The workplace is filled with various tasks, assignments, projects, meetings, distractions and disruptions which we have to deal with every single day. The intensity may be more or less, based on the industry that you find yourself; nonetheless, no workplace is exempted from them. There are timelines tied to duties at work and no matter where you find yourself on the leadership ladder, everyone has a deadline they are working towards in the workplace. The process of planning and controlling how much time you spend on specific activities is known as time management.
The ability to apportion your time to successfully meet your target is good management and this enables you to complete more in a shorter period of time, lower stress, improve your efficiency and productivity, leading to a successful career. This is because the focus is on the most important and time-sensitive tasks, whiles the amount of time wasted on the non-essential duties are limited.
Time management is another human skill that is in high demand at the workplace. It is, without a doubt, one of the most required qualities in employees. Every leader must learn to assess the ability of their team members to manage their time as individuals, and the effectiveness it brings to the team in reaching departmental goals and objectives; they must evaluate their productivity and ensure that they get the most out of them. Time Management skill is helpful to the company or organization and the workers themselves. Every team member must also recognize that it is very key to be able to manage their time as team members so that their contribution does not cause delays to the team’s set targets.
Timetracko shares some insights to buttress the need for effective time management and starts with a quote: Time stays long enough for those who use it – Leonardo Da Vinci.
Time is one of the most important and valuable resources we have, yet many people do not utilize it wisely. This is usually due to a lack of understanding of the importance of time management and how it can improve the performance of every profession accessible today. Time management affects performance and productivity at work. It will improve employee efficiency and help to meet deadlines, and produce better quality work. Time management is important for companies to prioritize all the work tasks and achieve the goals faster. With an effective time management plan, you can take on new opportunities and sustainably grow your company.
Oftentimes we slack off at work and delay tasks for no reason. Mastering time management will make your work better, your efficiency will increase, and you will accomplish your goals with less effort. Time management comes with many benefits. The act of doing the most with the available resources has been the proof of intelligence. We, human beings, should at least try to be productive about time. Time management is only possible with recognition. We have to accept our failure in understanding the time and start working on its conservation immediately. “The fault, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” – Shakespeare’s. Meaning we have to see the deficiency in us, our work schedule where most of the time is wasted. If we organize our tasks priority wise, then time management is convenient, not only possible.
You may be having a hard time with managing your time and I want you to know that you are not alone. The good news is that, because time management is a human skill, it can be learned and mastered just like all the other human skills; and I mean anyone can become good at time management! It does take some learning and practice over time to become an effective and efficient time manager; however, it can be achieved with determination. As a human skills expert, I have helped entrepreneurs, leaders, and team leaders in businesses, companies, and organizations establish and build upon this human skill to be able to utilize it in their personal and professional lives effectively.
It is said that, “Time and tide waits for no man”; it is an irreplaceable asset that has become very crucial especially in today’s fast-paced, ever evolving and overly competitive business age. It is so important to improve your time management at work because it allows you to enhance your performance and achieve your desired goals with less effort and more effective strategies.
Here are 4 areas from Seattleu.edu to consider in your time management journey:
- CARE FOR YOUR MIND AND BODY
Wise time management is not about just getting as many tasks done as possible, especially in workplaces that tend to demand work that seems of minimal value to your personal and professional growth, and even to the big-picture goals of the organization. Getting bogged down in minutiae can not only distract you from the really important work, but it can put a severe strain on your physical and mental health if you start working an inordinate number of hours or skipping meals to get everything done.
Strong time management means setting priorities and boundaries, and one of its key benefits is to improve the health of your mind and body. Try to protect time for personal care breaks that are important to you: Go for a walk at midday, leave yourself enough time to prepare a healthy lunch in the morning before you leave for work or be sure you are able to leave early enough to catch that evening yoga class. Your happiest and healthiest self is also your most productive, and taking care of yourself is not only good for you but for your company as well.
- IMPROVE YOUR WORK, IMPROVE YOUR CONFIDENCE
A somewhat counterintuitive tip for time management in the workplace is “less is better.” We are so often told that successful time management is all about getting more done that we can have a tendency to allow quality to slip in favor of quantity. The purpose of time management should not just be to fit more tasks into your day, it should be to allow you to produce stronger work and improve the success of your organization.
If this means setting goals that prioritize quality, one of the most significant benefits of time management in this sense is the effect this can have on your own confidence. When you produce work of a higher quality, you draw positive attention from your peers and supervisors, which in turn should lead to a more positive sense of your own capabilities and your value to the organization. All companies should strive to maintain high levels of employee confidence and positivity, and effective time management is a powerful way in which to do so.
- MAXIMIZE YOUR WORKING TIME
Another hallmark of the modern professional workplace is the ubiquitous meeting. Meetings can take many forms, from daily check-ins to one-on-one chats with your supervisor, project kickoffs, metrics analysis and more. While they can be important, meetings can also create frequent and sometimes lengthy interruptions in your work day, which can make it difficult for you to get into a productive rhythm for the actual work you need to complete.
If you find yourself with only small blocks of time between meetings on your schedule in which you can get things done, try approaching your day by making a checklist of tasks you expect to accomplish in a 30 minute window. Or, if you know you have a larger task at hand that requires more focused attention, block off time on your own calendar and make your coworkers schedule meetings around it. Protecting your own time and maximizing your effectiveness during it are key to unlocking the benefits of time management in the workplace.
- HELP YOUR TEAM GROW
If you are in a management or leadership role, time management in the workplace isn’t just something you need to consider for yourself. It applies to your entire team, and you are responsible for ensuring that all of your team members are able to work efficiently in the time allotted them. Effective managers know which and how many responsibilities they can successfully delegate to their teams to make sure the entire group functions like a well-oiled machine.
One of the hidden benefits of time management from a leadership perspective is the opportunity to help your team members develop. When you delegate responsibilities, take care to not just put people in situations that maximize their existing strengths, but give them tasks that take them out of their comfort zones as well. As your team members learn to successfully deliver results in an increasingly wide variety of scenarios, they will grow individually as professionals and strengthen your team as a whole.
Learning to take control of your time on a daily basis helps you gain ultimate control of your key priorities. It also improves your ability to get things done on time and make better decisions. Your personal and professional life is positively impacted with effective time management skills. Once you learn the art of time management, you can control your life and have more power and freedom.
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