Time Management

One of the most common complaints I’ve heard from my mentees and coaching clients over the years is that they have so many things to do and not enough time. They suffer from being burnt out due to working long hours, not being able to get things done on time, managing interruptions, and always being exhausted. Here are my favorite tried-and-true methods for effective time management that I share with them to become more productive and less stressed, and achieve their goals more efficiently.

Identify your most important tasks and plan your day accordingly

Each day, think about what your job is that day. What are the 2-3 most important things that you need to get done? Notice I didn’t say the top 10. Be realistic, and prioritize. This doesn’t mean you won’t do anything else, but you should be able to identify what is most important. I like to write these down so I can check-in on how well I did at completing these at the end of the day. 

Then, make sure your schedule for the day reflects your priorities. If you don’t allocate time to get your most important tasks done, how can you possibly succeed? I use an online calendar, but you can also do this in a paper planner. Just as you would a meeting or appointment, schedule your work on your calendar. As you’re doing this, here are a few tips for effective scheduling:

• Do the most important work when your energy levels are highest. If you don’t know when this is, you may need to observe your energy levels for a couple days to see when you are most productive and effective. For me, this is usually first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon, and when I can be most confident that things will actually get done, so I have scheduled work blocks on my calendar during those times.

• Make the most of your scheduled time by time blocking and time boxing. These two time management techniques are similar but with a different emphasis.

• Time Blocking is about setting aside time by deciding when you are going to work on one specific task. As much as I love multi-tasking, in reality it’s not that effective because you’re not able to really focus. If you have a lot of meetings during the day, try to cluster them together to create bigger leftover blocks of time outside of meetings for completing your individual tasks. In other words, defrag your calendar (IYKYK)

• Time boxing means allotting a fixed, maximum unit of time for an activity, and completing the task in that allotted time. At the end of this time, you are done for now. Decide whether what you’ve achieved is good enough, or you need to schedule more time for the job later. A helpful tool for timeboxing is a Pomodoro timer, which usually uses 25-minute work blocks followed by a 5 minute break. You can find plenty of free apps for this - the one I use is called Pomodoro Timer and I think I paid $3.99 for the ads-free version.

• Schedule time for breaks and unexpected interruptions - You’re human, so make sure you have time for basic biological needs like bathroom breaks and meals, but also to deal with any unexpected requests that may come your way throughout the day.

Manage Interruptions and unplanned work throughout the day

During your scheduled work time, be somewhere that you can sit or stand comfortably and minimize any distractions like chat and email. When you do check your email and chat, what happens when new items come up that are not part of your planned work? Prioritize new tasks, using a tool called the Eisenhower Matrix, aka the Urgent-Important Matrix. It was popularized by former US President and Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was known for his ability to manage his time effectively. As you triage interruptions or new request, ask yourself two questions: 1) Is this urgent? and 2) Is this important? Use your answers and the chart below to determine what action to take.

Eisenhower matrix

Take Breaks

Plan for rest during your day and actually take the breaks! Rest and recovery are critical to your health and performance. Taking regular breaks can help you stay refreshed and focused, and even short breaks can help you recharge your batteries and increase your productivity. Use your breaks to stretch, walk around, or do something relaxing to help you clear your mind. If you’re like me and sit in front of a computer most of the day, it’s also helpful to give your eyes a break from the screen and your body a break from sitting.

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Those are the tips that I’ve found most helpful to increase my productivity and effectiveness and avoid burnout. What are your favorite time management tips? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!