Tag Archives: Time Management

Nov8

Do You Struggle With Time Management?

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Do You Struggle With Time Management?

Time management seems like a pretty straightforward concept. It’s about using your time efficiently in order to complete a task by a self-imposed or externally set deadline. In theory, it is a simple, executable concept. In practice, well, that’s another story.

If you’re someone who struggles with time management, you are not alone. Some of the most seasoned managers sometimes struggle with time management, too. In fact, this UK study shows that fewer than 1 in 5 people (18%) have a proper time management system. An overwhelming 82% of respondents do not use a time management system at all. They just use a to-do list, their email inbox, or nothing at all.

The internet has a wealth of hacks, tips, tricks, and systems all designed to keep us on track of time and efficiency. It isn’t the lack of information that keeps people from managing their time successfully. It boils down to creating good habits and awareness. Time management is not a one-off thing that you can learn and master after taking a course. It takes work, forming good habits, and practicing those good habits.

To understand why we all struggle with time management, let’s look at 2 things:

1. The real value of time

Time is an abstract concept. The only way to measure productivity is if we meticulously track the time we spend working to complete one task. This is unrealistic and, truthfully, wastes more time than doing the actual task itself. Timers, trackers, and schedules can’t account for how much time is spent on asides like distractions and essential prep work. 

If you think of time as a resource (like money) this can shift your mindset to being more mindful of how the time you spend completing a task can actually affect the rest of your work schedule moving forward.

2. Tools and technology

The digital age ensures that we are well-equipped with tools that can help us manage our workloads more easily. However, technology also presents opportunities for distraction. And it’s not just social media. It can also be: 

  • Digital tools that don’t fit your workstyle or not appropriate for your job
  • Tools that have more bells and whistles than needed
  • Tools that have a steep learning curve
  • Systems that are not user friendly or outdated
  • Tools that provide more distractions than solutions

If you’re spending more time learning how to use the tool than actually getting some use out of it, then it is time to re-evaluate the technology you’re using to supposedly work faster and more efficiently.

So, in order to reframe our concept of time management, let’s look at time as a resource and ensure that the technology we use to manage our time is actually essential and appropriate. Do you struggle with time management? What are your tips on how to properly manage your time at work? We’d love to hear them. Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Oct4

What Is Timeboxing And Why Do You Need It? Part 1

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What Is Timeboxing And Why Do You Need It? Part 1

The first time I came across this term was a while back, during a meeting with a former CEO for Oracle APAC. There were a lot of ex-CIOs and CEOs invited who all needed to be somewhere else urgently after a meeting that had to fit in a 30minute time frame because that was the only possible time to get all of them together.

I wasn’t familiar with agile software development but I was able to quickly grasp the concept of timeboxing. Timeboxing is a concept first introduced by James Martin, the author of the book Rapid Application Development, as a part of agile software development. It is “a simple time management technique that involves allocating a fixed, maximum unit of time for an activity in advance, and then completing the activity within that time frame[1].” This time management technique can be used for both personal and work tasks.

Timeboxing encourages you to put a strict time limit on activities that you think would take away too much of your time. You can understand the need to put strict limits to a meeting with CIOs and CEOs present. At the end of a timebox, you close off the task no matter what and assess if you were able to complete your goals.

What are the steps to timeboxing:

  1. Find suitable tasks – timeboxing is most suitable for tasks that you don’t want to spend too much time on. As stated by Parkinson’s Law, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” So if you block off 3 weeks of your time to finish a task, even if you can finish it faster, you’ll aim to subconsciously expand your work to fit 3 weeks. By limiting your time, you’re guaranteed to work on high-value projects and tasks right from the start.
  2. Define your goals – break down your objectives and assign timeframes. If you know you have 30mins to get all the points of a meeting across to all stakeholders, what would you do? You assign timeframes for each point in the agenda, right? The same goes for bigger projects. Because you already have a set time limit, you can assess your goals and assign targets for them. Need to write a 1,000-word research article in 3 days? Aim to write 500 words per day and alot 1 day for revisions and editing.
  3. Set the time – assign time frames for your tasks and have a way to track them.
  4. Work and assess your results – work your way through your set timeboxes and once your time is up, stop working on them. Assess if you were able to meet your goals, either completely or partially.
  5. Claim your reward – there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel, right? You will be hard pressed to become motivated to do a task you don’t want to do if there was no reward waiting for you at the end. So always remember to treat yourself. It can be something as simple as time off, a cup of designer coffee, or a Netflix binge.

