Whether it’s in your personal life or your skilled sphere, it’s essential to master the art of efficient time management if you desire to get things done.
Fortunately, with the right combination of time management tools and techniques, you possibly can organize your time, boost productivity, avoid missed deadlines, and turn into a time management ninja very quickly.
In this text, we’ll show you seven effective time management techniques and five powerful time management tools you possibly can start using today.
Table of Contents
Let’s start.
7 effective time management techniques
Listed below are seven proven time management strategies for individuals who need assistance getting things done:
1. Pomodoro technique
This time management technique, created by Francesco Cirillo, uses a timer to divide your work into 25-minute intervals. We call each interval a Pomodoro, after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo also created.
The Pomodoro technique teaches you to set goals and achieve them.
How it really works
- Determine which task you desire to accomplish.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Start the timer and think about one task until the timer rings.
- Take a five-minute break. Go for a jog, have a coffee, or do something else that’s non-work-related.
- Then, set your timer for an additional 25-minute session and concentrate on one other specific task.
- Repeat the method 4 times.
- The fifth time you begin the method, you possibly can take longer breaks of 20-Half-hour between each Pomodoro (25 minute session.)
2. Eisenhower Matrix
Learning to prioritize your most vital task is a crucial time management skill, and this time management strategy can aid you try this.
The Eisenhower Matrix was created by former American President Dwight Eisenhower when he was a commander in the military during World War II.
As a result of the difficult decisions he needed to make each day, he created this time management matrix to assist him with prioritizing, deleting, and delegating tasks based on importance.
How it really works
- Organize your tasks into 4 separate quadrants –
- Urgent tasks and necessary tasks/ projects to be accomplished first.
- Not urgent and necessary tasks/projects to be scheduled in your calendar.
- Urgent and unimportant tasks/projects to delegate to another person.
- Not urgent and unimportant tasks/projects that you may delete.
3. Eat That Frog
Brian Tracy developed this time management technique with an easy premise: tackle your hardest and most vital task first every morning.
The concept got here from the Mark Twain quote, “Eat a live frog very first thing within the morning, and nothing worse will occur to you the remainder of the day.”
In his popular 2001 book Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Tracy says your motion plan should concentrate on impact.
How it really works
- Settle on your biggest goal and what you desire to achieve most. Then, write it down.
- Define your key performance indicators.
- Set a deadline.
- Make an inventory of the things it’s good to do to realize your goal, and order the list in keeping with priority. Whatever’s first on the list are your “frogs.”
- Tackle your “frogs” first. If you will have a couple of frog, tackle the toughest, worst ones first.
- Do something the very first thing every morning that moves you toward your goal. This fashion, irrespective of what happens later within the day, you realize you’ve made progress towards your most vital goal.
4. Time blocking
The time blocking technique involves planning out each hour of your day prematurely and dedicating specific time “blocks” for various tasks and responsibilities.
Unlike timeboxing that limits the period of time you spend on each activity, time blocking only reserves time in your day for a particular task – how long you reserve is as much as you.
How it really works
- On a paper, write down blocks of time for every hour of the day. Your time blocks might be any period of time you select. For instance, every time block might be Half-hour, or it could actually be 1 hour – it’s as much as you.
- Estimate how much time you’re going to take to finish each task and enter the duty names into time blocks.
- So, you can divide your entire day into 30-minute time blocks and assign the primary 30-minute block to eat breakfast.
- Then assign a number of 30-minute time blocks to other tasks it’s good to accomplish that day.
- Add buffer times between a number of time blocks to permit for unexpected delays and tasks that unexpectedly take quite a lot of time.
Remember to assign your most vital tasks to the time of day if you’re best, like within the morning. Then, assign the less necessary tasks to the time of day when your energy levels aren’t as high.
5. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
Here’s a time management strategy that goals to coach your brain to focus on a vision of what you would like. It’s proven highly effective in helping people achieve their long-term goals.
How it really works
- This time management system involves writing down the tasks it’s good to accomplish within the week.
- Then “chunk” and group your tasks together based on commonalities- for instance, group items which can be personal, group career-related tasks, etc.
- Create your personal RPM blocks by dividing a sheet of paper into three columns:
- The duty
- The result you would like from completing that task
- The aim for completing it
- Then, list the actions you possibly can take to perform the tasks.
6. 80/20 Rule (Pareto evaluation)
Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created this time management technique on the premise that 20% of actions are liable for 80% of outcomes .
The aim is to aid you prioritize your tasks based on what is going to have the largest impact and get you closer to achieving your significant goals.
How it really works
- List a few of the issues or problems you will have to deal with.
- Determine the foundation explanation for each.
- Assign a rating to every issue based on their importance – the more necessary thing would have the next rating.
- Group similar tasks and problems together based on the foundation cause.
- Add up the rating for every group.
- The group with the very best rating is the problem it is best to tackle first.
7. SMART goal system
The SMART acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound. It’s a superb time management technique for individuals who have a bigger goal that they need to realize.
How it really works
- Specific: Clearly and concisely define your goals so you realize exactly what it’s good to do.
- Measurable: Use metrics, numbers, or smaller tasks that may aid you measure your goals.
- Achievable /Attainable: Be certain that your goals are realistic and achievable.
- Relevant: Be certain that your goals align along with your projects, different tasks, and long-term plans. You furthermore may have to set manageable tasks.
- Time-Certain: Be sure that your goals don’t take too long. Set deadlines with a particular deadline.
To set SMART goals, you possibly can either set SMART goals templates or create your personal system of tracking goals.
