There are numerous techniques that can help you to manage your time in a way that works best for you. In this article we will outline why time management is important and explore 10 different time management techniques that can help you to manage your time.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Why is Time Management Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Time management is the process of planning and organising your time for different activities. It encompasses various aspects of your life including work, family life and hobbies. Time management relates to how you consciously coordinate your time to increase your efficiency and achieve different goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good time management is important because it is crucial for maximising productivity, reducing stress, achieving personal and professional goals and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Effective time management enables you to spend time on what is important and have the free time to relax and recharge. Poor time management can lead to persistent feelings of overwhelm, procrastination, a lower quality of work and increased stress. Therefore, adopting a time management technique enables you to take control of your time and increase your efficiency and productivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>Looking to Learn More?<\/h3><\/div><\/div>
Time management, like any skill, can be improved and strengthened. Our Time Management course<\/a> provides you with the knowledge to improve your time management skills and excel in the workplace. You can further develop core business skills with our wide range of Business Essentials courses<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n As helpful as it would be, there is no one size fits all when it comes to time management techniques. Different techniques work for different people and what works for an undergraduate cramming for their first year exams, may in fact not help you prepare for that major project that needs completing by Q2. Moreover, different projects may require different techniques depending on their qualitative or quantitative needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Irrespective of which technique you choose, it needs to be the best method for you<\/em>. We\u2019re all guilty of adopting something because it worked for someone else and then a few months later casting it aside as yet another \u2018ineffective technique.\u2019 Therefore, figuring out which technique works for you is the first step in learning how to manage your time more efficiently. Below you will find 10 effective time management techniques to help you manage your time. Carefully read through each one before deciding which method you think is best for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n Remember, it\u2019s okay to trial different techniques. If you\u2019re unsure which one would be best, pick one, trial it for a week, then review your productivity at the end of the week and adjust accordingly. Each technique has its own advantages and its own limitations so consider which works best for your individual needs and don\u2019t be afraid to return to the drawing board if one particular technique ends up not working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pomodoro technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo when he was a student in the 1980s. Named after the pomodoro (italian for tomato) shaped timer that he first used, the technique uses a timer to break your work down into set intervals, referred to as Pomodoros.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n The Pomodoro Technique allows you to \u2018turn time into an ally\u2019 as Cirillo himself puts it. The 25 minute intervals, followed by short but frequent breaks, enhance your focus and concentration by keeping your mind alert and engaged. There are various different Pomodoro apps and products, however a timer and a piece of paper is all you need to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2014, DeskTime <\/span>ran a study<\/span><\/a> to discover the preferred work-to-break ratio for efficient workers. They found that the most productive people worked, on average, for 52 minutes before breaking for 17 minutes and thus the 52\/17 ratio was born. The 52\/17 ratio is similar to the Pomodoro technique in that it is aimed at achieving intervals of high concentration and focus, followed by high quality breaks. The 52\/17 ratio is a useful alternative for those who enjoy timed periods of intense focus, but find the 25 minutes of the Pomodoro technique too short.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n First introduced in 1955 in a satirical essay for <\/span>The Economist<\/span><\/a> by British naval historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson, Parkinson\u2019s Law is the notion that \u2018work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.\u2019 That is to say, if you give yourself an hour to write an email, it will inevitably take an hour to write. However, if you only give yourself 10 minutes, it will take 10 minutes. Parkinson\u2019s Law in and of itself isn\u2019t a time management technique but instead <\/span>something to overcome<\/span><\/i> once you have an understanding of how it impacts your day-to-day life.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n Parkinson\u2019s Law is a concept <\/span>to be overcome<\/span><\/i>. As such, you can utilise other time management techniques from this list along with an understanding of Parkinson\u2019s Law to avoid procrastination and increase productivity. Remember, the key to overcoming Parkinson\u2019s Law is not to rush all of your tasks and give yourself far less time than needed to complete your work. Instead, the key is to recognise when an inadequate deadline is causing procrastination and subsequently adapt your approach so as to be more productive.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n The Eisenhower Matrix was developed by Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States. Eisenhower posited that there are two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important and argued that \u2018the urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.