Time Management 101

We never seem to have enough time.

So often it feels like we’re balancing a million things at once with no wiggle room. We also probably feel guilty when we “take a little break” and burn some time scrolling through social media or chatting with co-workers. There never seems to be a balance between getting all the things done but enjoying some rest every once in a while.

Fortunately, time management isn’t something that requires a total life overhaul. It just takes a little discipline. Here are a few beginner tips to help control your time and use it wisely.

Tackle your biggest task first thing

You might be surprised by how much time-wasting comes from being intimidated by a task. Maybe you don’t know where to start, you’re nervous that you’ll mess everything up, or you don’t know who to ask for help. The list goes on.

The best solution for overcoming this fear is to take on your most important assignment when you start your day. That gives you a few advantages. First, you’re closer to peak performance in the morning, meaning your best efforts are going towards the most difficult work. Second, just making a dent in a big project can give you the confidence boost you need to knock the rest of your day out of the park. It’s an easy way of proving to yourself that you’ve got what it takes to get things done!

Use a time limit

There’s nothing worse than setting aside a few hours to work on something only to find yourself overwhelmed and drained before lunch, and not having accomplished what you wanted to do. That’s why setting timers can be so useful. It means that you can work on a task, accomplish what you can, and move on to the next thing before getting burned out and bogged down. Try dedicating an hour to each item on your list and cycle through them. You might be surprised by the difference a fresh perspective makes!

Don’t multitask

This seems so simple, but we all need to hear this from time to time. It’s tempting to take the edge off a boring job or task with your favorite podcast or YouTube videos playing in the background. Worse yet, you might decide to try writing an email to a superior, hosting a webinar, and filling out paperwork all at the same time! What a simple way to boost your efficiency, right?

But you’re probably not boosting anything except the time it will take to complete any one of those tasks. When you try to multitask, chances are you’re actually slowing yourself down and making more mistakes along the way. A much better solution is to turn off your phone, put on some classical music or white noise instead of a YouTube video, and knock out your tasks one at a time. Remember that the key to making these tips work is discipline. Setting a timer won’t make a difference if you check your social feed for two hours during the workday or can’t say no to last-minute lunch invitations. But these suggestions are easy places to start once you’re committed to making more effective use of your time!