Next, let’s explore five powerful tools you should utilize together with these techniques to boost your time management skills.
Listed below are six tools that may help skyrocket your time management efficiency:
1. Time Doctor for time tracking
With this time tracking software, you possibly can accurately record the time taken for all of your tasks and projects in real-time. Furthermore, it’s compatible across all devices that support Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, or Chrome operating systems.
Key features
Here’s an in-depth look right now tracker and its key features:
A. Straight-forward time tracking
Here’s how you possibly can track time manually:
- Open the Time Doctor app and log in.
- Either create a brand new task or select one from the duty list.
- Click the Play button to start tracking time.
- Time Doctor will track time while running within the background.
- When you’ve accomplished your task or if you desire to take a break, simply click on the Stop button.
You may also mechanically track your time as soon as you switch in your computer.
The automated tracking mode has no user interface and runs silently within the background as you’re employed. This fashion, you won’t forget to log any time entry, and you possibly can simply concentrate on the duty at hand.
B. Idle time tracking and distraction alerts
The app measures idle minutes (inactive minutes) because the time when a user actively tracks time but there’s no keyboard or mouse activity. This fashion, you possibly can get a clearer picture of your activity levels, analyze the info, and improve your productivity.
These pop-up alerts can aid you self-correct unproductive behavior and improve your efficiency. Moreover, it’ll aid you accurately calculate billable hours.
C. Detailed productivity reports
As an illustration, the net and app usage report can show you which ones apps and web sites you utilize essentially the most. You possibly can generate this report for any date, week, month, or date range and quickly discover where you’re wasting time or which social media apps you spend an excessive amount of time on.
Other useful reports you possibly can generate include:
- Timeline report: An activity log that shows the time a user spent working and the time spent on breaks in each day and weekly formats.
- Hours tracked report: Reveals what number of hours a user tracked in a day, week, or inside a particular date range.
- Activity summary report: Indicates the lively, unproductive, manual, and mobile time for a user over a specific time range.
- Projects & tasks report: Shows the time you or an worker spends on various projects and each day tasks.
Pricing
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 (260+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (390+ reviews)
2. Calendar for scheduling
Calendar is a helpful time management tool for scheduling tasks and projects, setting appointments with clients, and efficiently planning out your work day without the necessity for forwards and backwards emails. It’s a well-liked Google Calendar alternative.
Key features
- Create time slots for events and online meeting templates.
- Share calendar links with clients, employees, and anyone else.
- Anyone you’ve shared your calendar link with can then schedule meetings with you based in your availability.
Pricing
Calendar’s paid plans start at $10/user monthly. There’s also a free limited plan available.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.7/5 (60+ reviews)
- Capterra: n/a
3. Trello for task and project management
Trello is a well-liked task management software that uses the Kanban board technique in addition to useful to do list formats. It’s especially handy for those who’re a project manager or for work on team projects because team members can easily track task progress.
Key features
- Automate tedious tasks and workflows with Trello’s Butler automation.
- Easily create a Gantt chart, Kanban visual, or time blocks for project tasks.
- Advanced checklists allow you to keep track of each task inside larger projects.
Pricing
Trello’s paid plans start at $5/user monthly. There’s also a free limited plan available.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 (13,570+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (23,180+ reviews)
Try our in-depth Trello review for more information.
4. Evernote for note taking
Evernote is a handy note-taking and content organization app to aid you efficiently organize ideas, lists, tasks, projects, etc. It also means that you can add attachments, web clippings, and audio to your digital note.
Key features
- Save time switching between devices by syncing and organizing your notes across all of your devices.
- Save any web page, online article, or PDF files using the easy-to-use web clipper functionality.
- Seek for specific data inside handwritten notes and photos.
Pricing
Evernote has a free basic plan for private use. Paid plans for skilled use start at $17.99/user monthly.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 (2000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (8200+ reviews)
5. Momentum Dash for focus and inspiration
Momentum Dash is a free Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge add-on that goals to aid you remain focused and motivated.
When you find it dreary watching a pc screen all day or need assistance avoiding procrastination, that is the app for you.
Key features
- It shows your to-do list in your homepage. While you pull up a brand new tab, you get a reminder about what it is best to concentrate on.
- Receive each day inspiration in the shape of quotes, mantras, and pictures in your computer.
- Enables you to start every day by entering the most important thing you desire to accomplish into the Every day Focus section.
Pricing
Momentum Dash is free nevertheless if you desire to access additional features like widgets, you’ll must upgrade to Momentum Plush.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.8/5 (12+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4/5(1 review)
6. ProofHub for project management and team collaboration
ProofHub is a number one project management and team collaboration tool that provides a wide selection of features under one roof for end-to-end project management. When you struggle with app overload to get things done, ProofHub is for you. Neatly organize projects, assign tasks, track time, and collaborate with teammates, all from one convenient location.
Key features
- Intuitive interface with no extra clutter to focus only on what matters.
- Flat pricing with no per-user fee, offering built-in chat, time-tracking, proofing, and more at no extra cost.
- Track progress against estimated time and immediately get notified about any delays.
Pricing
ProofHub’s Essential plan starts at a flat $79/month when billed annually for unlimited users. You may also try the 14-day free trial.
Customer rankings
- G2: 4.5/5 (90+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (100+ reviews)
Final thoughts
Finding the proper tools and adopting effective techniques are the primary steps to efficient time management.
We’ve given you some great time management tools and techniques to start out with, and when used together, they might be even simpler.
At the tip of the day, this can aid you prioritize your time higher, work faster and with fewer distractions, and save time for the things that matter most.
