Time isn’t an unlimited resource! Instead, time is a precious commodity that can easily be wasted if you aren’t aware of the importance of time management skills.
But when you employ time management tips and strategies, these can make a huge impact on your personal and professional life. Employing time management can save you time while increasing your productivity!
Time management techniques aren’t just for entrepreneurs and managers! Everyone can benefit from time management tips and strategies, including the self-employed, employees, parents and students. Time management skills benefit everyone who masters them, because they allow you to create a healthy work/life balance.
By sharpening your time management skills, you can maximize the time that you have available to you and stay on top of your everyday responsibilities while getting more done. This will help you produce your best work, meet deadlines and become more efficient and confident at work.
Time management takes some effort and requires discipline. However, the benefits far outweigh the work required as they help you to identify your priorities, obligations, and schedule activities.
If you don’t have enough time in your day to complete all your chores, then you may need to employ some time management strategies. These will help you to work more quickly and more efficiently.
Even if you’ve never used time management tips and strategies in the past, it’s never too late to change your habits. Below are 15 of the best time management tips that you can easily implement in your work and personal life.
- 1. Importance of Time Management Skills
- 2. Be Early
- 3. Don’t Procrastinate
- 4. Create A Schedule
- 5. Set priorities
- 6. Prepare
- 7. Be Productive
- 8. More Opportunities
- 9. Be Organised
- 10. Don’t Waste Time
- 11. Create More Time
- 12. Set reminders
- 13. Work/Life Balance
- 14. Boost confidence
- 15. Time For Fun
- Summing Up: The Importance Of Time Management Skills
1. Importance of Time Management Skills
The importance of time management skills shouldn’t be overlooked. While there is a limited number of hours in a work week, the level of productivity that employees are required to meet has steadily increased.
Even if you’re in business for yourself, you can find the going to be very demanding. Unless of course you understand the importance of time management skills and utilize them effectively.
So, what is time management? Time management is organizing your time and activities in your day so that you can make the best use of every moment. When you use time management techniques your productivity and efficiency will increase.
The best time management techniques include setting deadlines, being organized, and prioritizing your tasks. By utilizing time management skills, everyone can make the most of their time and open a world of possibilities.
Whereas the consequences of failing to manage your time properly could result in excessive stress. Failing to manage your time could result in missing deadlines, or losing precious hours on non-important things.
2. Be Early
Most people have experienced what happens when their time is not managed properly. People may experience feelings of stress and anxiety from fast-approaching deadlines. Therefore, improper management of time not only affects productivity but it can be detrimental to your health.
One of the easiest time management skills to implement is to be early for appointments. Being early saves you time because you won’t be caught out by unexpected delays in traffic or other unanticipated surprises.
Finishing projects before the due deadline also saves you time and stress. Meeting deadlines means that you don’t have to rush around at the last minute to overcome unexpected obstacles.
Rushing around to meet deadlines is not only stressful but can lead to making avoidable mistakes. These mistakes will then need to be corrected which will eat up even more time.
On the other hand, when you aim to finish a project earlier than the due date, you can tick off the boxes with great satisfaction as each task is completed.
If unexpected problems do occur, you will have enough time to fix them. Being early reduces stress levels. This is because you will have enough time to complete your projects. This reduces the likelihood of making mistakes due to time restraints.
3. Don’t Procrastinate
One of the most common causes of poor time management is procrastination. Worrying about the tasks that you have to complete and the deadlines that you have to meet is time-wasting.
Naturally, big decisions will take up some time and should be thought through properly. But small decisions such as deciding what to do next, or worrying about the choices that you have made, can be huge time-wasters.
Instead of staring blankly at your computer or to-do list, create a schedule. This stops you from using precious time questioning what you should tackle next.
4. Create A Schedule
If you want your day or week to progress as stress-free and as calm as possible, then one of the best time management tips is to make up a work schedule or timetable.
Schedules or to-do-lists help you identify what tasks need to be done. To-do-lists also help you identify the amount of time required to complete them and when they need to be completed by.
Whenever you identify any task that needs to be done, schedule it. Either write it down or enter it into a digital calendar. Regularly update your schedule with new tasks and check it daily to keep on top of your workload.
