Improving Time Management: A Guide

Effective time management is the key to promising steady business growth and a stress-free workplace, but it is much easier said than it is done. With a helpful guide to hand, you can master time management in the workplace.

Create a plan

Often, ineffective time management is down to an inability to prioritise tasks. Going into the day without a clear plan of action not only slows down productivity but can also increase stress levels. If you struggle to prioritise, it’s worth creating a realistic, flexible plan for the day to work off.

Such a plan should be split up into segments, where the most important tasks receive the most time and attention. Other, smaller tasks can be used to break up larger, more monotonous ones, so you don’t lose focus. In any case, leaving spaces of free time is essential. These slots allow you to make room for any last-minute tasks which need doing, butshould also be reserved for adequate breaks throughout the day, where you can replenish your energy to tackle later tasks with full vigour.

When you’ve created your plan, you can set about delegating those you have little space for.

Don’t be afraid to delegate  

Aside from starting tasks at an earlier time in the day, delegating is one of the only ways to give yourself ample time to complete all your work. Though it’s natural to feel unsure about this, it ensures work is spread out across the business evenly and presents employees with a chance to build on their communication, teamwork, and adaptability.

The trick to delegating isn’t just to give tasks to any employee. As the Corporate Coach Group teaches, it’s all about knowing the right person to give each task to. If you choose the right person, this delegation will, in turn, maximise their own time management and deliver the highest standard of work.

Stop procrastinating

It doesn’t matter how high up in a company you are, the chances are that you’ll have had first-hand experience of procrastination before. It usually results from a lack of focus or drive, with British workers spending on average 122 minutes a day procrastinating, which is undeniably a lot of lost time.

Unfortunately, it seems to strike when people have the most to do, but there are some best ways of making sure it doesn’t affect your time management:

Find ways to deal with stress

It’s easy to think that working through mental distress is more economical, but this is far from the truth. Work quality can suffer, and mistakes can be made, meaning you’ll need to spend more time completing a task to a high enough standard when you feel better. Last year alone, over half of all working days lost to ill health were down to work-related stress, anxiety or depression.

It’s more beneficial for your health and your time management to tackle the issue head-on. If you’re beginning to feel the pressure, it’s wise to seek support from a professional to help you improve your wellbeing. In the meantime, practicing some useful stress-busting tips, like meditation, can provide short-term relief to get you back on track with your work.