Time management is essential in this fast-paced world in order for people to organize their activities during the limited hours of the day. Sometimes our workloads increase so much that managing all things becomes difficult, so it is important that we organize ourselves in a way that we optimize our time and ensure all work is completed to a high quality. Specially during these times when a number of people are working from home and the lines between work and home have become blurred.
Below are some helpful techniques and reminders that can help make time management and life easier:
Use a time planner or calendar
To manage your time and organize all facets of your life you can use a time planner or calendar to manage your daily, monthly, weekly or yearly activities. Using an app or calendar that helps to create a time planner can help you manage your time effectively. A calendar can be used not only for booking meetings but also for allocating and tracking time for tasks and projects as well.
Create a to-do list
To increase the efficiency of your work, you can make a to-do list before starting your work as it can keep you focused on the tasks at hand. It will also give you an idea of all the things you need to complete in a given time-frame so you are able to prioritize them accordingly.
Prioritize your activities
Once you make a master to-do list, you should then schedule your routine according to the list and give priority to the important tasks first. This will help in focusing your energy on the more urgent tasks and other tasks can be done later in the day.
Allocate time for activities
Based on the priority of tasks to be completed, you can allocate time for each activity such that you have an idea of how many tasks you can complete in a given amount of time. This will help you stagger your activities during the days and will make time management of tasks easier.
Keep a notebook
Sometimes the traditional way of doing things may be more effective for some people. For example, you can use a notebook to keep important reminders, notes and tasks for quick reference. This will help you save time when you need to refer back to them. Having notes on your desk will also help to keep you focused and motivated to complete your tasks.
Software and apps to help manage your time
Keeping the above tips in mind, below are some time management, calendar and to-do list apps that can help you in better time management:
- Focus Keeper: Time Management App
- Toggl: Free time tracking software
- Time Tree: Shared calendars for family and friends
- Todoist: Organize your tasks and activities
- Google Calendar
- Outlook Calendar
- Google Keep
- Microsoft OneNote
This article was originally published in The Accountant’s Diary on September 06, 2020.
Written by: Shanel Gill