When tasks are recorded and scheduled, they won’t be forgotten, appointments won’t be neglected, and you won’t miss a deadline. Timetables also help you to be more accountable so that you finish your projects in a timely manner.
Schedules can help you stay on track and keep you focused. On the other hand, if you don’t have a schedule you could end up working long hours in order to meet rapidly approaching deadlines.
5. Set priorities
There will be times when you will be overcome with the number of things that you have to complete within a given time-frame. If every task that you need to complete seems equally important, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed. This dilemma can be overcome simply by setting priorities.
By prioritizing each task based on how important that task is, you minimize your risks and maximize your time. Categorize and prioritize everything that’s on your to-do list. Then match these to the blocks of time that you have available in your time schedule.
For example, if you have 15 minutes of free time between meetings, don’t start on a project that will take you an hour to complete. Instead, find a simple task that will take you a few minutes to complete. Using your time wisely frees up larger blocks of time for tasks that require more time, or more concentration.
Doing this will allow you to achieve more work with less effort. When you prioritize your tasks, you end up working more efficiently. You will also end up with more time on your hands without the stress. This results in you being calmer and more proficient at your work.
6. Prepare
As mentioned previously having a plan or a schedule is important. But actually, preparing for your tasks is also crucial. Most people do not take time to prepare for upcoming tasks and appointments.
Prepare in advance by doing any pre-work that is required. Doing your research or reading essential articles or manuals related to your task prior to starting on a job, allows you to perform it more efficiently.
Whereas, being unprepared could lead to confusion and added stress. For example not reading the instructions on how to assemble a flat-pack computer table with drawers can lead to frustration and rework if you assemble it incorrectly.
This could result in a lot of unnecessary effort and time being wasted. Many tasks can be completed quicker when you prepare ahead of time.
Plan in advance so that you can get your required tasks done in the shortest possible time. When you prepare yourself in advance, you will encounter fewer complications, which in turn saves you time.
7. Be Productive
The importance of time management skills is evident in your productivity. When you employ time management techniques you are able to manage your workload better.
There’s nothing more frustrating than wasting a day performing unproductive activities. To increase productivity, make a habit of prioritizing your tasks. Then allocate an appropriate amount of time to each task ensuring to met any deadlines.
Schedule your time management do lists either manually or electronically into your phone or computer. Once this strategy is in place, tweaked it to allow for unseen problems. If you do this you will then be able to meet deadlines without any rework.
Being productive is a good example of time management skills being used effectively. When you use time management tips and strategies at work or in your personal life, tasks will seem less daunting. Instead, you will be more organized and will finish your work in a timely manner.
A bonus to being productive is that your reputation for reliability will also increase. If you are viewed as being reliable you will most likely also be respected by your peers, managers as well as by people in your personal life.
Knowing that you can be relied on to do a good job in a productive manner, should give you a sense of accomplishment. A sense of a job well done will help you to stay focused and motivated at work.
8. More Opportunities
Another benefit of implementing time management techniques, is that it leads to the creation of more opportunities. This is because when you are organized, tasks can often be completed ahead of schedule.
This results in free time that you wouldn’t otherwise have. This free time can then be used for other important tasks, or on yourself. By learning to manage your time effectively, you’ll have more opportunities for a fulfilling life. You will have time to work on personal growth, enjoy a hobby, or spend time with family and friends.
9. Be Organised
Being organized is another one of the best time management tips of all time. People who are organized save an immense amount of time! When you are organized, you have a place for everything from your eyeglasses to your keys, from important documents to your USB sticks.
Having a place for everything means that you will save time. This is because you will not have to waste time searching for important objects when you need them.
Being organized leads to efficiency and productivity gains. It ensures that you spend time on the things that matter the most. When you are organized you don’t forget things, overlook details or lose instructions. Being organized leads to less time being consumed in rework and fixing mistakes.
When tackling a huge or complicated project, get organized and break down the project into doable tasks. Doing this avoids procrastinating. Because when you are overcome by the size of a project, it’s difficult to know where to begin.
Schedule each task according to its importance so that it can easily meet its deadline. This avoids the temptation to rush a job because you left it to the last minute. Being organized prevents you from becoming overwhelmed or stressed!
