10 Time Management Tips That Work
Time management is usually defined as the ability to manage your time productively or effectively, often at work. However, for many people, it can be challenging to find enough time to complete their responsibilities. It’s often helpful to observe and improve your current schedule, prioritize your tasks, and avoid multitasking. For individualized guidance regarding your time management skills, consider scheduling a session with an online or in-person therapist.
How time management tips can be helpful
Time is a valuable resource, so learning how to make the most of it can help you accomplish what you need or want to get done. Whether you struggle with procrastination or simply have a lot of responsibilities on your plate, the following tips might be helpful to consider.
1. Observe and improve your current schedule
It may be helpful to observe your daily activities before creating a schedule. If you'd like to try this, record everything you do daily for one or two weeks. This can involve tracking how much time you spend doing each activity, which may include scrolling social media, texting, thinking, socializing, completing tasks, attending events, or doing daily chores.
You might miss a few days, but that's okay; you're simply trying to get a broader view of how you spend your days. Then, when you look at your activity log, consider how much time you spend on unproductive actions versus tasks you want or need to do. For example, if you'd like to use social media less and walk your dog more, you might compare how much time you spend doing each activity.
From here, you can look for ways to improve your existing schedule, increasing how much time you spend completing the tasks you want to focus on. If this feels too overwhelming or challenging, consider speaking with a therapist for help.
2. Create goals with steps and deadlines
3. Prioritize your tasks
It's often easy to give ourselves so many tasks that we can't do them all, no matter how hard we try. While having several goals can be acceptable, you may need to prioritize them so that you know which ones are most important to you.
Then, it might help to start working on the tasks you feel are the most urgent first. Some of these tasks (e.g., work, self-care, or walking your pet) might be daily responsibilities, while others might be goals you can check off your to-do list when they're done.
4. Outsource when you can
Sometimes, there may not be enough time in the day to get everything done. If this sounds like your situation, outsourcing some of your tasks might make time management easier. This doesn't always mean paying someone money to do things for you; you could ask friends and family for help, too.
For example, if you're struggling to find time to do the laundry, you might be able to find someone in your life who's willing to help. Or, if you can spend a little money, you might look for an individual or business in your area that can do the task you don't have time for at a price you can afford.
While outsourcing isn’t always an option for everyone, you may not know who can lend a hand until you ask around.
5. Avoid multitasking like studying while checking social media
Research suggests that the human brain generally cannot do two tasks at once. When you multitask, you're typically focusing on one task at a time and switching between each activity. For example, frequently checking your social media feeds while studying is likely interrupting your focus rather than allowing you to do two things at once. This practice may reduce your efficiency and creativity.
Instead of multitasking, try focusing on one thing at a time and moving to the next task only when you've completed the first. You might find that this helps you get things done more productively.
6. Make time for yourself
You don't necessarily have to eliminate time for yourself for effective time management. Research suggests that some relaxation and self-care activities, like meditation, can improve your productivity and performance.
As you build your schedule, don't be afraid to block out time to take care of yourself. You deserve to do things you find relaxing, such as exercising, meditating, reading, or listening to music.
7. Reserve time to plan your days
Staying on schedule and effectively using your time usually requires ongoing effort. It often helps if you know what to expect each day.
You might allow 15 to 30 minutes each morning or night to schedule your tasks, review your to-do list, and make any necessary updates. In addition, you can set aside time at the end of each week to plan for the following week.
8. Give yourself time for necessities
People need time to sleep, eat, exercise, and go through their morning and night routines. Scheduling these things out of your day or not giving yourself enough time for these activities doesn't eliminate your need for them and may negatively impact your physical and mental health.
9. Set aside extra time for interruptions
While you likely can't anticipate interruptions, you can set aside extra time for them. Then, if you get interrupted during your day, it may be easier to stay on schedule. If you don't encounter interruptions on a given day, you'll generally have a little extra time for other things.
10. Reward yourself
Rewarding yourself after you've accomplished goals has the potential to inspire and motivate you. It's often best to choose realistic rewards that don't interfere with your goals.
Whether you reward yourself with new fitness equipment after sticking to your exercise routine for a month or a short vacation after paying off your credit cards, having something to look forward to might help you stay on schedule.
Benefits of online therapy for developing time management skills
Online therapy might be a good choice if you're unhappy with your current time management skills. For one, it eliminates the need to commute to appointments and allows you to schedule them at a time that works with your existing routine.
Effectiveness of online therapy
More research may be needed regarding the efficacy of online therapy for time management skills in particular. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that online therapy in general can be as effective as in-person therapy in treating a variety of mental health disorders and concerns. Those who are experiencing stress or anxiety related to procrastination or too many tasks may benefit from this type of support, for example.
Takeaway
What are good time management tips for college students?
There are many different time management tips that may be helpful for college students. Some examples include setting digital reminders for assignments and events, learning to prioritize tasks, and experimenting with productivity strategies like the Pomodoro Technique.
How does social media affect time management?
Social media is a common distraction that can negatively affect time management. If a person is frequently checking their phone to scroll social media while trying to study, work, or do another task, they're likely to be less focused and less productive.
