Time Management Strategies That (Actually) Work

Time Management Strategies

Do you struggle to complete your tasks, get distracted easily or procrastinate? We share a few time management strategies that actually work.

“Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.” – Charles Richards

Time Management is about applying your time in the best ways possible. We’ve identified easy to implement time management strategies that will help you be more productive and to complete more tasks on time.

Time management strategies that work:

  • Create a great working space where you feel comfortable, that is decluttered and has ample natural light.
  • Set boundaries for when you may not be disturbed by family members or colleagues.
  • Ask for an agenda before accepting a meeting – and don’t attend a meeting unless it is necessary.

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent, and not enough time on what is important.” – Steven Covey

  • Start your day or work week by creating a task list. Order them by urgency or importance. (You can also batch together similar tasks.) Set a time limit to each task. Review your tasks at the end of the day and remove all completed items.
  • Use a time tracker (like Clockify) to keep record of task durations. This will also keep you accountable for your time and identify the hours you were unproductive.

“Regardless of where and how you fall into the trap of half–work, the result is always the same: you’re never fully engaged in the task at hand, you rarely commit to a task for extended periods of time, and it takes you twice as long to accomplish half as much.” – James Clear

  • Stay focused and avoid distractions. Block time in your schedule to check your email. When you stop halfway through a task to read emails, you get less done.
  • Avoid multitasking, studies have shown that in reality it doesn’t save you time.
  • Learn to delegate. Your skills may sometimes be needed more on another task or project, delegate what you can to colleagues and move onto the more urgent tasks.
  • Be sure to take a break. Taking a break is crucial to keep you feeling energized and more productive.

“Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.” – Thomas Edison

Whatever time management strategies you use, remember to evaluate and refine what works for you. Share your time management tips with us in the comments below.

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