M A K E T H E M O S T O F YO U R DAY

11
ACTIONABLE TIME
MANAGEMENT TIPS
 MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY.
11 ACTIONABLE TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS
Productivity. Your success depends on it.

With the arrival of the 21st century, time has become more valuable than ever.
Your productivity in today’s demanding workforce depends entirely on your
ability to manage your time effectively.

It’s no surprise that time management has become one of the most popular
areas over the last decade. Today’s professional can choose from a vast array
of useful techniques, strategies, and tools to make most of their time.

We have scanned the various approaches and have selected the 11 most
effective time management strategies and tactics that we believe will
immediately boost your productivity.
 LESSON 1:
START ONE NIGHT BEFORE
Planning cannot be done in the midst of your day. It should be done beforehand.
It requires clear thinking and a thorough approach. It is done most effectively
in a calm and quiet environment.

Step 1: Establish an evening planning ritual.

Choose the best space to do your planning — we call it your alone zone. Shut
the door to eliminate distractions. Before going to bed spend just fifteen
minutes: analyze the past day; then review goals, hopes and plans the day ahead.
Consider the tasks you want completed and visualize how you want to get them
done. Take into account important assignments, meetings and phone calls.

Define your goals clearly. Clarity does really matter. Think about the ideas you
would like to realize and ponder all the contingencies that might occur.

Be realistic. Do not plan too much. Keep your plan, what we like to call your
blueprint, manageable and easy to follow. Otherwise, it will lead you to burn
out.

A well-organized blueprint for the upcoming day is necessary for you to be

effective and to produce outstanding work. It is a great way to ensure a strong
start to your workday.

This simple habit will prevent you from going into reactive mode. It will allow
you to have a clear vision of how your work is going unfold.

The planning process should not take too long. However, its contribution to your
productivity cannot be underestimated.

Develop a habit to plan your day and time beforehand. You can make minor
adjustments as needed throughout the day. Regardless, you should create
a clear and solid plan the night before.

Plan ahead. That’s the rule.

 LESSON 2:
HANDWRITE YOUR PLAN
A growing body of research suggests that writing things down is an effective
way to help you structure and organize your thoughts. At the same time, writing
your plan by hand allows you to learn and memorize it.

Details tend to quickly evaporate from our minds. Writing information down
ensures that we don’t have to remember everything. The dullest pencil is better
than the strongest memory. It is neither worthwhile nor necessary to store
every fact and figure in your mind.

Develop the habit of keeping a journal. Always carry a notebook with you and
write down your thoughts and ideas. This is considered as one of the habits that
have the greatest impact on both your efficiency and your ultimate success.

Highly productive people and time-management gurus emphasize the

importance of keeping a journal into which you hand-write your plans and
schedules. It is crucial to have a place where you can easily store and access your
schedule, ideas, thoughts, meeting notes and other details. Having a journal will
help you accomplish your tasks faster and in a more effective way.

Prominent leaders such as Aristotle Onassis and Richard Branson developed this
habit. They used a journal to hand write their plans in and they always carried
it with them.

Every time you have a new idea, take a minute to write it down or sketch
it quickly in your journal. The same holds for plans. When you have a visual
representation of your schedule, it is much easier to stay proactive and
complete your tasks on time.

Start using a notebook to track your progress and write down everything that
happens in your daily life. Describe your small daily accomplishments and do not
forget to specify both failures and obstacles.

The habit of handwriting your plans will help you master your time. The ability
to consult and review your plan throughout the day will make the process
of following it both easy and enjoyable since you will not need to learn your
schedule by heart.

Hand-write your plans. Keep them up to date. Do it on a daily basis.

 LESSON 3:
SCHEDULE EVERYTHING
It’s a well-known fact that most people are terrible at planning. We constantly
underestimate the time required to complete the tasks we set out to do.
Regardless, it is vital that we create a schedule. A schedule is not just the order
in which to do tasks. It is a blueprint of your day.

The bad news is that nobody is inherently good at planning. The good news
is that there are many ways to become better at planning.

