Focused result: 10 infallible time management techniques

Good time management at work is one of the most precious assets of today, after all, we are always being bombarded with information, distractions, and tasks to be solved in short periods of time. Not having time control can generate a “snowball” effect on daily demands and cause the execution costs of each of them to increase, thus generating client dissatisfaction, accumulation of tasks, greater stress and low quality of life.

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That's why we created this content to show how important time management is and how companies can optimize processes and achieve better results. Read on.

What is time management?

We call time management all the processes and techniques that are used to improve the performance of tasks in companies or on a daily basis, with the objective of obtaining greater productivity and better use of this asset. But it's not just about doing more activities in less time, it's about having the control to focus on the correct activities that make the most sense for the execution of projects and, also, for what does the most works in personal life. It's knowing everything that needs to be done and what doesn't need to be done, knowing how long it's going to last.

Why is time management so important?

Good time management offers more results in a company's daily life, but it is also responsible for offering more quality of life for professionals. Think carefully: lack of organization impairs deadlines, accumulates tasks, lowers productivity, and this creates a lot of stress, sleepless nights, and many other problems. Believe me, time management helps to put everything in its place and makes people live better and healthier. In addition, knowing correctly How long does each activity last it's easier to price your work and understand how much each activity is worth, which is essential for negotiating with your clients. Finally, good time management reduces costs (of time and money) and increases customer satisfaction, since projects are executed on time and done with the quality they deserve.

How to manage time at work?

To improve time management at work, it is necessary to organize tasks, in order to focus on what needs to be performed and to leave out unnecessary activities. Automating processes is a way to improve team productivity, avoiding wasting time with manual and costly processes. But avoiding distractions and taking care of your health are also factors that have a direct impact on good time management. Check out some of the following time management techniques:

1. Organize tasks

One of the main attitudes for good time management is to have an overview of the tasks that need to be performed on the day, having real control of what needs to be done or not within that work period. Give preference to listing what you need to do the day before, to start the day with more focus and with the most targeted activities. Use whatever is most comfortable: taking notes, using apps, pictures on the wall... what matters is selecting the tasks that need to be carried out. Of course, to be able to better organize time at work, it is necessary to avoid placing many tasks that are impossible to complete, because this can generate frustration and hinder productivity even more. To avoid, it is important to define priorities, which we will talk more about in the following topic.

2. Prioritize what to do

A secret to improving time management is to prioritize what must be done and, especially, what does not have to be done at that time to avoid wasting time on activities that are not fundamental. The Eisenhower Matrix is a widely used technique that helps to have a clear vision of how to separate tasks through four pillars:

• Urgent and important: they are those tasks that have a fixed deadline and not carrying them out at the moment can have consequences on the progress of the projects. They need to be executed immediately.
• Important but not urgent: activities that do not require immediate attention but must be carried out. The manager can plan it at another time, setting dates.
• Not important, but urgent: activities that someone else can carry out and can be delegated, for example, answering phone calls, requesting documents, etc.
• Not important and not urgent: low-value activities that can be eliminated have no productive value.

3. Automate tasks

Task automation is a masterful move to reduce the time spent on time-consuming tasks, and the key is to use the optimized time for jobs that have more impact on the routine and have more purposes. What are the manual tasks that take up your time? It's a good time to ask yourself and understand how to replace them. This way you can free up more time on the schedule and optimize your company's processes. Some tips in practice:

• create standard email templates to reply without having to start from scratch;
• search for software that manages activities;
• learn how to automate the sales and contract process;
• use facilitator apps etc.

Also read: Reduction of contract signing time - Case Cligsign

4. Take a survey of the use of time

How long does it take to perform each task? Many people have asked themselves this question and the only way to find out is to make a real survey of performance indicators, to understand the Gaps and what can be done to improve productivity more and more, after all, it's more difficult to regain control of time if we don't know where it's being spent. Tools like Harvest help to understand and keep track of time during activities. Here, it's worth being as specific and detailed as possible to really see where every minute is going. Take this survey and thoroughly analyze each time spent to see which spaces are not being optimized and look for more practical solutions.

5. Know how to say no when necessary

Filling every minute of the schedule may seem productive, but don't fall into this trap. Having many occupations can be harmful when it comes to better managing the time of activities, in addition to creating a state of alert and causing serious mental health problems due to the accumulation of functions. So, even if it seems tempting, learn to say no when something cannot be immediately included in the company's daily schedule or projects. Look for smart ways to solve the problem, negotiate the time. It may be uncomfortable at first, but it's important to know how to say no to things that aren't ideal and to focus on activities where you can say “yes”.

6. Optimize meetings

Is there a British research demonstrating that, in England, professionals even spend a year of their lives in useless meetings. It's a long time, don't you think? Determine an agenda for the meetings, make a Check-list about the issues to be addressed and set a time for the end. In this way, the team makes better use of their time and everything is more dynamic, leaving time left in the day to do the other activities on their schedule.

7. Delegate tasks

Back to the point of prioritizing tasks, it's very important to determine what you're not supposed to do and that someone else could solve. This helps a lot to organize time better and shares responsibilities with other people. It's worth focusing only on what needs to be done exclusively by you.

8. Avoid distractions

There are moments and activities that “suck” time, which take the professional out of focus and cause them to get lost in the midst of activities, taking up time that could be used for other demands. We can list several of them, such as notifications from apps, emails, social networks, unnecessary interruptions. During activities, Turn off cell phone notifications and give full attention to what will be done, dedicating every time to them. Take a moment in your day to read emails and other notifications. Don't worry, the emails and social networks will still be there when you're done, and if it's something urgent, they'll probably call you.

9. Take care of your health and avoid overloads

Good time management is not possible if the person is feeling overwhelmed and cannot get out of the “suffocation” of a disorganized view of things. For this reason, taking care of quality of life is essential for it to be possible to live in a healthy way and be able to reconcile business and personal activities. To do this:

• organize activities and allow yourself to take short breaks between them to breathe and refresh your brain (it needs this!).
• sleep well, a night's sleep can be regenerating;
• invest in good nutrition and drink water, the body needs nutrients to work fully;
• move around and do stretching;
• Include activities that bring pleasure into the routine, your mind and body thank you.

10. Organize the environment - offline and online

An externally organized environment helps organize the mind and prepare the brain to be more focused. Imagine working with a table full of papers and objects that won't help your daily life? It doesn't work, is it? The chances of losing focus and starting the day in a bad way are great. The same goes for the computer, organize the information you need to work, so that you don't waste time looking for what you need. Optimize intelligently and in a way that the system works in your favor. Time management will only be efficient if there is dedication, discipline, and focus, with the tools that speed up everyday life and they make it used strategically. With these steps that we brought, we are sure that the days at the company will be more productive and everyone will be able to fulfill their objectives and goals in an organized manner. So, did you like our tips? Keep following our blog, because we always provide tips for your business to prosper in a practical and fast way. Until the next post!