for your day. You will also ensure that those tasks that help to meet your goals will, in fact, get accomplished on time. My Mother also drilled into our heads that “prior preparation prevents poor performance.” I think she was on to something. Make a list, check it twice, and prioritize it before you leave for the day. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.
Be Sure Your Systems Are Organized
Are you wasting a lot of time looking for files on your computer? Do you download and scan important materials into “never-never land?” Do you find yourself depending upon the search key to find basic documents? Then take the time to organize a file management system. Set it up in a way that makes sense to you and maintain it to the point that you can quickly lay your hands on whatever you need.
Schedule Email Response Times
This is another time destroyer that most of us fall into – the email or web surfing habit. Turn off your email throughout the day. When your email is pouring in, it's easy to get distracted. Schedule time to read and respond to emails. If there's something urgent, someone will call or text you. But when you have your email open, those distractions interrupt your thought flow and it's harder to get back on track. You may also want to try and stay off the internet as well (and think about silencing your phone notifications as well.) You’d be surprised how much time can be wasted there.
Wire Time Management into your Day
There are tasks that can be bundled and scheduled to save time. For example - phone calls. I try to bucket my return calls at the end of the day, when I am less pressured with tasks that I need to get completed. I schedule long editing and reading projects for one morning a week, when I am fresh and able to comprehend and edit more effectively and efficiently. Before I leave for the day, I try to return anything from a team member that is needed in order for them to stay on track – a time management habit I adopted early on, and one that makes my mornings more productive. Whatever the “bucket of tasks” you determine to be essential each week, wire them into the schedule so that you tackle them when it best suits you.
Learn to Say ‘NO’, or Later, or Next Week
Time management is also about refusing to take on another task. Too much work can lead to increased stress and exhaustion. And that eventually may lead to work overload and burnout. Saying no, or postponing tasks so that you can maintain a reasonable workload, can help you stay sane, relaxed, and balanced. Don’t be afraid to say no – or if you really have no choice in the matter, try to say “tomorrow” or “next week.” Becoming the “go to” person that rarely says no to a new assignment might make you well-liked, but it will no doubt lead to an overwhelming work schedule that could very easily compromise the quality of your own work.
There are no quick answers to the time management challenge. I suggest you find one strategy that you think you’ll be successful implementing and give it a try. Like with many New year’s resolutions, keep your expectations realistic, and include some rewards to recognize success (finish the week with tasks completed and organized may mean doing something fun over the weekend.)
Finally, we all need to come to terms with the fact that time management is a myth. No matter how organized we are, there will still be only 24 hours in a day. Time doesn't change. All we can really manage is ourselves and how we organize the time we have. Best of luck!