Time Management 101: 15 Tips for Increasing Productivity & Happiness

Time management skills may not come naturally, but once learned will increase your personal and professional productivity & joy

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There is a saying that “Time is the most valuable commodity we have,” and for every commodity that is of value, it needs to be cherished and used wisely.

Have you ever noticed that on days you stick to and achieve all you planned, you feel happy and more fulfilled? To get the best out of each day, take time to plan your day in alignment with your short and long-term goals. Learning — and applying — time management skills is the secret weapon of highly successful and highly fulfilled people.

A key element of time management is ‘time-blocking’, which means literally blocking out time on your calendar for all the activities you intend to accomplish for the day.

This includes the obvious, such as meetings or travel, but also assigning time to focus on specific projects, read, write, brainstorm, and even includes free time to play or spend time with your partner, children or a friend. The caveat is that you have to honor your time blocks. For example, don’t check email during your time blocked for writing. Rather, schedule 2-3 blocks during your day to read and respond to email. Your time blocks should be sacred and protected. If an urgent matter emerges, as it will, simply adjust your blocks accordingly after the issue is dealt with.

Time management & time-blocking means assigning the right time to the right activity.

Here are 15 strategies to effectively plan your day:

#1 Set Goals

Include both your short and long-term goals. Each goal must be specific, something that can be attained, and should have a time limit. By specific, I mean something that is concrete, for example, revamping a website or becoming a guitarist. An attainable goal is exactly that — something you can actually attain; you’re not likely to become a world-class gymnast at age fifty. The time limit helps structure your day. Some goals, such as completing a report or cleaning the garage, you may be able to accomplish during an hour or two. For longer-term goals, simply include an amount of time that you intend to apply toward that goal on a given day.

#2 Plan Ahead

The moment I started planning ahead, it upgraded my productivity level for each day. I discovered that planning each day of the week in advance made me more productive. The secret is to take time out of one day of the week to plan the remaining days of the week. At the end of each day, you will need to evaluate how your day went, if you were able to achieve your set goals and what goals you were not able to achieve, then review and adjust your plans for the next day.

#3 Put First Things First

Putting first things first simply means prioritizing. In the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey divided every task into four quadrants, which include Urgent and important, Important but not urgent, not important and urgent, not important and not urgent. You will discover that every single task in your life falls under one of these quadrants.

When planning your day, make sure every activity is handled in order of its importance and/or urgency.

#4 Eliminate Distractions

There has never been a more distracting period to be alive where everything is within our fingertips. Having a productive day means avoiding activities or tasks that will deter you from your goal. This might range from not checking social media to not watching that soccer match or Netflix series. Eliminating distractions gives you the time you need to focus on important activities. And as mentioned above, avoid continuously monitoring email while focusing on another task; email is the biggest distraction of all!

#5 Be Proactive

By being proactive, you can anticipate deterrents to your goal, find solutions, and execute such solutions as opposed to being reactive, which is caused by poor planning.

A reactive person is never able to achieve all the plans they set out during the day.

#6 Delegate Tasks

Delegating tasks means assigning to others the responsibility of carrying out assignments. Delegation goes a long way in helping free up your time for more critical tasks and rest while also making sure that the task is completed. If you can assign tasks to another in your team, or a freelancer or virtual assistant, you will progress more quickly toward your goals, and with less stress. A great source for outside talent for many creative and technical disciplines is Upwork.

#7 Make Use Of Tools

The use of tools in helping achieve your day to day tasks quickly and efficiently is very important. By using tools, you are working smarter and not harder. During a period of my life, I worked as a translator. I had to outsource some of my work, such as very technical legal documents to other professionals, but I also leveraged online translation services like The Word Point and Google Translator to facilitate my work, making me more productive.

Point being, if there are people and services out there to help you with specific tasks, make use of them!

#8 Do Your Most Important Work During Your Best Time

Everyone has that time during the day when they are most productive. It can be either the mornings, afternoons, or evenings. To get the most out of your day, carry out your most challenging tasks, or those which require the most focus, during the time of the day when you are most alert and productive.

#9 Get A Head Start

There is a saying, “procrastination is the thief of time.” Do not procrastinate. As much as it is in your ability, try getting a head start on all your tasks. Procrastination is also a silent stress-builder, because the gravity of the uncompleted tasks will increasingly weigh on you as you avoid them.

If you want to de-stress and accomplish your goals… get ahead of the game, not behind it.

#10 Get Quality Sleep

Not getting enough sleep reduces your ability to focus and concentrate on the task at hand. It can also put you in a bad mood. Most adults require seven to eight hours of sleep each night; therefore, make sure you plan your day in such a way that it does not cut down the hours you have for rest. A good sleep will leave you feeling refreshed in the morning, giving you the ability to carry out your tasks effectively, which will leave you more joyful each day.

#11 Rest Between Tasks

Leaving time for rest between tasks allows your brain to cool off, thereby making sure we stay refreshed while carrying out other tasks during the day. Your rest period may be taking a little nap, taking a walk, meditating, grabbing a glass of water and so on. Even a few minutes is enough to transition from one task to the next.

Especially important for long tasks, take a break every hour to keep your mind fresh.

#12 Take Care Of Your Health

Without good health, you can never have a productive day; that is why it is vital to make sure you are proactive about self-care. Eat healthily, eliminate too much caffeine, drink a lot of water, and exercise.

#13 Join A Mentorship Program

Joining a mentorship program is a powerful strategy, especially if you are new to the skills of time management. You will find people who have been through the hurdles you are currently facing and also people who are on the same time management journey with you. Your peers in the program will keep you motivated and also hold you accountable. Similarly, mastermind groups in your professional niche can provide great sources of motivation, strategies and productivity tools.

Grouping related tasks during the day helps you complete your day’s activities more quickly; this is because different jobs require different parts of your brain to get carried out. Similar tasks, therefore, flow without you having to reorient your mindset.

#15 Get Inspiration

It is challenging to stay on top of things during the day if you are not feeling inspired or you lose your drive. To stay inspired, read books, listen to podcasts, watch a TED talk, attend events or lectures — and importantly, shift your socializing to include developing relationships with those people who energize you, lift your spirits, and can teach you.

For many of us, time management is not natural. It is a skill that must be learned, and the more its practiced, the more natural it becomes.

Don’t beat yourself up for not making dramatic leaps in productivity, fulfillment and stress-reduction. Start with small steps, incorporating a few new strategies at a time. But as you begin to block your time and set intentions for each day, you will be amazed how your productivity and clarity will jump. Be careful — this can be an addictive path!

You may also enjoy reading The Importance of Intention to Create Freedom and Aliveness by Carter Miles