Despite the inherent difficulties in accurately estimating the time and effort
required to execute a task, it is essential that we learn to do it well. Here are two
easy tips to help you estimate the time and effort required to complete a task.

Every time you wish to add a task to your schedule, use your imagination to do
the two following easy steps:

1. T
 hink backward. Begin with the end in mind and visualize the final outcome
you aspire to. Then try to estimate how many steps you need to take and how
much time each step will take.

2. A
 sk yourself how long it would take for someone else to complete the
task. Imagine that your colleague is in charge of the task you set out to do.
Approximate the time they will need to execute it. Predictions of how much
time other people need to complete a task tend to be more accurate.

It is important to assess how much time you will to need to execute a task. It is
impossible to be 100% accurate. Nonetheless, you still need to decide how
much time to reserve for this task in your daily blueprint.

Schedule everything. Even the things that seem trivial need your attention.
If they are a part of your day, they all need to be part of your plan.

Have a plan. Follow the plan. Then you will not wonder where you have spent
the entire day.

Schedule everything. That`s the rule.

 LESSON 4:
BATCH SIMILAR TASKS TOGETHER
In most cases, your schedule consists of related tasks that differ in complexity,
scope, and type. The most effective way to organize them is not as a list of tasks
but rather as a blueprint of the upcoming day.

Organize your workflow in a way that minimizes the need to change hats too
often. This avoids having to switch your focus and attention from one activity
to a completely different one.

It takes more mental effort than you think to jump from one activity to another.
Switching focus for each task will quickly exhaust you. Make sure you do not set
yourself up for failure before you even start your day.

The secret of a smooth workflow lies in properly consolidating tasks.

Batching is simply a form of time management that allows a person to

maximize concentration and decrease distraction. As a result, it increases
your productivity, creativity, and mental sharpness, while decreasing fatigue,
procrastination, and stress. Batch processing is simply grouping tasks that
require similar resources in order to streamline their completion.

Group similar tasks together and schedule them in a sequence. Let your
timetable consist of several blocks of more or less homogeneous tasks and
activities. This will allow you to minimize the amount of distraction and stay
focused on your tasks.

If you have two or more meetings during the day, schedule them one after
another to stay tuned and focused on the discussion. If you need to make
several calls throughout a day, devote a full hour to complete calls. If you have
some tasks that require creativity, try to finish them one by one, while staying
inspired and focused on constructive work.

Consolidating tasks by type will streamline your day and minimize disruption.
 LESSON 5:
AVOID MULTITASKING
Productivity is all about attention. It is all about focus and paying attention to
the details. The only way to achieve your highest performance is for you to pay
attention to the things that will have the greatest impact on your goals. The only
way to execute any task in the best way possible is to channel your full effort
towards the things that add value to your current assignment.

Despite popular opinion, multitasking is not a practice that will serve you well.
It is not a tactic practiced by the most productive people. Only the busiest
people use it.

Few people are good at multitasking. It is quite probable that you aren’t either.
However, instead of trying to master this skill, we recommend that you stop the
inefficient habit of attempting to complete several tasks at the same time.

Multitasking is a habit of the busiest.

When most people attempt to do several things simultaneously, they scatter

their focus, limit their attention and invariably fail to complete any of their tasks
well.

Multitasking simply does not work. When someone starts several tasks at the
same time each task will take longer to complete and will result in a lower
quality outcome.

Our brain was not built for multitasking. It was designed to focus on one thing
at a time, sequentially. Therefore, multitasking goes against the natural flow.
It results in lowers work quality and efficiency. Multitasking will set you up for
failure.

This working style will not increase your productivity and get results you will be
proud of. Multitasking will more than likely make you feel busy, overwhelmed,
exhausted and depressed.

Whenever you have a list of tasks to accomplish for the following day, take a
minute to schedule them one by one throughout the workday. Have a sequence
of tasks carefully structured within your work hours.

Make sure the timing does not overlap. If any times overlap, you run the risk
of entering panic mode, and then will tend to start jumping between different
commitments without making any progress.
 LESSON 6:
BREAK DOWN HUGE TASKS INTO MANAGEABLE CHUNKS
Nobody likes huge tasks. They can be overwhelming and can undermine your
confidence. You run the risk of procrastinating and of being distracted if your
day consists of working on one or more huge tasks. The end result is that you
are not likely to be productive.

