Time Management: The secret to success

By Gabriele Kaier, 25.01.2017, Approx. 5 min reading time.

People use time management techniques at work and in their daily lives to become more productive. When to do lists get overloaded and the pressure is on, people without time management skills go into a frenzy of activity. In this state it is very difficult to achieve much and especially to accomplish it well. These tips will help you focus on what really matters so that you can get your work done!

Being successful is all about hard work and great skills. Successful people are intelligent, talented, confident and have great time management skills. In this article we focus on time management and how to get better at it. People use time management techniques at work and in their daily lives to become more productive. Students, business people, athletes, and project managers all have to manage their time perfectly in order to excel beyond average. When to do lists get overloaded and the pressure is on, people without time management skills go into a frenzy of activity. In this state it is very difficult to achieve much and especially to accomplish it well. A calm and calculated approach is the best way to achieve the most. These tips will help you focus on what really matters so that you can get your work done!

Prioritize your Tasks

When your workload is overwhelming, determine which is the most important task you need to do and start with that. Work on it until it is finished. If you feel you have too much on your plate, focus on one task at a time.

Set Goals

Setting goals can be incredibly motivating. Having specific tasks to work towards feels great and accomplishing it feels even better. Setting up many small goals as a path to the end is a great way to build confidence, good habits, and get things done.

Set and work with Time Limits

After setting your priorities and goals, decide how long each of them should take and put all your tasks on a calendar.

Decline Projects

Before accepting a new assignment, think if you can handle all your current projects. If you don’t need the extra money or it may not really help you get ahead, decline it. Don’t bite off more than you can chew or all your projects will suffer.

Determine Rewards and Consequences

I’m not saying you’re going to win a prize every time you complete a task, nor are you going to get slapped with a ruler every time you wander off – no, we’re adults here, however, knowing what we will get from a task or what we might lose can act as a great motivator.

Delegate and Outsourcing

If there are people at your disposal to help with aspects of the project, use them. There is no reason why you should have to do all the work yourself if you don’t have to. The quality of your projects will benefit with some extra eyes. If something is more cost effective than done by yourself, the tasks should be outsourced. Remember that this is time you can spend generating revenue.

Get your ideas to paper

Get your projects started and you will find it much easier to get them done. Make an outline, start brainstorming or write some notes. Having an idea of the project makes it easier to execute it.

Educate Yourself

Before you start a project, take the time and do some research. Begin the project already prepared, so that you will not have to look up things when you get stuck.

Stop Multitasking

There are many different opinions, but the American Psychological Association supports that multitasking is not really a good idea, especially when switching to less familiar tasks. Working on one task at a time until it is done, is the best way to get multiple things done. Even if you are really good at multitasking, switching back and forth takes mental time and energy no matter who you are. Also, distractions like answering the phone, checking emails, eating snacks, require you to refocus each and every time and they really add up.

Focus on Business-related duties

Turn off temptations like surfing the web as it does suck endless hours from your productivity. While you are working, go offline or avoid flipping back and forth from work to internet pages.

Keep your Focus, track your time

Analyze how long it takes you to finish a task or project. Set a timer to track your tasks and make sure the hours you spend is a good investment. Use a professional time tracking software like TimeTac so that you can easily plan and track your time on tasks and projects. TimeTac gives you control over your resources and tasks so that you can measure your goals and meet your deadlines.

Take a little break

Last but not least, it is important to make a break. Breaks are necessary so that you can re-focus. So, get up and use the restroom or talk to a colleague for some minutes. Little breaks are just as important to our productivity as is concentrating. Focusing on something for too long can be a waste of time, as it can lead to unconscious spacing out. Don’t forget that all the above tips have to work together to help you become a more productive person!