Tried And True Time Management Tips
Three strategies to increase your efficiency so you can spend more time doing what you love
As Julie Weber wrote in her recent blog post, A Life Measured by Time, “Time doesn’t stand still for anyone” — and we don’t get any of it back. To feel successful every day, in or out of work, try one or a combination of these techniques:
Making Time vs. Finding Time
If you often find yourself saying “I wish I could ____ more but I just don’t have the time,” this one’s for you.
Whether or not you’re a so-called “morning person”, the sunrise is also your best time to shine. You are in full control of those hours before you engage with the world. As soon as you open your to-do list or check your emails, you are at the mercy of it and everyone else, along with all the possible excuses that could prevent you from doing whatever it is you want to do.
Say, for example, you never have time to go to the gym. It may be because you end up leaving work too late and you’re tired or you leave on time but it’s happy hour and you prefer to meet up with a friend. At this point in your day, you have to find the time to work out instead of making time for it.
By setting your alarm one hour earlier than usual, you now have one hour that you can dedicate to that workout. And once you’re done, you have a full day ahead of you to come as it may. This strategy can apply to anything from meditating and writing to reading the paper — you just need to allot yourself the time to do it.
Science says: the time of day when you’re most productive is a genetic disposition. This Fast Company article breaks down the different types of people and how to navigate your chronotype (predisposition) to make the most out of your day.
The Rule of Three
If you’re the kind of person who is constantly checking items off of your to-do list to no satisfying end, here’s your fix.
Prioritizing means identifying the three tasks you absolutely cannot end the day without doing. They should be significant, measurable, and achievable.
Example 1:
Pick a theme for next month’s newsletter and outline the content needs
vs.
Think about next month’s newsletter theme and research content
Example 2:
Map out a timeline for the project, including hard deadlines and launch date
vs.
Meet to discuss the project timeline
I recommend writing these down and keeping them in plain sight, either on a sticky note, a whiteboard, or in your notebook. As you complete each item, cross it off your list. By the end of the day, you’ll see the most important tasks done and your morale will be higher. Instead of spending every evening thinking about how much more you could have done, you’ll enjoy your time not working on tasks knowing that you did what needed to be done — no more, no less.
Survey says: “Executives with the most focused set of strategic priorities (one to three priorities) were the most likely to say they had achieved above-average revenue growth,” says Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi in this HBR article. Don’t dismiss this if your title doesn’t read Executive — this practice applies to everyone because we are all executives of our responsibilities.
Finding Your Flow
If you’re a multitasker who feels efficient in the moment but frazzled at the end, try this on for size.
Get into a state of flow. Giving yourself time and space to focus on one thing at a time can increase creativity, productivity, effectiveness, and, most important of all, happiness.
To get there, you must find a physical space and set aside a specific amount of time when you can free yourself from distractions. I like to put up a Do Not Schedule (DNS) block of time on my work calendar, anywhere from one to three hours depending on the day, to tackle my list of priorities. If someone tries to schedule a meeting with me during that time, I consider the cost of taking that meeting and look for an alternative to offer them outside of this block that I can afford. Then I put on music, tune out from the buzz of the open office around me, and lose myself in the task at hand.
For those who need more help focusing, take yourself out of your usual work habitat and find someplace quiet and/or secluded where you can hunker down. Turn off or silence your cell phone and email notifications so you’re not interrupted by the constant pings and buzzes of other people’s requests. Allow yourself the freedom to focus wholeheartedly on getting things done. It will infuse your day with a sense of accomplishment.
Psychology Says: The flow state is described as the optimal state of performance, increasing happiness and satisfaction. Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, considered the co-founder of positive psychology, determined that “flow is not only essential to a productive employee, but it is imperative for a contented one as well.” Read more about the what, why, and how of getting into flow states from Positive Psychology.
