Are you looking for methods to improve your time management skills? We look at why time management is important for managing your career and personal life. Find out more about the skills that you can develop to improve your time management.
One of the things employers look for before hiring someone is their time management skills. While many praise their time management skills in their resume, not many do well in this sector. Even with a proper plan, you may still struggle to meet deadlines and do other things outside work.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your time management, don’t worry. You aren’t alone. A survey by salary.com revealed that about 89% of employees waste their time daily. Some contributing to this include social media, cell phones and frequent emails that become too distracting.
But while time management is certainly hard to achieve, it is not impossible. You can reclaim the hours you lose during the day with discipline and commitment. Today, we share ten tips to help you manage your time efficiently at work.
What is Time Management?
The day and night have the same hours for all of us. So why do some people feel they haven’t achieved much at the end of the day while others manage to do all their tasks for that day? That is because of time management skills.
Time management is simply making proper use of the time you have. So, you should divide your day per the tasks you have to remain as productive as possible.
People with excellent time management get more work done in a short time without sacrificing quality. They coordinate their responsibilities well to ensure they remain more effective and productive.
Why Is Time Management Important?
Managing your time well offers various benefits. This skill requires you to find a strategy that works for you and stick to it to avoid wasting time and getting things done quickly. Being good at time management will help you remain more productive as you’ll be organized.
Also, managing your time well reduces stress since you’ll find a way to accept only the tasks you can manage. Therefore, you won’t have the pressure of doing so much within a short time.
Additionally, you will also have a better work-life balance. Great time management allows you to finish your work projects and have enough time to engage in other activities. So, you can bond with your family, hang out with your friends or even pursue your hobby.
Time Management Skills
To be excellent at managing your time, you need to acquire certain skills, including:
Prioritisation
Even if you have so much workload, certain tasks are more important than others. You need to prioritize such tasks first, complete them, and then you can proceed to the others of lower importance.
Prioritizing your work allows you to be organized. You will understand how long you have to complete each job and how much time you anticipate taking. As a result, you’ll be able to complete your tasks efficiently and timely.
Stress Management
We waste a lot of time when working under stress. Thus, you must recognize your stress level and design a way to reduce it.
Some things you can do to reduce stress include delegating tasks, taking a break when you need one and rewarding yourself for accomplishing a project. This way, you can remain focused and motivated to perform your daily duties. Remember also to take breaks during the day and when to say no when you feel overwhelmed.
Planning
It’s crucial to plan how you will handle your tasks before starting them. Effective planning skills are necessary to manage your time well. Planning helps you understand your responsibilities, and you can remain organized when executing them.
Goal Setting
Goal setting is an important skill in time management. Before starting your day, decide on the tasks you want to accomplish by the end of the day. Then, plan how to manage your time to ensure all those tasks are completed.
But when setting your goals, you should be realistic. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed, and chances are you won’t achieve them. Goal setting and stress management work hand in hand to improve your efficiency during the day.
Communication
Excellent communication skills allow you to express your goals, plans and generally yourself in writing and speaking. When you can communicate your ideas, needs, and plans, you can develop a great schedule that allows you to finish your tasks on time. And if you are part of a team, you can easily coordinate with other members.
Benefits of Improving Your Time Management Skills
Improving your time management skills offers various benefits. Besides being efficient at work, managing your time well can reduce stress and improve your overall life. Here are the three main benefits of improving your time management.
Less Anxiety
Poor time management has been linked to less productivity and poor well-being. Think about it. Time is the most valuable asset we have. Therefore, it is crucial we manage our time well and leave enough time for socialization, leisure activities and living a private life. Engaging in these things is vital for your mental health.
Taking a break from work to enjoy other aspects of life reduces stress, anxiety and other mental issues. So, when you are back at work, your mind is refreshed, and you are ready to focus on the tasks at hand.
When you manage your time well, you can create space for other activities that benefit your mental health.
Promotes Work-Life Balance
Many people seem to have a problem with achieving a work-life balance. You need to balance leisure and work, as too much of both is not good for your well-being. You can do that by devoting time to different areas of your life. But this calls for effective time management. When you manage your time well, you will have time to balance your work and life.
Helps You Achieve Your Goals
Many people have a problem with getting things done on time. A lot of us tend to procrastinate until the last minute. But procrastinating can significantly affect your productivity.
That is why you need to take steps to reduce or stop this habit. One of the best ways you can do that is by managing your time well. That way, you will do the activities within the intended time and have space for other things.
Are you ready to improve your Time Management skills?
Although time management is a crucial skill, many don’t possess it. Thankfully, you can take several steps to improve how you manage your time to ensure that you remain efficient and productive at work.
Find out more about the time management skills you need to improve.
Time management is an essential skill we all need to improve find out more about the skills you need to improve.