10. Don’t Waste Time
The importance of time management skills come into their own with this tip. In order to make better use of your time, you must also be aware of the times when you actually waste time.
These days it is easy to waste time simply because it’s so easy to become “lost” in the online world. Social media and browsing the internet can suck up so much valuable time that you really don’t have to spare.
If the task that you are working on doesn’t require internet access, turn off your internet connection. Doing this will minimize distractions. Turning off social media will help you stay on track so that you don’t lose valuable time on unimportant matters.
11. Create More Time
You can create more time simply by using the time that you have available in a better way. There are several simple actions that you can take to increase the amount of time in your day.
Try waking up an hour earlier. This can be difficult if you’ve spent the night before out partying.
However, it pays to wake up earlier than you usually do. This is specially true if you normally have trouble completing your daily tasks or if your workload suddenly increases. For more tips on how to wake up earlier read my blog “15 Ways To Wake Up Early And Get More Done! “
Another way that you can increase the number of hours in your day, is to look at your daily commute. See if you can reduce your traveling time by using a different mode of transport. Another way to reduce your commute is to travel out of peak periods.
Changing the way that you work might also give you extra time. For example, tackle the most difficult tasks first thing in the morning when you are fresh. Being fresh will help you concentrate better and work more efficiently. Whereas when you leave difficult tasks for the end of the day, your concentration is reduced from the day’s activities.
12. Set reminders
In order to never miss an important event, appointment or deadline set yourself a reminder. Use technical gadgets and applications to store information and set reminders a day ahead of important events. This will ensure that you don’t forget and are prepared in advance.
If you have ever been late for a meeting, conference or interview, then you need to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Do this by setting yourself reminders for an hour before your appointment so you can get there on time. Once this becomes a habit, you’re never going to be late again.
Another tip is to not take on more than you can deliver as you will end up setting yourself up for distress and anguish. If you take on too many projects that have competing completion times, you may end up having to compromise on the quality of your projects.
It’s always better to under-promise and over deliver, than the other way around. So, know your limitations and work within your skill level.
Always prioritize your tasks and organize your projects so that they are completed within their time-frame. This way you will exceed expectations. You will also avoid the embarrassment of not being able to deliver on your commitments.
13. Work/Life Balance
To get the most out of life, you should ensure that you have a well-balanced work/life balance. This is different for all individuals and will be dependent on what stage in life or work that you are at.
For example, people with young children may want to spend time with their kids rather than working long hours. Whereas someone who is establishing a business may want to spend more time on their business. This is usually the case until the business is up and running.
Regardless of what stage in life you are at, there are times when people must understand and respect your boundaries. Whilst it may be difficult to say “No” to a friend or family member, it’s vital that you have the time to complete your work. This is very important for people who work from home, as well as students who are trying to complete their studies.
Requests for help with chores during a workday and other distractions from family members can consume your work time. In order to combat this, set aside a separate room for your home office that other family members can’t enter during the day.
When working from home, the importance time management skills should rank highly. Do this by creating a rigid work schedule for each day.
If you set aside an eight-hour work period each day, this will ensure that your work time doesn’t blend with free time. Breaks for lunch or snacks can easily encroach on your work schedule if you aren’t strict with your timetable.
14. Boost confidence
Using the above best time management tips at work and in your personal life, can improve your confidence. As meeting your deadlines and exceeding expectations will boost your sense of accomplishment. These achievements can be a huge motivator.
On the other hand, if you regularly fail to meet deadlines or commitments, you will end up struggling to keep up with your work. This results in stress or burnout and may leave you hating your job or result in you feeling inadequate.
Not all work is enjoyable! So, if you find that you regularly spend more time procrastinating rather than doing, then this could be an indication of a bigger problem. If you are full of dread whenever you head off to work, then you may need to consider another career.
Explore options that can provide you with a sense of enjoyment as well as a secure financial future. If you don’t get along with your boss, consider setting up your own business. If you decide to go down this track, keep in mind that it can take a few years before you will see any real money.
So, don’t quit your job if you aren’t financially secure! Instead set up your business as a hobby on the side. This will provide you with an interesting outlet for your work stress. Once your business venture takes off and you are making money that you can live off, then you can throw in your job.