Does timeboxing work for you? What are your favorite time management tips? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

[1] https://clockify.me/timeboxing

Jun28

Get Your Best Work Done With These 6 Time Management Strategies

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Get Your Best Work Done With These 6 Time Management Strategies

Time management is about managing your daily tasks in order to make sure that you are spending your time as effectively and as intentionally as possible. The best benefit of efficient time management is the ability to prioritize your day in order to have room for self-care. Here are 6 time management strategies that can help you get your best work done.

1. Timeboxing

This is a time management strategy where you aim to complete targeted goals within a ‘timebox.’ First, you have to figure out how long it’ll take you to complete a body of work. Then, you create a ‘timebox’ for the said task. For example, block 9am to 11am in your calendar to write a copy for the next social media campaign. Start working within the timebox and focus on the task until the timebox is up. Take a break once done. 

2. Time Blocking

Very similar to timeboxing, time blocking is also about setting aside a ‘block’ of time to complete your work but with one slight difference. In time blocking, you block off set periods of time in your calendar to work on tasks. For example, “Monday to Wednesday: work on the latest social media campaign.

3. Pomodoro

Pomodoro is a time management strategy that helps you complete tasks within short time frames and incorporate breaks in between. The breaks are a must. In Pomodoro, you set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on the task at hand, carefully avoiding distractions. Then, you take a 5-minute break after. Repeat. Know more about the Pomodoro Technique in this article: That Tomato Shaped Kitchen Timer.

4. Eat the Frog

My personal favorite time management strategy is Eat the Frog. This means getting the hardest stuff out of the way first before proceeding to complete the rest of your tasks. You would have to think hard about which tasks to prioritize. The rule is to complete the important AND urgent tasks first because those are usually high-value jobs. Learn more about Eat the Frog strategy here: Eat That Frog And Drink The Coffee!

5. Get Things Done (GTD)

In this time management strategy, the first step is to write down everything you need to do and then you sort them out in order of priority to find the low-value jobs and the tasks that you can delegate or even get rid of completely. Find out more about the GTD strategy in this article: How To Get Things Done.

6. Pareto Principle

This time management strategy is sometimes called the “80/20 rule.” The Pareto principle has one fundamental rule: you spend 20% of your time on 80% of your work. This is the reverse of Eat the Frog where you are encouraged to get the quick tasks out of the way in order to get quick wins as a motivation to complete the rest of your work.

Do any of these work for you? What is your favorite time management strategy? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Jun11

Time Management Hacks

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Time Management Hacks

No matter how intent we are at trying to manage our productive time, there will always be a cause for a delay that is due to forces beyond our control. The possibility of delay can stem from various reasons, some of them are due to lack of foresight, some are due to bad time management, and some…just terrible luck.

Time management is one of the major challenges of freelancers, contractors, and entrepreneurs. Without a regimented clock in – clock out system to keep them accountable for their productive work hours, it’s very easy to get derailed off of important work tasks. Even office workers who have regular 9 to 5 schedules lose productive time on distractions and ad hoc tasks that seemingly need urgent attention.

The trick is to understand your most effective work schedule. If you are a freelancer or entrepreneur, you have more flexibility over your schedule. This means you can tailor your time to optimize your calendar into your most productive days. That could mean shifting your work schedule from a “standard” Monday to Friday, to a more practical Tuesday to Saturday. Let’s face it, it can be more practical for freelancers or entrepreneurs to shift workday schedules as there can be more business during the weekend – especially those who work events. For office workers who work set hours, carve out a time when you can hunker down and do your most productive work.

Here are other tips to create your most effective work schedule:
1. Carve Out Specific “Focus Time” – Avoid distractions and get into the mindset of focusing on your work. Have a target of when you’ll finish the task. You can use the Pomodoro technique to maximize your productivity.
2. Figure out When Your Brain Is at Its Best – When do you do your best work? Is it in the morning, afternoon, or late at night? I’ve written about Chronotypes here. It explains why some people are morning Larks and some people are Night Owls. So if you work early hours and your chronotype is not exactly that of a morning person, you might want to shift your best productive work to later in the day.
3. Experiment with Prioritization – Try listing just a few priority tasks on your to-do list. I find 3 to be the magic number. More and you risk getting distracted and not being able to complete the task.
4. Stop Going to Meetings – I’ve written about the biggest time waster at the office here. Unproductive meetings cost US big businesses $37 Billion. It’s not only big businesses that are affected. In the UK, SMEs lose an average of £63,700 per annum on meetings. Chew on those stats for a while.
5. Create a Routine – Figure out a system that works for you. Start by clearing your workspace and clearing your mind. Reduce clutter to a minimum

You can read more about these excellent tips here: How to Build the Most Effective Work Schedule

Got any time management hacks for us? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble, hustle hard.

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Reference:
https://www.clicktime.com/blog/how-to-build-the-most-effective-work-schedule/