“There is never enough time!” “I worked all day and got nothing done!” “Why does my to-do list never get any smaller?” We’ve all said something similar in our work life and home life. But what separates those who can manage time and those who can’t is not some innate, superhuman ability (though it can feel that way). It’s just good time management.
Get to know your own timing.
Spend 1 week recording your time on every task you do, as close to minute by minute as you can. I recommend time tracking software like Toggl or Timecamp, but pen and paper works just fine.
At the end of the week, take a look at what you did and how long each type of task is taking you. This will help you get an idea of how you are spending your time, which tasks are producing productive results, and also which tasks are wasting your time. If nothing seems inefficient, start over. There’s always room for improvement.
With this new insight, you can start to better understand the difference between your “clock time” and your “real time.” Time on the clock and time in your day are two very different ideas. Most time management tools and techniques only organize “clock time,” ideal hours in a day. The ideal is rarely the reality. “Real time” is what you are actually able to accomplish in a day.
Create a plan for the day.
Spend 15 minutes in the morning making your to-do list for the day. Yes, 15 minutes. An effective list makes all the difference—see my last post, on the art of the to-do list.
Budget your time.
Create set blocks of time to work on specific tasks, set start and end times and stick to them. Timers help with this. Focusing on one task at a time will increase your productivity enormously and make you feel calmer too.
Reduce distractions and do not check your email or your phone during your work blocks. Create open communication with team members so they know when you are available for questions.
Build in time for breaks too. Want to check Facebook, Reddit, or take a walk? Build in blocks for those as well, and use them as rewards for accomplishing a set number of tasks on your list. I prefer longer blocks, but a lot of people like the Pomodoro technique (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off). Effective breaks are just as useful as hard work.
Give yourself extra time.
The secret to staying calm in the storm is to build in time buffers so you are not at the mercy of unforgiving schedules. Think of it like insurance, or packing peanuts around an important artwork.
Set due dates for yourself or other people before you actually need the task done, and stick to it. That way, if unexpected issues arise, you still have a buffer of time. (This is especially good for procrastinators: giving yourself a deadline to push for means you will start work earlier).
Get into a routine.
Are there tasks that are often repeated daily, weekly, or monthly? Set those blocks on your calendar for the same time each week, get used to doing similar tasks at similar times. This will help you and those around you feel grounded and normal even when you are on a crazy deadline.
Begin and end working at the same time each day. Setting this routine helps your sleep schedule and makes you feel better all day.
Give yourself time to decompress after work. Even 5 minutes before going home to walk around the block and think about all the things you accomplished will help you absorb and center.
Celebrate victories, evaluate losses.
Once you have spent time using these tips (a day, a week, a month), track your time again, and evaluate how you’re doing: What things were late? Do those need to have more time blocked out? Were you distracted while doing a task? What things have gotten better? Be honest and kind; this is a process that takes time.
Give yourself a goal for the next time you track your time. If you reach your goal, give yourself something fun; a special dinner, a day at the spa, a vacation, etc.
Time management is all about creating more freedom for yourself and reducing stress. It is as important as learning to budget money (in fact, the two are almost the same).
Time is our medium, and time management is an art that will change your life. Befriend it.
Amanda Eno is Senior Production Manager at Kadenze. She keeps the team on schedule from pre-production through launch, leads course design, and works with our instructors. She earned her MFA in Theater Management from California Institute of the Arts.
The post The Art of Time Management – 7 Tips for Actually Useful Work appeared first on Kadenze Blog.