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15. Time For Fun
The importance of time management skills in your life and how often you use them, can determine your overall satisfaction in life. Employ time management techniques by allotting your time to the things that make the most impact. Not only will it make your life easier, but you will gain time! That means that you don’t have to work back late, or work on weekends to finish your work projects.
The time that you gain can then be spent on the things that matter most. Spend time on fun things or the things that you wish you had more time for. You could spend it cultivating friendships, or socializing with friends and family members.
Using management techniques will help you to be happier in your day to day life. You will have more time while reducing stress. Having less stress allows you to have a better and more restful sleep. It also means that you will have more time for the fun things in life.
Summing Up: The Importance Of Time Management Skills
Summing up: Not having time management tips and strategies in place can lead to anxiety. Lack of time can result in rushing around trying to meet fast-approaching deadlines. It often leads to making avoidable mistakes, missing appointments or overlooking important aspects of your work.
This, in turn, can lead to stress, apprehension, and dissatisfaction with work or with life in general. Constantly feeling worn out and stressed makes it difficult to have a positive attitude and to take on new challenges. Being constantly stressed is miserable and can take a toll on your health and well-being.
But when you understand the importance of time management skills and how to use them, then you will be much happier and have more energy. You will be able to implement an efficient workflow which will ensure that tasks are completed on time.
Employing time management skills gives you free time so that you can build new skills to further improve your work. Your organizational skills, efficiency and productivity will improve as will your confidence, your health, and your life!
What time management techniques do you use to make more time?
You can leave a comment at the end of this article.
Suzie, how timely. I love this so much. This is something I strongly need to work on for myself especially with the training classes I’m taking on right now along side my job and my two kids 🙂 I seriously need to be a master of time management because I realize I have wasted too much time on things that don’t really matter and are undeserving. Thank you.
I really admire your courage and determination to take on training all while holding down a job and raising 2 kids! With so much going on in your life, unless you are a very organized person, or can adopt time management skills, life can become a shambles.
The beauty of time management is that by simply prioritizing the important things in your life, life becomes less stressful. This is because your time is utilized on the things that need to get done, rather than on things that don’t matter either which way.
When people are busy with all their responsibilities, they often forget to set aside some time for fun. Keep in mind that in order to enjoy life, you also need to make some time for fun with your family.
Wishing you all the very best, and success with all your ventures.
Suzie
Hi Suzie,
This post is very informative and well detailed in managing time. I’ve had numerous problems managing my time in the past. I used to be late for events and wasn’t punctual for anything.
I’ve managed to change my life for the better and replaced some of the bad habits I’ve created within my life. I will use the strategies you’ve listed down for me to become the best version of myself. Thank you for this, this really sheds light.
Jose
Hi Jose,
When life is a rushing around us, it’s sometimes difficult to focus on what is important in life. This, then results in problems in managing time, with lack of punctuality being a very common scenario for many people.
By using time management skills we can change our lives for the better! When we learn how to prioritize our work tasks and what is important to us in life, then it is easier to establish a harmonious life/work balance.
Developing time management skills can significantly reduce the stress levels in our life, which results in a happier, healthier life. If you continue to use my time management tips, you will find that they will eventually become second nature and life will seem to be easier.
All the best.
Suzie
Hi Suzie,
This is a very important article for those of us who want more freedom through discipline. I have used all the techniques and they have helped me enormously in whatever part of my life i have used them.
However as I have evolved as a person I have left the importance of them behind. I find I get just as much done if not more, by just going with the flow of life and leaving any stress and anxiety behind.
This is not to deter anybody from doing what this great article points out. It’s really just where I find myself today, and at 57 it’s time for me to just chill.
These are great guidelines for anybody who wants to create more ‘success’ in their lives.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Time management skills are beneficial for those people who aren’t organized, waste time procrastinating, have trouble figuring out their priorities, are stressed due to being time poor, or are always running late. These people can benefit greatly by organizing their lives so that they don’t waste time and do things in priority order.
As people mature, many can automatically prioritize their life and work without having to physically prepare a schedule or to-do-list. They can probably do this because they have life experience and have learned that not everything is important.
Sounds like you are at the stage when you have figured out your life and know what is important to you. This has reduced the stress in your life and allows you to go with the flow.
Here’s to chilling out!
Suzie