THEME : TIPS FOR IMPROVING TIME MANAGEMENT OF

PRODUCTIVITY

INTRODUCTION

We all have the same 24 hours in a day, but have you ever
wondered why some people don’t seem to have a problem
getting it all done while others struggle to stay on top of
even the basics? What if we told you there’s a secret that
those super-productive people know, one that’s not taught
in school but that can be mastered by anyone? The secret
is a skill called time management, and like any other skill
from cooking to karate, it can be learned by following a
few simple tips.

Time management tips and techniques can completely

change the way you live and work, and they can have a
major impact on your sense of control and satisfaction
with how you spend your time. Whether you’re looking to
be more productive at work; trying to stay on top of bills,
errands and chores; struggling to find time to exercise; or
seeking ways to improve your mental wellness or carve
out meaningful time with friends and family, these time
management strategies, techniques and tools can help
you become the best version of yourself.
1. Know How You Spend Your Time
A time log is a helpful way to determine how you use your time. Record what you are doing
in 15-minute intervals for a week or two. Evaluate the results:

 Did everything you needed to do get done?

 Which tasks require the most time?
 What time of day when you are most productive?
 Where is most of your time is devoted (i.e. job, family, personal, recreation)?

Identifying your most time-consuming tasks and determining whether you are investing your
time in the most important activities can help you to determine a course of action. Having a
good sense of the time required for routine tasks can help you be more realistic in planning
and estimating how much time is available for other activities. Many apps exist to help you
keep track of your time, as mentioned in.

2.Be flexible but disciplined

If you find yourself giving up on attempts to establish a planning
routine, it’s time to practice some accountability — and build in
flexibility too. “Pick a system and hold yourself accountable to
the system you’ve chosen for at least a month,” Smith says. “If
you need to adjust it in the future, give yourself the freedom to do
so.”

You should also be realistic about the tools and techniques you
want to use. “Some general advice is don’t expect yourself to
stick to anything that is too rigid,” Allen says. “Experiment with
strategies to find what works for you, and don’t be afraid to mix it
up! If you expect your time management strategies to be fluid and
something you are always tweaking, you will get less frustrated
with yourself and have better results.”

3 .Stop Procrastinating
People put off tasks for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the task seems overwhelming or
unpleasant. To help stop procrastination, consider “eating the big frog first.” A quote
commonly attributed to Mark Twain says, “If it’s your job to eat a frog today, 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 big frog
first.” Unpleasant tasks we procrastinate completing are “big frogs.” Complete these tasks as
your first action of the day to get them out of the way. Another option is to “snowball” your
tasks by breaking them down into smaller segments, completing preparatory tasks, and
eventually completing the larger task at hand. Whether you choose the “big frog first” or
“snowball” method, try building in a reward system for completed tasks to help stay
motivated.

4.Set Priorities
Managing your time effectively requires a distinction between what is important and what is
urgent (MacKenzie, 1990). Experts agree that the most important tasks usually aren’t the most
urgent tasks. However, we tend to let the urgent tasks dominate our lives. Covey, Merrill, and
Merrill (1994) categorize activities into four quadrants in their Time Management Matrix:
urgent, not urgent, important, and not important. While activities that are both urgent and
important must be done, Covey et al. suggests spending less time on activities that are not
important (regardless of their urgency) to gain time for activities that are not urgent but
important. Focusing on these important activities allows you to gain greater control over your
time and may reduce the number of important tasks that become urgent.

Urgent Not Urgent

Important Do these tasks as soon as Defer these tasks until all urgent
possible. and important tasks have been
Examples: completed.
  Submit job application Examples:
by 5 p.m.  Schedule dentist
 Pick up sick child from appointment
school  Reply to coworker’s email
 Call plumber to fix regarding future event
leaking toilet  Plan family reunion

Delegate these tasks to the

appropriate people who can Delete these tasks – they are often
manage them. time wasters.
Examples: Examples:
Not Important  Help son with  Respond to social media
homework comments
 Pull weeds from flower  Online shopping
beds  Finish watching TV show
 Make dinner for family

Creating a "to do” list is an easy way to prioritize. Whether you need a daily, weekly, or
monthly list depends on your lifestyle. Be careful to keep list-making from getting out of
control. List manageable tasks rather than goals or multi-step plans. Rank the items on your
“to do” list in order of priority (both important and urgent). You may choose to group items in
categories such as high priority, medium priority, or low priority; number them in order of
priority; or use a color-coding system. The goal is not to mark off the most items, but to mark
off the highest priority items (MacKenzie, 1990). A prioritized “to do” list allows you to set
boundaries so you can say “no” to activities that may be interesting or provide a sense of
achievement but do not fit your basic priorities.

5.Avoid multitasking
It’s also in your best interest to avoid multitasking. Even though switching back and forth
between tasks might cost only a few seconds per switch, it can quickly add up if you multitask
frequently. Multitasking also puts you at risk of making smaller mistakes more often and can
negatively affect your working memory and ability to focus on important tasks, which means
things will start to fall through the cracks.

“Multitasking is the enemy of productivity because you can end up not doing anything
properly. Give one task at a time your full attention, and finish that before moving on to the
next item.”
6.Limit distractions
It’s easy to get distracted by incoming emails, direct messages, text messages, or the urge to
scroll social media. But more often than not, getting distracted by these factors can get in the
way of improving your time management skills.

Avoid these common distractions by turning your phone on Do Not Disturb or setting it out of
reach. You can also choose a Do Not Disturb setting on various business instant messaging
software, like Slack. Another tip is to set a specific timeframe during the day for when you
check your email or other messages so you’re not constantly distracted by incoming messages
in your inbox as you try to get various tasks completed.

CONCLUSION

The benefits of time management include greater clarity, greater capability, and greater confidence.
When you are clear on the best use of your time, you become more focused and productive. Good time
management helps you achieve bigger goals, reduces procrastination, and increases productivity.

Effective time management reduces overwhelm and helps you prioritise, ensuring you work smarter
and achieve your goals faster. One of the best ways to manage your time better and get more done is to
work with a personal coach like WORK & MOVE Software to plan your time more effectively.