How you spend your time is vital to your success.
Time management includes scheduling your time, prioritizing your time, setting boundaries, and knowing your most effective time.
As a high-performance coach at Microsoft for over two decades, I have seen firsthand the impact that effective time management can have on individuals and teams.
Whether it’s tackling multiple deadlines or dealing with unpredictable events, having a solid set of time management strategies can make all the difference in achieving success.
In this article, I will share 10 time management strategies that I have seen make a real difference in even the most extreme scenarios.
Whether you’re a busy professional or a student trying to balance schoolwork and extracurricular activities, these strategies will help you make the most of your time and achieve your goals.
Make Room for the “Big Rocks” in Your Life
Before we get into the strategies, I want to start with one of the most important ideas. It’s about making room for your “big rocks.”
One famous story about better time management involves a teacher who demonstrated the importance of prioritizing tasks. The teacher presented his students with a jar, some large rocks, some small pebbles, and some sand, and challenged them to fill the jar with everything.
At first, the students tried to fit in the sand and pebbles, but found that there was no room for the large rocks. The teacher then instructed them to put the large rocks in first, and then fill the gaps with the smaller pebbles and sand.
The lesson was that if you prioritize the important tasks (the big rocks), you can still fit in the smaller tasks (the pebbles and sand) without compromising your goals. By making room for the big rocks, you can ensure that you are focusing on what truly matters and achieving your desired outcomes.
10 Strategies for Better Time Management
Consider the following for improving your time management:
- Set clear goals and priorities: Take time to identify your most important tasks and focus on them first. This helps you stay on track and ensures that you are making progress toward your goals.
- Baseline your schedule: Take a snapshot of how you’re currently spending your time so that you can identify areas where you might be wasting time or where you need to allocate more time.
- Carve out time for what’s important: Identify your most important tasks and allocate specific time blocks for them in your schedule.
- Have a buffer: Build in extra time to your schedule to account for unexpected delays or interruptions.
- Know your most effective hours: Identify the time of day when you’re most productive and schedule your most important tasks during those hours.
- Manage energy, not time: Focus on maintaining your energy and avoid burnout by taking regular breaks, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
- Schedule it: Schedule everything that requires your attention, including tasks, meetings, and appointments. And if you want more free time, then schedule more free time.
- Set boundaries: Set clear boundaries with yourself and others to protect your time and avoid distractions.
- Create a personal “no” list: Identify tasks or requests that are not aligned with your goals, values, or priorities, and say “no” to them. This will free up more time for the things that matter most.
- Worst things first. Worst things first is a time management strategy that involves tackling the most challenging or unpleasant tasks on your to-do list first thing in the morning, rather than putting them off until later in the day.
Let’s walk through each time management strategy in more detail…
1. Set Clear Goals and Priorities
As Scott Berkun says, “Priorities are the backbone of progress.”
Scott Berkun emphasizes the importance of setting priorities to achieve better time management. He argues that it is critical to distinguish between tasks that are important and those that are urgent.
According to Berkun, we often fall into the trap of attending to tasks that are urgent, but not necessarily important.
This can lead to neglecting tasks that are important, but not urgent, which can ultimately lead to stress and missed opportunities.
Berkun advises you to take the time to identify your most important tasks, and prioritize them accordingly. By doing so, you can achieve greater focus and efficiency in your work.
2. Baseline Your Schedule
Before you can improve how you spend your time, it helps to baseline your current weekly schedule.
Simply identify where you spend your time; note your free time too. Once you have a solid handle on where your time goes, you can start to evaluate potential ways to improve how you spend your time.
One way to baseline your schedule is to track your time for a week or two using a time tracking tool or even a simple pen and paper. This can help you identify patterns and areas where you may be wasting time or not making the most of your free time.
It can also help you see where you have opportunities to carve out time for the things that matter most to you. Remember, time is a non-renewable resource, so it’s important to make the most of it by being intentional and mindful about how you spend it.
3. Carve Out Time for What’s Important
Make sure you spend enough time on the things that are important. The key to doing this effectively is to first identify your priorities and make sure you allocate enough time for them. Make everything else work around that.
One important thing to keep in mind when carving out time for what’s important is to recognize that there will always be competing demands for your time.
You may need to say no to some things or delegate tasks to others in order to make room for your top priorities. It’s also important to periodically reassess your priorities to ensure that you’re still spending your time on what matters most to you, and that your goals and values haven’t shifted over time.
By regularly evaluating and adjusting your time allocation, you can ensure that you’re staying true to yourself and making the most of your time.
4. Have a Buffer
Have buffers in your schedule.
Aside from needing the breathing room and allowing for things to go wrong, having a buffer makes it possible for you act on opportunities.
If your schedule is packed too tightly, not only is it stressful, but you won’t be able to take advantage of opportunities as they come along.
Worse, every possible opportunity will look more like a burden than an opportunity.
In addition to allowing for unexpected events and opportunities, having a buffer in your schedule can also help you stay focused and reduce stress.
