With Just a Few Changes to Your Schedule
Whether you’ve learned from a boss, a friend, or on your own, you’ve most likely learned tricks on how to manage your time. Yet, putting those tricks into action can be a different story. But, no worries. Take out your self-starter hat and get ready to learn how to manage your time all on your own using these six hacks!
1-Leave Wiggle Room Between Your Time Blocks
Meet “buffer-time”. No one should have a fully stacked calendar with no time in between for a break. Block out buffer time on your calendar between meetings and tasks. Your future self will thank you when days are more productive, and hours are less exhausting.
2-Organize Yourself
This is a big life change for some people because organizational habits don’t always come easily. At first, it may feel like you are spending extra time trying to stay organized. But the payoff is worth it.
Here’s a staggering statistic: On average, Americans waste about 2.5 days a year just looking for misplaced objects. Don’t be part of that statistic! Find a place for your belongings and always put them back where they belong. This goes for computer files too! Create a simple filing system and save new documents to the correct location.
A great way to organize your time on specific projects is to use a planner.
3-Make Use of the 80-20 Rule
Have you heard of the Pareto Principle? Otherwise known as the “80-20 rule”, this principle says that 80% of results come from 20% of actions. It can be applied to many things in life, so it’s a great concept to apply to your use of time. Get in the habit of noticing what tasks get the most results. Spend more time on those actions and cut out some other responsibilities that take up time but don’t produce the outcomes you are looking for.
For example, if you are sending out posts on multiple social media platforms but most of your clients come from your email offers, you may want to just focus on email marketing.
4-Stop Waiting
Every once and a while, you’ll inevitably have to wait for something: at the grocery store, in the doctor’s office, or in traffic. Instead of actually waiting, or defaulting to your phone for entertainment, turn waiting time into productive time. Listen to a podcast you’ve been dying to try out, or read a book on an interesting topic.
5-Organize Your Tasks in Blocks
Batch all your similar tasks together. For example, don’t check your email every time someone pings you. If it’s urgent, go right ahead, but otherwise, set a time block like an hour (or so) to plow through all your emails at one time. This keeps you focused, which is a more efficient way to work.
6-Try to Do Less
This may sound like a slacker approach, but it’s not. Believe it or not – we take on way more than we need to, meaning we take on more than is beneficial to our work. If you find yourself offering to help others when you don’t really have time to, you may have spread yourself too thin. By doing that, you’re not helping yourself or your peers. In the end, you could wind up letting people down because you overpromise and under-deliver.
Implementing even one or two of these hacks can make a noticeable difference, but combining them will help you achieve a new level of productivity and balance. Start small, stay consistent, and watch as your time management skills transform your schedule—and your life!
Need some help planning out your time? Check out our planners here.