How do you prioritize tasks with competing deadlines?
It can be difficult to know where to focus your time when you have two tasks with competing deadlines. Some tips include starting early and planning out your time carefully, asking if you can get an extension on either deadline, using productivity strategies like the Pomodoro Technique to keep yourself on track, and asking for help.
What are the effects of poor time management?
Poor time management can lead to a variety of negative outcomes. Missed deadlines, trouble at school or work, and high stress levels are just a few examples.
Why are time management techniques so important?
Time management techniques help us get things done that we need to do. Whether you have work projects, school assignments, or other tasks, time management skills allow you to prioritize and complete them as efficiently as possible. This may help you succeed at school or work and may also reduce stress.
Why do I struggle with managing my time?
There are many different reasons a person could be struggling with time management. Some examples include an environment with many distractions, high stress levels, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Is poor time management a sign of a mental health condition?
Trouble with time management can sometimes be a sign of a mental health condition. For example, clinical anxiety can make it difficult to focus on tasks due to a persistent sense of worry. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can also affect a person's time management and productivity.
What are common time management mistakes?
It's common to make time management mistakes as you work toward figuring out which techniques work best for you. Some common mistakes include keeping your phone nearby, which can cause distractions, not taking regular breaks, and procrastinating.
What are the 10 steps to time management?
Here are some good time management techniques to try:
- Use time tracking tools: Increase productivity by tracking where you currently spend your time and then set time limits on time wasters, like scrolling social media.
- Identify your priorities: Sort your to-do list, putting the most urgent tasks at the top of the list.
- Organize your workspace: Getting more organized can help you stay focused, rather than getting distracted by the visual clutter around you.
- Schedule time for the things you love: Enjoying hobbies, social outings, and your passions can help you stay motivated when you’re working. Using a calendar is a time management strategy that can help you organize important tasks and essential self-care.
- Maximize productivity by doing the worst task first: If there’s one task you really don’t want to do, it might contribute to procrastination. Consider accomplishing the task you’re least excited about first thing, so you can get it out of the way.
- Use a physical planner: Many people find that using a physical planner and/or sticky notes helps to track upcoming deadlines, reduce stress, and accomplish tasks. For people that like using planners, being able to physically cross things off of daily to-do lists can be rewarding and motivating.
- Manage time-suckers: Checking emails repeatedly, managing unexpected phone calls or guests, and scrolling on social media can lead to poor time management. Tracking how much work time goes towards unproductive things and setting limits on them can help during working hours.
For many people, finding the time management strategy that best works for them is a matter of trial and error.
What is the Pomodoro Technique in time management?
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-chunking tool that can help many people effectively manage their time and develop self-discipline, even if they struggle with executive dysfunction. To use this technique, break work periods into 25-minute increments (or “Pomodoros”), followed by short five-minute breaks. After completing four Pomodoros, take a break for 20-30 minutes.
The Pomodoro Technique can be adapted. For example, people who struggle with task switching may prefer slightly longer Pomodoros.
What are 6 ways to manage your time effectively?
Here are six strategies that can help you master time management:
- If you never seem to have enough time in your day, consider conducting an audit to find where you’ve wasted time
- If you have time constraints, consider ranking your tasks, prioritizing urgent tasks over small tasks
- Avoid multitasking, even when you’re working on simple tasks, taking the time to accomplish each task on its own
- Reduce distractions, like notifications from text messages and clutter in your workspace
- Use time-tracking and management tools to organize your most important tasks
- Set boundaries, such as asking a family member not to interrupt work time
If time management challenges interfere with professional success or cause you distress, consider working with a licensed cognitive behavioral therapist.
What is the best strategy for managing time?
One of the most popular strategies for time management is determining your schedule first thing in the morning. To do this, list the specific tasks you will complete, along with an estimate of how long each task will take.
To stay ahead of deadlines, organize the list according to priority. This can help you make the most of your valuable time and experience less stress while doing it.
What are the four quadrants of time management?
Here are the four quadrants of time management:
- Quadrant One: Important and urgent tasks
- Quadrant Two: Important but not urgent tasks
- Quadrant Three: Not important but urgent tasks
- Quadrant Four: Not important nor urgent tasks
Some people ask, “Is time management important?” The four quadrants demonstrate how ranking routine tasks in terms of importance can encourage decision-making and productivity, helping people accomplish more with less time. This can free up time for other things that matter to you, like spending time with family, exercising, or volunteering.
For example, group project work that falls into quadrant three can be delegated among team members to accomplish tasks more efficiently.
What is Stephen Covey's time management theory?
Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix is organized as follows:
- Quadrant One: Urgent and important tasks (require prioritizing)
- Quadrant Two: Not urgent but important tasks (require long-term strategic planning and effort)
- Quadrant Three: Urgent but not important tasks (these tasks can become distracting and usually benefit from delegation)
- Quadrant Four: Not urgent or important (these tasks can be used as a break from more urgent and important tasks)
This matrix can help people develop a structured to-do list that makes the most of limited time, delegating and eliminating unnecessary tasks when possible and prioritizing the things that are most important.
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