Efficiently Managing Your Time and Efforts When Everything is Important

Earlier this summer, when a colleague asked me to jump in to assist with a class on time management, I laughed and then panicked.

Truth is, I don't have great time management skills. I get my work done, but I socialize too much in the office and engage in "work avoidance" in favor of more fun and engaging projects, leaving the less fun stuff until the end.

A quick Google search on "time management" yields everything from tips to fancy timers and apps for your computer to help keep you on track.

The most valuable commodity to people is time. Time is the one thing that we can't slow down, stop, or otherwise control. You can make the most of your time each day by implementing some basic time management skills. These skills can help you to get organized, develop a plan of action, and make the most of your day every day. Below are a few time management skills to help you to focus on what is important in your life when everything seems important.

Compile a To-Do List and Prioritize Your Tasks

First and foremost, compiling a to-do list will help you to get everything down on paper, out of your mind, and in one place where you can clearly see what needs to be done. Once you have everything down on a list, you can begin to prioritize and organize it. This step has been helpful for me in my current role, where I am often managing a few special projects in addition to my regular work. Having a list not only lets me see what needs to get done overall but highlight what must get done that day or before Noon. (Like payroll!)

I try to get the highest-importance items done earlier in the day when I am fresh and feel most motivated. Additionally, my office is usually a bit quieter in the early morning, so there are fewer distractions.

Time Blocking

Once you have your to-do list prioritized, you can plan your schedule for the day. This is where time blocking comes in. Time blocking is literally blocking a set period of time for specific tasks. For example, you could block an hour for email correspondence, another hour for social media interaction and updates, the next hour for a team meeting, and so on. Time blocking allows you to focus on one specific task at a time without interruption and make progress on your to-do list and therefore keeping that feeling of being overwhelmed away.

I have struggled here because I am very quick to cancel appointments with myself to accommodate the needs of my team. This is where the next tip comes in.

The Power of Saying No

Learning to say no is another important aspect of time management. More often than not, people take on too many tasks, both for themselves and others, filling up their schedules, to-do lists, and time. Learning to say no can allow you to focus on core operations that are important for your team. It is not only acceptable but optimal to delegate other items to staff, when applicable, or to another day if it is something that requires your personal attention. Saying no allows you to focus on what is most critical and valuable.

I admit this is easier said than done.

Rolling With It

While time management helps you to organize, prioritize, and execute your to-do list in a way that allows you to accomplish goals, no matter how organized and efficient you may be, there will always be those last-minute fires and true emergencies disrupting even the best-laid plans, because life and work are unpredictable.

Despite our best efforts, there will be days when we simply run out of time.

Guess what? That's okay.

Time management is not about achieving perfection; it's about making consistent progress and finding a balance between the chaos.

For now, I will keep striving for better time management, knowing that each day is a new opportunity to make progress, regardless of the challenges it may bring.