At the end of 2021, I was asked to speak to a group of students about time management. I was eager to take on the task at hand until informed that I only had seven minutes to present. How would I share tips on making your day more productive with so little time? Time Management is a topic I could easily teach for twelve weeks. But it was representative of how most of us have so much to do with very little time.
The days are getting longer, but the hours seem to be shorter. While more people are working from home, it can be challenging to manage your time as professional and personal tasks collide. Time is a valuable resource that can be difficult to manage.
Here are some tips on how to get more done with less time in the New Year!
Purchase a Planner
If you are struggling to get through your workday and feel like you are never getting enough work done, it could be due to improper planning. It’s time to start planning your workdays. You will find yourself more productive with a proper plan in place. Sometimes tasks seem overwhelming because they are resting in our brains instead of written down. A planner is one of the best ways to keep track of your productivity.
Delegate Your Tasks
One of my New Year resolutions is to delegate anything that brings me too much anxiety when I think about doing it. You can easily find someone to help you with your tasks, even with a small budget. Fivver or Upwork are some of my favorite tools to find contractors that can help me get tasks done and free up some time.
Take Things One Day at a Time
Time management can be complex when thinking about all of the tasks you have to complete all at once. Use your planner to create a schedule for what and when you will get done. If it’s Monday, try not to focus on what you have to do for the entire week. Instead, think about what’s on your schedule at the current moment.
Rest
One of the best ways to effectively manage your time is to rest. There are times when I feel overwhelmed with tasks, and later I found that I just need to walk away from my desk and rest. One of the biggest misconceptions about working hard is late nights and early mornings. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you can grasp 1-2 of these time management strategies, you will find yourself less overwhelmed in your work.