While making a to-do list might not seem like a groundbreaking technique, it’s one of the most powerful ways to ensure you keep track of time and sets your intention towards your tasks. The most effective to-do lists include different types of undertakings: urgent jobs that might be completed expeditiously and bigger, operational tasks that need a significant amount of time. If you start to lose track of time, a quick glance at your list will help you stay on top of things.  

Now that you’ve completed step one of making a to-do list, step two would be prioritizing your tasks. Figure out which activities are high-value and time sensitive in your day. This will help you complete your job on time and keep track of your deadlines. Schedule small periods of time for admin-style work such as emails, scheduling and returning calls, and longer periods of time for more detailed-oriented or analytical work. 

Despite our best intentions and plans, we’re not robots. We all get distracted by email and social notifications as well as interactions with colleagues. Given that it takes roughly 23 minutes to refocus on the task at hand, the productive cost of our frequent distractions quickly adds up. Hence, managing your distractions effectively will help you protect your focus and flow states at work.

A structured schedule is critical for protecting space for your job and setting a healthy pressure to complete your work. Time blocking is a thoughtful way to budget the set number of hours you have each day to complete your task list. Time-blocking techniques such as the 80/20 rule and the Pomodoro technique (a time management methodology where you work for 25 minutes followed by a short 3 to 5 minute break. Repeat the same cycle 4 times and you may take a longer break) are great methods to manage your time effectively. Time management tools such as Microsoft’s Calendar feature can be incredibly useful to schedule your tasks accordingly. Plus, it’s free!  

Ultimately, tracking your time is essential to time management as it provides self-awareness and the insights to make effective changes by highlighting inefficient work flow processes and laying out your productivity patterns. You can also use it to see how you perform against your time-blocked schedule. 

At the end of the day, time management isn’t really about managing time at all – it’s about managing yourself. By planning ahead, sticking to your schedule and managing distractions, you’re on your way to being better at managing your time.  

Source:  

Timely