Need help with your time management? Here are four easy to implement things you can do right now.

We all have a couple of techniques we employ to manage our time. Popular strategies include using to-do lists, setting calendar reminders and delegating tasks. Despite this, there are times where we still find ourselves overwhelmed by our workload, unable to see the wood from the trees, and finding our productivity levels fall and our stress levels rise. It is vital, therefore, that we have additional time management techniques in our repertoire to boost productivity during these busy times. This blog will highlight four strategies that you can employ - they may be new to you, or they may serve as a gentle reminder.

1. Plan

Planning allows you to prepare for what might come your way. Create a list the night before of the tasks you need to complete the next day. This will keep you focused and prevent you from spending time the following morning thinking about your tasks for the day - enabling you to get started right away with the urgent tasks. Since you already have a task list ready for the day, if a colleague asks you to assist with something last minute, you’ll have a clear idea of what your workload looks like before taking on additional work.

2. Prioritise tasks

We all love ticking things off our to-do list - yet we must identify which tasks are more urgent and essential than others. To help with this, have a look at the Eisenhower Matrix, which sorts tasks into four areas based on urgency and importance. How to begin? Draw up a list of all of your tasks. Identify the urgent vs important tasks, i.e. the tasks that if not completed will have serious consequences such as a missed client deadline. Next, assess the value. Which of your tasks carries the highest value to your business? For example, focus on client projects before internal work. Finally, order your tasks by estimated effort - tackle the tasks that require the most effort first.

It is also essential to be flexible and adaptable, change is a given, and work will come your way that you weren’t prepared for - by preparing for this, you will remain focused on your tasks when you return to them. Come to accept that you are unlikely to be able to complete everything on your list - the remaining non-urgent tasks can be added to your list for the coming days.

“Daily, we experience both peak-productivity hours and low-productivity hours”.

3. Recognise the importance your energy levels have on productivity

Daily, we experience both peak-productivity hours and low-productivity hours. For example, ‘night owls’ tend to be more productive in the evening, with their energy levels being at their lowest in the morning. It’s the opposite case for ‘morning people' whose energy levels are at their highest first thing and tend to drop off in the afternoon. Knowing which category you fit into can help you manage your time better as you can plan to do the tasks that need your full focus at the time that better suits you. Jeremiah Dillon at Google has done a lot of research into this area. He recommends the following weekly plan:

Monday: Energy ramps out of the weekend — schedule low-demand tasks like setting goals, organising, and planning.

Tuesday, Wednesday: Peak of energy — tackle the most challenging problems, write, and brainstorm.

Thursday: Energy begins to ebb — schedule meetings, especially when consensus is needed.

Friday: Lowest energy level — do open-ended work, long-term planning, and relationship building.

4. Use software and apps to automate specific tasks

Finding the right software and apps for you can save you heaps of time. Make the most of free monthly trials so you can try out different systems without breaking the bank before deciding on what works best for you. For example, you can use accounting software to keep on top of your expenditure, and a time-tracking tool to keep track of your time spent on specific activities. Even more simply, set up calendar reminders and categorise your emails using labels to enable easy sorting.

Don’t forget to schedule relaxation time

Employing the four techniques covered in this blog will help you to manage your time better. It is, however, also essential to recognise the importance of taking regular breaks throughout the working day. Without this, your productivity levels will drop and you will end up taking longer to complete tasks as your attention span waivers. Rest and relaxation are vital in keeping your focus and motivation levels up.

If you’re finding that you are continuously busy despite employing multiple time management techniques, it might be time to consider hiring a VA to assist you during the busy periods.

Contact us to explore this further - we are here to help you achieve a better work-life balance: info@librava.co.uk.