Time management - strategies and methods
There are hundreds of different approaches to personal productivity. We know that everyone works in their own way, so a trial and error approach to these time management strategies can help you find the best method for you.
N° 5: Do your most important and demanding tasks first thing in the morning.
For most people, the first few hours of work are the most productive.
Curiously, you can concentrate more effectively when your brain is not fully awake. Waking brains have less excess energy to daydream and worry about other tasks.
Use this phenomenon to your advantage and tackle your most mentally demanding tasks as soon as you wake up.
Personally, I have a slight reservation on this point. We all have different moments of productivity and these should also be taken into consideration, whether you are an early bird or a night owl -> see tip 7!
N° 6: The 80-20 rule
The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, was devised by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who observed that 80% of output usually comes from only 20% of its resources.
Use this knowledge to determine which activities fall within that 20%.
For example, let's say you own an agency that is looking for clients. You spend 30 minutes a day sending e-mails to potential clients and an hour sending messages and managing the company's social media account. Only one client has been referred to you via social media, while you have 5 clients who have been acquired via e-mail. Clearly, you need to spend more time on e-mailing if you want to maximise your customer base.
Anyone can use the 80-20 rule to find out where to spend their time. If you are not sure which activities are in your 20%, try doing a time audit or use a time tracking tool (see the previous article on planning), as this will give you a better idea of which activities have the most impact and take up the most time.
N° 7: Golden hours or biological peak hours
Do you know when you do your most productive work? Knowing this will help you optimise your workload.
To find your "golden hours" or "biological prime time", divide your working day into 3 to 5-time slots. Record your productivity for the week using a notebook or a free time tracking tool. At the end of the week, rank these time slots from most productive to least productive.
Once you have found your golden hours, you can plan your weeks accordingly. Schedule difficult or time-consuming tasks into your most productive hours.
N° 8: The "Swiss cheese" method
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by important tasks. When you don't know where to start, this can lead to procrastination or a loss of focus.
The 'Swiss cheese' method, invented by Alan Lakein, states that the best way to overcome this problem is to break large projects into smaller tasks or blocks of time. Doing one small task or 15-minute block of time will make the project less daunting and more likely to finish on time.
The next article, still on the subject of time management, will cover some tips and tricks.
In the meantime, feel free to contact me to discuss how I can help you manage your time better!
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