The disadvantages of huge tasks:

1. Y
 ou cannot see a finish line. While executing huge tasks, it is difficult to
measure your progress. Consequently, you cannot stay focused and keep up
your momentum.

2. T
 hey are hard to estimate. It is rarely possible to accurately estimate the
time and effort required to complete huge tasks. Hence, you never know how
much time to set aside for them.

3. T
 hey are difficult to commit to. At the same time, they are very easy to
put off. Huge tasks are fertile grounds for procrastination. When faced with
a huge and difficult task, your motivation will decrease and you will either
postpone the task or abandon it entirely.

The key to dealing with huge tasks is to break them down into manageable
chunks.

The best approach for large projects is to split them up into smaller pieces. Set
interim goals. And achieve them one by one. This approach will allow you to
feel a sense of accomplishment for completing each goal and will help you stay
motivated to continue on.

Since research suggests people are much better at gauging the time required
to complete smaller tasks, it helps to break a big project up into smaller pieces.
Then you can estimate how long each small piece will take and you can create
a more accurate and detailed schedule.

When you’re ready to schedule your work, make sure not to include any huge
tasks. If any remain, break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks that
can be dealt with quickly. This allows you to build momentum while avoiding
distraction and unnecessary procrastination.
 LESSON 7:
PRIORITIZE
It is tempting to look at a long list of tasks and pick the easy ones to do first.
However, this approach will not help you achieve your goals. Instead of being
productive you will simply be busy.

Prioritization is an integral part of efficient time management. It is key to both

high productivity and high quality work. Unfortunately, many people either
neglect to prioritize or else approach it the wrong way.

Prioritization is not only about tackling the most critical tasks and commitments,
it is also about properly allocating time and effort across all tasks.

Everyone has values, goals, and aspirations. Ideally, they are what you base
your priorities on. Clearly identify your short and long-term goals. Specify your
desired milestones and how you want to achieve them.

This will make it easier for you to prioritize your tasks. You will be able to
allocate available time and effort to the things that matter most.

You need to be honest while prioritizing tasks. Review all the tasks and choose
to do the ones that add the most value regardless of whether or not you want
to do them.

Make sure you separate the important from the urgent. Important activities
have outcomes that lead to us to achieving our goals, whether these are
professional or personal. Urgent activities demand immediate attention, and are
usually associated with achieving someone else’s goals.

Do not overlook important tasks because of your desire to take care of the
urgent ones.

Schedule the biggest and most important pieces of work in the morning. This
way you can ensure you will devote enough time to them and move closer
to completing your goals.

Prioritize. Let your schedule be the guide to a productive and smooth workday.
 LESSON 8:
SET REMINDERS 10 MINUTES BEFORE
No matter what age you are, there’s a chance you occasionally need to be
reminded to do things. We live in a world filled with distraction and various shiny
things often lead us off course from whatever it is we’re trying to achieve. Thus,
setting reminders can not only be productive, but it can also be a savior in some
situations.

When we are deeply involved in our work, it is easy to lose track of time and
forget about upcoming events in our calendar. Thanks to the great variety
of software applications that help us stay on track, it is not difficult to make
technology work for us.

Use your smartphone to stay synced with your schedule and follow it efficiently.

Set reminders 10 minutes before a task or event is about to start. A simple

notification or alert will remind you about the next important thing on your
timetable and will help you keep up your momentum.

Despite their seemingly trivial role, the alerts can make a huge difference when
it comes to efficient time management.

By reminding you about the next task 10 minutes before it’s time to undertake
it, the alerts make it easy to change from one task to another. You don’t have
to change your focus and switch between tasks or events in a panic. Instead,
reminders ensure a smooth workflow with a seamless transition.

Make sure you never miss an important deadline again by adding reminders for
important calls, appointments, meetings, tasks, etc.
 LESSON 9:
DELEGATE
A reality we all need to accept is that we’re not good at everything. In fact, many
of us are bad at plenty of things. Most of the time, we don’t like doing them. The
good news is that we don’t have to.

