If you Google time management tips, then you will get a ton of results that tell you about generic stuff that you clearly know already! While we are not saying that they are wrong, the information that a large majority of these so-called tips provide lack one crucial aspect to them; they tell you what to do but don’t explain how to do it! Today, we are going to discuss in brief seven effective time management tips that really work and explain a bit about how to make them work as well.
Use Stress to Your Advantage
We often talk about the effectiveness of a stress-free environment to boost productivity, but studies show that this isn’t always true. If there isn’t a bit of stress, then it’s often hard for natural procrastinators to feel motivated. Set personal deadlines and take them seriously enough to reward/punish yourself for meeting/failing them. No dessert tonight if you don’t meet the deadline!
Identify and Block Digital Distractions
Many companies do not allow their employees to access distracting social media websites or allow popups unrelated to work when they are on the office network. Whether your office has such a policy or not, it is essential that you identify the apps, sites, and other digital activities that are eating away at your time.
Frequent pings from your messenger app will make you lose your concentration every time, even if you don’t check them right away. Go through these time management tips that are specifically meant to help the modern worker manage time better by eliminating major digital distractions from their work schedule.
Get to Know the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro technique is a highly effective productivity and time management strategy for students and workers. The strategy from the 80s is still as relevant today as it was back then, and the following six steps will help you implement it when managing your own schedule better.
# Choose the task
# Start after setting a 25-minute timer
# Work for 25-minutes at a stretch only on that task
# Stop after the 25-minutes is up and take a break for 3 to 5 minutes
# After the break, continue work and repeat the cycle 3 more times
# Take a break of 15 minutes to half an hour after that and then restart the cycle
Use the Simple 60-60-30 Method
It’s similar to the Pomodoro Technique but utilizes a longer timeframe and fewer cycles. Check out the core steps of the 60-60-30 method.
# Work for 50 minutes with a timer on
# Take a break for 10-minutes
# Now work for an hour straight (60-minutes on the timer)
# Take a 30-minute break
# Repeat the cycle at least 2 to 3 times
Close “Open Loops” in the Brain
An open loop refers to an unfinished, small task at the corner of your mind that you keep consciously and subconsciously neglecting. It’s easy to mistake open loops as procrastination because unlike procrastination, it is not always a conscious activity, which is what makes it particularly bothersome to overcome.
The best way to counter this little nuisance that will lead to silly mistakes and narrowly missed deadlines later is never leave a task unfinished, even if you only have a small bit of it left. Eventually, you will have to come back to it and the loss of workflow will cost you.
Identify the People Who Distract You
This is particularly tricky because that’s when our personal life and professional life begin to clash. However, in order to effectively manage time, you will need to identify colleagues, family members, and friends who keep calling/texting you at work. Next, just talk to them and try to make them politely understand how it’s affecting your work.
Take Minor Decisions in 60-Seconds or Less
It is largely believed that most minor decisions should be taken in 60-seconds or less, in order for anyone to be truly productive with their time. This holds especially true if you have to take many of them at work on a regular basis.
If some of the tips we shared felt unconventional, then that’s largely because they are not generic, and also because they actually work! However, just like anything else in this world, it takes a bit of dedication and strict practice before you are able to reap the full benefits of the seven tips we just discussed.
