Pic credit: Pexels | Maria Mileta
By Surya Pillai
In earlier times, parents cherished moments spent with their children at the park, and kids looked forward to weekends filled with quality time alongside their parents. When the new century opened up new opportunities, world started to shift on a global scale. New technologies created new employment opportunities. The daily time commitment, however, remained the same. Time management is necessary to balance personal and professional lives and to maintain the amount of time spent on various activities.
Planning and regulating the amount of time spent on various tasks are key components of the time management strategy. Through efficient time management, individuals can plan their tasks, set realistic goals, and avoid needless delays. Effective time management reduces stress, increases output, and enhances both personal and professional lives.
Strategies for Effective Time Management
Set Clear Goals
Setting clear goals will help us to accomplish tasks systematically rather than postponing to another time or delegating to another person.
SMART( Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals can help in prioritizing task thereby efficiently finish the task on time.
Use Eisenhower Matrix
An Eisenhower Matrix is a type of chart used to rank tasks in order of importance and urgency. Draw a 2×2 grid on a piece of paper with the x-axis marked “urgent” and “not urgent,” and the y-axis marked “important” and “not important.” Arrange tasks in order of importance and urgency, then mark them in these grids. This approach will assist us in completing each task on time and concentrating on the most important ones first. This can be repeated on a weekly or monthly basis.
Pomodoro Technique
Continuously working on a task for longer than 45 minutes has been shown to deplete our brain’s energy and cause us to lose focus. The Pomodoro Technique involves working for 25 minutes at a stretch and then taking a 5-minute break. Five repetitions of this can be made, followed by a longer 30-minute break. Research indicates that time management done this way yields greater benefits than working for more than 30 minutes at a time.
Avoid Multitasking
Although multitasking appears to lighten our workload, it actually has the opposite effect, increasing stress and decreasing productivity. Focusing on a single task makes it easier to complete a task effectively and efficiently.
Strategies for Increasing Productivity
With features like project management software, digital calendars, and reminders, technology can keep us focused and organized.
Assigning unimportant tasks to a responsible staff member can free up more time for important tasks.
We can save more time by controlling distractions like social media. Instead fix a particular time to learn about news updates. This will prevent us from being distracted by unneeded things and ensure that we only learn accurate news—not fake.
Adopting a helpful mindset is admirable, but exerting excessive effort on behalf of others can lead to increased stress because we will not be able to complete our work on time. Therefore, learn to say no when you are not ready or comfortable doing someone else’s work.
High levels of productivity and effective time management are both necessary for success in the modern world. Utilizing strategic time management techniques, such as setting clear objectives, prioritizing tasks, and avoiding multitasking, can help people complete tasks faster and with greater workflow efficiency. The combination of productivity strategies, such as task grouping, distraction reduction, and beneficial technology use, helps people stay focused and accomplish their goals. By incorporating these tactics into their everyday routines, people will achieve their goals, lower stress levels, and improve work-life balance.