It’s a simple fact that one person can’t be good at everything. Moreover, trying
to do everything regardless of our skills is a sign of poor focus and weak time
management skills. Taking on too many tasks can lead to burnout, poor quality
work and missed deadlines. All of which are time management problems.
Delegation is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of leadership and good
prioritization.

People often feel reluctant to delegate. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of
thinking you need to do everything yourself if you want it to be done right. This
mindset, while common, is a major impediment to effective workflow.

Learn to rely on other team members and trust them when it comes to
delegating. Identify what skills and knowledge your colleagues have and don’t
hesitate to ask them to take on the tasks they love doing.

If you don’t have a team and work on your own, it doesn’t mean you can’t
delegate your tasks. There are freelancers and virtual assistants who are
available to work for you at a reasonable price.

Despite the cost, you will make progress because of the time-efficiency. Efficient
delegation saves you a lot of time and provides you with the opportunity to
enjoy doing the things you’re good at.
 LESSON 10:
BLOCK OUT DISTRACTIONS
AND ELIMINATE TIME WASTERS
We live in a world full of distractions. It is difficult to maintain our concentration
because of the constant inflow of notifications, updates, messages, and calls.
The worst part is that most of the interruptions are a waste of our time and
attention.

High productivity is all about focus. Once it’s lost, productivity plummets.

Learn to avoid unnecessary interruptions. They are enemies of high efficiency.

Make sure to duck time wasters that undermine your efficiency.

Put your smartphone on airline mode. Use social media blockers. Go offline.
You’ll be surprised by how much more efficient you can become without
countless distractions. And don’t worry about “urgent” calls and emails. They are
usually not that urgent. They can all wait for your response.

The best way to avoid distractions is to enter your alone zone — the place and
time where you can shut the door and be alone with your thoughts, ideas, and
your most important tasks.

This is where you produce your best results. The most productive people don’t
get their most important work done in noisy offices. They avoid open spaces
where officemates want to start conversations that rarely lead to insights
and waste your time. Conversely, the most productive people look for the
opportunities to extract themselves from the noisy external world and complete
the tasks they set out to do.

Learn to value your time and focus. They are your most precious assets.

Limit your sources of possible distractions and focus on what matters most.
 LESSON 11:
ESCAPE WORKING OVERTIME
Do not overwork. That’s easier said than done.

Regrettably, most people associate hard work and long hours with productivity.
The more you work, the more tasks you get done. The harder you work, the
better quality you produce. Is that really true?

Work harder, get up earlier, stay up later — these have long been considered
prerequisites for better results and incredible productivity. In reality, this advice
is completely misleading.

It is a fallacy to believe that the harder you work, the closer you get to desired
goals and aspirations. In fact, this approach does nothing more than move you
closer to exhaustion and burnout.

Hard work has nothing to do with productivity. Hard work is not necessarily
efficient work. Long hours don’t guarantee great results. Working long hours
definitely doesn’t allow you to enjoy life.

The fact is that work is never done. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that you
need to start working overtime to fix that. The point is that productivity is not
about working harder, it is about working smarter.

Research has shown that an average person can stay productive for a total of
7 hours at maximum. Then productivity plummets. No doubt we can devote the
rest of the day to the less important issues that don’t require much effort and
concentration. Nonetheless, make sure you do not stay up late and ensure that
you get a decent amount of rest every day.

Whenever you feel exhausted and unproductive, it makes sense that you slow
down and take a break. You cannot deal with fatigue by trying to work faster.
Accelerating your pace and working even harder will hurt your performance
and efficiency. Not to mention jeopardize your health.

Do not try to squeeze several days in one. Do not try to complete all your tasks
in a single day. Allocate them equally across a week or month. Your journey
towards your goals is not a sprint. It is a marathon. You need to pace yourself.
If you push yourself too hard, you risk burnout and having to drop out of the
race early. The best approach is to manage your health and energy and use them
to reach your important goals at a pace that let’s you enjoy life.