One of the most important keys to becoming more productive is mastering a few successful time management hacks. Not only will they help you reach your goals and complete your tasks more efficiently, they’ll also bolster your self-confidence and, if you lead others, enhance team morale and performance.
Organize
Every minute spent planning and organizing saves you 10 minutes in execution. Try to see ahead and strategize your every move. Remember, time is a priceless and finite resource.
- Know your goals and organize them according to their value. Do you have too many goals? You only need one or two for each primary area of your life: work or business, health, finances, family, etc.
- Make a master list of all the tasks you need to do to complete each goal. Be selective. When each day starts, you will instantly know what you should be working on. You also may want to make a “don’t do” list where you write down the bad habits that devour time and prevent you from completing priority tasks. For instance: “Do not check email five times a day” or “Do not scan Facebook when you should be completing a sales report.”
Prioritize
You’ve documented your goals. Now, prioritize the tasks that will lead you to achieving them. Determine your highest value goal and work on an important task for that goal first.
- Know your number one priority in each moment. This may change with unexpected developments, but by and large, you can plan it first thing in the morning or last thing the night before. Choose your top tasks for the day and work on them in order of priority.
- Know what your time is worth. Set a dollar value on every task. What is an hour of your time worth? Keep a log so you know where the time is going. Eliminate useless activities.
Delegate
You don’t have to do everything yourself. Bite the bullet, take the risk, and share the load. In doing so, develop your employees’ skills, abilities and morale. Given your vote of confidence, they may very well surprise you. Effective delegation:
- Frees up time for organizing, planning and prioritizing.
- Keeps you from spreading yourself too thin.
- Stimulates creativity and initiative.
- Encourages open communication and trust, thus poising your entire team for success.
Contact the workforce development experts at PrideStaff Fresno for more tips on improving time management for yourself and your team. Read our related posts or contact us today.