When your schedule is packed too tightly, you may feel overwhelmed and rushed, which can lead to poor decision-making and decreased productivity.
By intentionally building in some buffer time, you can approach your tasks and commitments with more clarity and focus, ultimately leading to better results.
This is really a chance to better manage your wellbeing, by better managing your time.
5. Know Your Most Effective Hours
It’s one thing to know whether you’re a morning person or a night owl.
It’s another to know which hours or which days are your most effective power hours.
Track your most effective hours for a week or two.
Once you know your most effective hours, leverage them by making them your most productive for your most important work.
You might find that some hours are better for your creativity, while some hours are better for your productivity.
You also might find that some hours just don’t do anything for you at all.
It’s important to note that everyone’s most effective hours may be different and can even change over time. Pay attention to your energy levels and productivity throughout the day and adjust your schedule accordingly.
Also, keep in mind that it’s okay if your most effective hours don’t align with traditional work hours – find a way to work around that and make it work for you. Finally, don’t forget to take breaks and recharge during less effective hours to avoid burnout.
6. Manage Energy, Not Time
One way to improve your results is to focus more on your energy management than your time management.
You only have so much time in a day, and it’s fixed. Your energy, on the other hand, can fluctuate a great deal.
You can focus on your power hours and improving your energy so the time you do spend on things produces exponential results.
In managing your energy, it’s important to recognize that taking breaks and taking care of yourself is just as important as pushing through work.
Engaging in activities that energize you such as exercise or socializing can actually increase your overall productivity and focus.
Additionally, it’s important to pay attention to what drains your energy and find ways to mitigate or eliminate those things from your life. By focusing on energy management, you can create sustainable long-term productivity and avoid burnout.
7. Schedule It
Schedule results; don’t wait for inspiration. If you schedule it, it happens.
As the saying goes, “One of these days is none of these days.”
Schedule items you need time for.
Scheduling is not just about time management, but it’s also about taking ownership of your time and being intentional with how you use it.
By scheduling your tasks and projects, you are making a commitment to yourself to prioritize your goals and make progress towards them.
Additionally, scheduling can help you avoid the temptation of procrastination or distraction by providing structure and accountability to your day.
Remember, if it’s not on your schedule, it’s not a priority. So, make sure to schedule the important tasks and projects that will help you achieve your goals.
8. Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries helps you manage your energy as well as prioritize. One of my friends uses, “Dinner on the table at 5:30”.
Another friend uses weekends as his boundary and buffer. It doesn’t have to be weekends, but it’s about having a day or two where you have nothing planned and no commitments.
This helps you recharge for the rest of your week.
Setting boundaries is not just about managing your time, but also your mental and emotional energy.
When you set boundaries, you are taking control of your life and making a conscious decision about what you will and will not tolerate.
This can help reduce stress and increase your overall happiness and well-being. It’s important to communicate your boundaries clearly with others, whether it’s your coworkers, friends, or family members, and to be consistent in enforcing them.
Remember, setting boundaries is not selfish, it’s self-care.
9. Create a Personal “No” List
Creating a personal “no” list is one of the most effective ways to manage your time and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It’s easy to get caught up in saying “yes” to every request that comes your way, whether it’s a new project at work or a social commitment with friends. However, saying “yes” to everything can quickly lead to burnout and overwhelm.
To create a personal “no” list, start by identifying the things that are most important to you. This might include your health, your family, your work, or your hobbies. Once you’ve identified these priorities, make a list of the things that you’re willing to say “no” to in order to protect them.
For example, you might decide that you’re not willing to work late every night, or that you won’t take on any new projects that don’t align with your long-term career goals. You might also decide that you’re not willing to sacrifice time with your family or skip your daily workout routine.
Remember, saying “no” doesn’t mean that you’re being selfish or uncooperative. In fact, it’s often the opposite – by setting clear boundaries and prioritizing your time, you’ll be able to show up more fully and effectively in all areas of your life.
10. Worst Things First
Worst things first is a powerful time management strategy that involves tackling your most difficult or unpleasant task first thing in the morning.
By doing this, you not only get the most challenging task out of the way, but you also build momentum for the rest of your day. To make it work for you, start by identifying your most pressing or important task and commit to doing it first thing in the morning. Be intentional about removing distractions and focus solely on that task until it’s complete.
By practicing this habit consistently, you’ll not only increase your productivity, but you’ll also build a sense of accomplishment and confidence that will carry you through the rest of your day.
You’re Managing Your Time Well When You are Experiencing Better Productivity, Better Energy, and Better Fulfillment
Improving your time management skills is crucial for achieving your goals and living a fulfilling life.
By baselining your schedule, carving out time for what’s important, having a buffer, knowing your most effective hours, managing energy, scheduling it, setting boundaries, turning chores into chances, creating a personal “no” list, and doing the worst things first, you can take control of your time and be more productive and happier.
Remember that time is a limited resource, so use it wisely and intentionally. With these strategies, you can achieve better results and make the most out of each day.
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