Time Management skills: Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by your Everyday Tasks!

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

William Penn

 

Defining Time Management

Time management is how a person divides and organizes different tasks. It is not limited to how one organizes their workday. Managing time is done more or less unconsciously at any point in time.

“Should I go to the gym, or should I hang out with my friends? Should I read this report now, or should I do it tomorrow?”

Everything is a matter of managing time.

Time Management Skills: a Challenge

It is often a challenge for business owners to fit everything they have to do in one workday. Indeed, an entrepreneur takes on multiple jobs to grow their business.

A survey by New York Enterprise Report showed that 33% of entrepreneurs declared to work more than 50 hours per week, while 25% reported working 60 hours and more in a week. Two of the top challenges entrepreneurs face are always being on the job and avoiding burnout.

Time management brings countless challenges. There is first the challenge of having a lot to do. Moreover, procrastination constitutes an additional challenge.

How many times did “Ah… I will read this later, I have time left” turn into “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” In fact, according to studies, 15%-20% of adults are affected by procrastination.

Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed and thus do not know where to start.

By acquiring time management skills, you can take ownership of your time and work.

Time Management at work

Why is it important?

Learning time management skills is essential for entrepreneurs because they are responsible for (nearly) all tasks involved in developing and managing a new business. It ranges from marketing to accounting, etc. Thus, business owners must know which assignment to prioritize, set and respect deadlines and do it within the workday.

However, time management skills are not limited to entrepreneurs. Even employees are encouraged to gain time management skills. In fact, employees who can manage their time efficiently become more productive and more likely to meet deadlines. They can focus on important tasks without wasting time on secondary work.

Productivity tip for managers: invest resources in training your employees to manage their time better! You will see an increase in productivity.

Time Management Tips

Wasting Time? Where?

Find where you are wasting your time. It’s easy to get lost on the internet, spend hours on end on YouTube, scroll down infinitely on social media, etc. By knowing where and how much time you are wasting, you can erase those. The most obvious way of keeping track of your daily activities is with pen and paper. However, many busy people might find it even more time-consuming to write what they are doing, when, and for how long. There exist software, such as Clockify, RescueTime, and 144 Blocks, to help you track your activity.

Set Goals

By setting appropriate goals – you can even use SMART goals – for you and your business, you have a clear idea of what the most pressing matter is and what can come second or third.

Having clear goals also help to focus all the employees on the same objective, which is beneficial for productivity.

Schedule

By creating a daily plan and sticking to it, you already eliminate the risk of being unfocused and wasting time on tasks that can be delayed. To plan your schedule, list all current assignments and order them in terms of urgency/priority.

The Eisenhower matrix can help you determine which task(s) to focus on first by establishing the importance and the urgency.

Avoid Multitasking

Although multitasking might seem like being super-efficient, it also is the best way to:

• Do the work halfway;
• Lose the focus on what is crucial

Keep doing one task at a time; you will work faster, make fewer mistakes, and overall be less stressed about having to juggle many tasks at once.

Do not overpack

If you schedule too many things in your day and an urgent task comes up, you will find yourself unable to complete everything you planned. Allow yourself to have some buffer time in case anything happens.

In the same way, avoid packing your day with only heavy tasks. Alternate between simple and challenging missions so that you can “rest” in between heavy workloads.

Learn to say No

Most people have a hard time saying no, either to their boss or anyone asking for something. Saying yes to everything is not doing a favour either to you or the other person. If you are already booked for the day, or even the week, do not feel bad about saying no!

Learn to Delegate

Saying no is not always possible even then, do not overwork yourself! Delegate to competent people.

If you cannot delegate, outsource!

Time Management Apps and Tools

Well, of course, time management is an important skill, but it does not mean that you cannot get help to manage your time!

Here are some apps and tools to help you manage your time better:

• Trello (best for multiple people)
• Toggl Track (best for work)
• Todoist (best overall)
• Remember The Milk (best if you use a lot of devices)
• Focus Keeper (best if you tend to procrastinate)
• MyLifeOrganized (helps you focus on what you should do)