10 Time Management Tips to Boost Productivity
Sometimes we can feel like life is pulling at us from all sorts of directions: making time for your hobbies, hanging out with friends and family, committing to your work or school schedule. It can seem like 24 hours simply isn’t enough time to do all that we want to do.
But managing your time well and responsibly will allow you to prioritize and make time for all your activities. It’s all about working smarter, not harder so you don’t get burnt out.
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What is time management?
Time management is the way that you plan and organize your time so you can accomplish more in less time.
When you are able to manage your time well, you’ll be able to get done everything you need to do and have free time to do what you want.
Benefits of managing your time well include:
Feel more relaxed
More free time
Higher level of self-discipline
Increased productivity
Increased focus
Feel more in control
1. Evaluate your actual use of time
We often underestimate or overestimate the amount of time it takes us to do something. For example, you may think it takes you 30 minutes to read a couple chapters of a book, but actually it takes you 1 hour. Knowing how you currently manage your time will help inform you on what activities take up the majority of your day, and then you can make adjustments from there.
💡 Tip: you can use apps to track your activities for a week OR you can set a timer for each of your tasks and record them on a document.
2. Identify your goals
Managing your time is all about prioritizing your activities. And to know which tasks are most important, you need to know what your goals are. Is it to write an essay? Or study for a test?
Whatever your goals are, it will help determine which tasks you need to tackle first. But make sure they are attainable goals. And you can always set daily, weekly, and monthly goals!
3. Use lists
Listing out everything you need to do will help you see what needs to be done for each day, week, or month. Whether you’re writing them down on physical planner, or typing them onto an online notepad, listing out your activities will help you see what needs to be done ASAP and what can wait.
You may also find satisfaction in crossing out each activity as you finish them. This could encourage you to stay motivated and keep going through your tasks.
Time management tools
Some people like seeing their lists and schedule on paper. Others like using their apps on their phones and laptops. Take your time to explore both options and see what works best for you!
Planner and calendar (online/ physical)
Based on what planner you get, you will get a daily, weekly, and monthly view. As well as some empty pages for notes and goal-setting.
Apps
Microsoft To-Do
Ntask
Any.do
Evernote
Notion
4. Set time limits
If you know something will take you more than an hour to do, it’s okay to break them up into chunks so you don’t wear yourself out. Knowing you’re going to have to sit down for 3 hours to write an essay, will make you less motivated to do it. So if you tell yourself you’ll set up 30 minutes each day to work on your essay before it’s due, it will help you be more focused during that allotted time and reduce your desire to procrastinate.
Stop multitasking
You’ve probably heard it said that people can’t multitask. And maybe some of us can and do enjoy listening to music while writing an essay, or solving math problems. Irregardless, it’s actually more productive to focus on one activity at a time. Instead of spending more time trying to do two things at once, be present with one task. Commit your full attention to the allotted time that you have for that one specific task. And once you’re done with it, move on to the next.
5. Plan your day
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It may feel weird at first to plan out your day hour by hour (or however you choose to do it), but it can be very beneficial to keep you on track. With a plan, you’ll know what’s coming next and you’re not randomly doing tasks you need to get done. Your day will feel more organized, and you would have a better idea of what you want and would have accomplished each day.
💡 Tip: Schedule/ plan your breaks. Most of us get so caught up in work that we often forget to take breaks—even for just 15 minutes. So schedule it into your day and put it in your planner! It’s okay to plan and make time for a 30-minute break to take a walk, read, or do something that makes you happy.
Include a buffer
You’re not going to stick to your plan to the T each day. And that’s fine. Plan for a buffer in your schedule, so if something takes longer for you to do, you won’t be thrown off for the rest of the day.
6. Take care of difficult tasks first
You may want to start your day with easier tasks, but it may help to start with the ones that are more difficult and take more time. You have more energy at the beginning of the day so you can put more of your focus onto completing these harder tasks.
Once your day begins to wind down and your energy is drained, you would want to tackle easier tasks anyway, right?
7. Learn to say “no”
Only you know your goals and what you actually have time for. If you know you won’t have time to do something, it’s okay to say “no.” Saying no allows you to really focus on your important tasks. And if you can’t say “no,” delegate or ask for help.
8. Eliminate distractions
We all know what it’s like to go down a social media rabbit hole. We tell ourselves, “Just after this video is over, then I’ll do my work.” But we find ourselves still staring at our phones 2 hours later. It happens! But when you have an important task to do, it’s important you eliminate all your distractions so you can really focus.
Put your phone on silent or place it far away from your work space
Close all unnecessary browser tabs
Turn off your notifications
Close your door
9. Reward yourself
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Giving yourself a reward after you’ve completed difficult tasks can help you to be more motivated to finish them. As humans, we all need something to look forward to. It’s okay to say to yourself, “I’ll buy myself some ice cream when I finish this essay.”
10. Stay healthy and sleep well
Eating nutritious foods will help fuel your body and your brain to stay focused. Exercise is also a proven way to destress while you work, even if it’s just taking a quick walk around the neighborhood.
A good sleep also allows you to have energy and stay focused throughout the day. If you stayed up late the night before, you may be too distracted and tired to finish all your tasks the next day. Make sure you get around 7 to 8 hours of sleep for a full night of rest.