\u2019 The Eisenhower Matrix prioritises tasks by urgency and importance, dividing them into four categories;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The positioning of each task will help you decide the order of completion and whether a task should be delegated to someone else, scheduled for a later time or deleted entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n In 1989, Steven Covey created the Covey Matrix which also divides tasks into four quadrants based upon their urgency and importance. Whilst the Covey Matrix categorises tasks in the same way as the Eisenhower Matrix, it focuses on <\/span>the amount of time <\/span><\/i>you spend on the tasks in each quadrant. Comparatively, the Eisenhower Matrix focuses on <\/span>how tasks are prioritised<\/span><\/i> and their order of completion based on their importance. You can learn more about the Covey Matrix in our article <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. Whilst there are slight variances in focus, both matrices are effective time management techniques.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n The Eisenhower Matrix enables you to prioritise your tasks and clearly identify what tasks need completing when. It provides you with a practical framework with which to examine the type of tasks you spend the majority of your time on and adjust accordingly so as to be as productive as possible.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n As the great Mark Twain once said, \u2018if it\u2019s your job to eat a frog, it\u2019s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it\u2019s your job to eat two frogs, it\u2019s best to eat the biggest one first.\u2019 Though an undeniably visceral image, the premise itself is actually quite simple; complete your most difficult task first. Eat That Frog is a technique that encourages you to start your day by tackling (eating) the most challenging task (frog) that you have before anything else.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n Eat That Frog is a simple yet effective time management strategy that forces you to concentrate your time and energy on one critical task at a time. Eating your frog at the start of your day leaves no room for procrastination and ensures that once you have eaten your frog, you are left with a great sense of accomplishment for the rest of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80\/20 rule, was developed by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in 1896. Rooted in Pareto\u2019s observation that 80% of the land in Italy was, at that time, owned by only 20% of the population, the Pareto Principle states that 80% of outcomes stem from 20% of actions. Applying this principle to your workload enables you to prioritise the tasks that will be the most effective at solving problems or yield the highest reward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The principle can be applied to many different aspects of working life such as decision making or improving productivity. In any instance, you need to identify the most impactful tasks (the 20%) that will lead to the greatest reward (the 80%).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n As with Parkinson\u2019s Law, the Pareto Principle is a concept that works well in conjunction with other time management strategies. For example, the Pomodoro Technique is an effective way to ensure that time is spent focusing on the 20%. Conversely, you may set the 20% as the frog that needs to be eaten at the start of your day.<\/span><\/p>\n It should be noted that 80\/20 is not a fixed ratio nor does it mean that with only 20% of effort you can achieve 80% of results. 80\/20 as a ratio highlights the functional relationship between a task and its impact. Therefore, rather than suggesting that you need only put in 20% worth of effort, the principle encourages you to give that 20% more effort so as to reap greater rewards. You may find that for some projects the ratio is more 70\/30 or 90\/10; regardless of the split, the Pareto Principle encourages you to focus on what will be the most impactful.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n Time blocking is a technique that you may already be unknowingly using, especially if you are in the habit of blocking out time in your calendar to focus on a specific task. Time blocking is the process of scheduling each part of your day and dividing it into manageable blocks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n Time blocking allows you to be intentional about your time and energy at work. It helps you to direct your focus, reduce distractions and have a clearer sense of what you are spending your time on each day. It\u2019s important to remember to block off personal time throughout the day when time blocking. Not only can it help you to be consistent with personal activities such as hobbies you want to maintain, it also ensures that you are taking frequent, good quality breaks to replenish your energy.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n Time boxing is very similar to time blocking in that it also involves allocating a block of time for a set activity. However, unlike time blocking, time boxing includes limiting the time you spend on a specific activity.<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n Time boxing, like time blocking, allows you to have fixed periods of concentrated time in which you focus on one task. It is also an effective way to overcome Parkinson\u2019s Law as you set yourself a time limit, ensuring you do not spend more time than necessary on a given task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n Getting Things Done (GTD) was developed by productivity consultant David Allen. The method centres on the premise that \u2018your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.\u2019 When using the GTD method, you capture tasks and ideas in an external system in order to declutter your mind, enabling you to concentrate on completing the tasks rather than remembering everything.<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n By externalising the work that you need to do, the GTD system frees up the mental energy to focus on actually completing the task. You can then use other time management techniques to focus on tasks which your GTD system has highlighted as the\u00a0 most important. For example, once you have a list of clear actionable items you may choose to time block your calendar for the week to reflect the tasks that need completing. This structured approach supports stress free and consistent productivity as you have the mental capacity to focus solely on the work at hand. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n A Kanban Board helps you to visualise your work and categorise it into the different stages of the work flow process. Kanban (Japanese for signboard) enables you to map out individual tasks as moveable notes that are placed into columns on a large board. The board can be as simple as a whiteboard or as complex as a specialist app, however you choose to display it, a Kanban Board provides structure to what can otherwise be chaotic project boards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n Kanban Boards are designed to maintain a high and consistent work flow. By visually mapping out your tasks you can identify bottle necks and adjust other tasks accordingly. It is also a good idea to limit the number of tasks in each column. Limiting work in progress (WIP) is a Kanban method in which you set a fixed number of tasks for each column. This limit helps to stop your workload expanding beyond what is achievable and to keep check of the number of unfinished tasks that you are working on at a given time. Limiting WIP can be applied to any column with any given header and is a useful way to ensure that you and your team only work on what you have capacity for.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n Anecdotally attributed to comedian Jerry Seinfeld, the Seinfeld Strategy, also known as Don\u2019t Break the Chain is a productivity technique that can help you to build consistent habits. The story goes that after finding himself in the same comedy club as the formidable Jerry Seinfeld, aspiring comic Brad Isaac asked him for advice. Though Seinfeld himself claims the idea was not originally his, his advice to Isaac that night marked the genesis of the Seinfeld Strategy. The strategy focuses on consistently completing a task every day and marking its completion with an X on a calendar. Over time the Xs will grow into a chain and all you have to do is not break the chain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How it Works:<\/b><\/p>\n The Sienfeld Strategy allows you to focus on the <\/span>process<\/span><\/i>, not just the results and helps you to build and maintain consistent habits. This consistency then leads to mastery as the longer you go without breaking the chain, the more you are improving. The efficacy of the strategy lies in picking a task that is meaningful enough to make a difference, but simple enough to be completed every day. It\u2019s therefore important that whatever task you choose is achievable and sustainable.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n To put it simply; different time management techniques work for different people. With so many different time management techniques out there it can be hard to know which is best. However, because <\/em>there are so many different techniques there is undoubtedly one that will work well for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Certain strategies lend themselves well to different requirements and personalities. For example, Eat That Frog works well for procrastinators as it forces them to start their day with the most challenging task rather than putting it off. Comparatively, Time Boxing works well for those who often find themselves spending much longer than needed on a task by setting a time limit. Some of the techniques listed above may work better for your personal life, whilst others may be better suited to your worklife; there is no right or wrong way, there is only what is right or wrong for you.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Take the time to think about what you need help managing. Is it your day, your week or your month? This time frame might rule out some strategies entirely but be perfectly suited to others. Consider the kind of thinker that you are. Do you rely on visuals to help you clearly see what you are doing? Is a to-list your idea of hell? These are vital questions to ask yourself when choosing a time management technique as there is no point picking a technique that is entirely at odds with your working style or habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trial and error is an important part of adopting a time management technique. After trialing a technique, review your productivity, the ease of use and adjust accordingly. Don\u2019t be afraid to try different techniques till you find one that works for you or to test different techniques for different projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Poor time management causes stress and anxiety blurring the lines between home-life and work-life. It can lead to a lack of motivation, decreased productivity and consistent feelings of overwhelm. Take back control of your time by adopting a time management technique that can improve your productivity, reduce your stress and support a good work-life balance.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are numerous techniques that can help you to manage your time in a way that works best for you. Explore a range of time management techniques here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":77214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[74],"class_list":["post-77213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-career-development"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\n
\n\n\n\nTime Management Techniques\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n10 Time Management Techniques\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n The Pomodoro Technique
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\n <\/h3>\n \n
\n Parkinson\u2019s Law
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\n The Eisenhower Matrix
\n <\/h3>\n \n
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\n Eat That Frog
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\n The Pareto Principle
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\n Time Blocking
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\n Time Boxing
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\n Getting Things Done (GTD)
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\n Kanban Board
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\n The Seinfeld Strategy (a.k.a Don\u2019t Break the Chain)
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\n\n\n\nWhich Time Management Method is Most Useful?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nFurther Resources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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