The key reason why it’s important to always have time management skills. Each day your objective is to move one step close to accomplishing one or more of your goals. Plan for a big pay-off in productivity by the end of the work day. Don’t allow your day to be consumed by low level priorities. Time management can and will have a substantial impact on your long-term success. Below are 6 steps anyone can take to manager their time and accomplish more.
Plan
Organize your day and priorities at the end of the day or in the morning before you begin working. Determine what you need to do and when. Before turning on your computer, sit down with a blank piece of paper and decide what will make this day highly successful. Take your calendar and schedule those things into time slots, placing the hardest and most important items at the beginning of the day.
Make a task list
Many people fail to organize themselves. To-do’s, task lists and checklists organize your day to be productive. Your brain is not the most efficient memory tool and you can avoid forgetting important task. Making a to-do list is an important first step, but prioritizing that list ensures that you focus on the most important items rather than giving in to the temptation of working on less important items. Don’t include more on your list than what can be accomplished in a day. Projects that will take weeks or months to complete should be organized and tracked in a different way.
Block interruptions
If you are facing one disruption after another it can sabotage your productivity. And when you finally get back to your project. Constant distractions like email or text are disruptive to daily productivity. Don’t let your email squander your time. Managing these interruptions isn’t easy. The Do Not Disturb button on your phone isn’t just there for decoration, much like your Out of Office message isn’t there only for time off. Block out time on your Outlook calendar as “Unavailable—Name of Project” so well-meaning colleagues won’t choose that time to stop by for a chat.
Take breaks
Set 1-hour chunks of time, with a 15-minute break in between. This will make you happier, more focused and more productive. Stretching yourself beyond your productivity zone causes you to become unfocused, zoned out or even irritable. Focusing so hard on one thing for a long time isn’t going to give you the results you want. Breaks allow the brain to relax and decompress. They allow us to take a step back and make sure we’re accomplishing the right things in the right way. Regaining your focus, sharpness and motivation will make the day run smoothly. You’ll get more done, and be more successful.
Know your productive time
Block out 3-4 hours to stay 100 percent focused on a project. Are you more focused in the morning or in the evening? Focus your most productive time on the most critical tasks. Understand what times of the day you are most productive and how long you can work before your productivity falls off. Planning to tackle task at peak performance times will help you to sail smoothly through them.
Review your day
What worked? Where did you focus? Where did you get distracted? What did you learn that will help you be more productive tomorrow? High-performing people are always evaluating and learning. They’re always seeking ways to not just learn new things, but also to actually use them. Asking yourself this simple question each day will help you become a continual learner.
Find the system that works best for yourself. You will be surprised by the positive impact good time management can have on your outlook and your results. Don’t allow your day to be consumed by low-level task that steal your time. More than anything else, this one activity can and will have a substantial impact on your long-term success.
