Effective time management is the secret sauce to getting sh*t done. Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, running your own business, or excelling in your creative pursuits, mastering your time is non-negotiable.
There are many prongs to being a great leader and fitting more into your day but effective time management is the most important if you want to achieve more in your day. Here’s a rundown of some tried-and-true efficiency techniques, strategies to dodge procrastination, and tips for daily planning that we work on with our clients at A-Game.
Efficiency Techniques
1. The Pomodoro Technique: This one’s a classic. Work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break and repeat. After four rounds, take a longer break. This method helps maintain high levels of focus and prevents burnout. This is one of our favourites.
2. Time Blocking: Schedule your day in blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or types of work. By setting aside chunks of time for deep work, meetings, emails, and breaks, you’ll create a structure that enhances productivity.
3. Batch Processing: Group similar tasks together and handle them in one go. For example, instead of checking your email sporadically throughout the day, dedicate two or three blocks of time to managing your inbox. This minimises context switching, which can drain your cognitive resources.
Avoiding Procrastination
1. The Two-Minute Rule: If a task will take less than two minutes, do it immediately. This prevents minor tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming. Learning how to take action instead of putting everything on a long and daunting to-do list will help it feel more manageable.
2. Eat That Frog: Borrowing from Brian Tracy’s famous book, tackle your most dreaded task first thing in the morning. Once the hardest part of your day is over, everything else feels more manageable. Often we leave this for last and we allow the pressure to grow; bite the bullet and get it done.
3. The 5-Second Rule: Not the one about dropped food! Mel Robbins’ technique involves counting down from five to one to spur immediate action. It’s a mental trick to break the habit of overthinking and delay. A lot of the time, it’s mind over matter.
If you’re looking for accountability, we can help! View our mindset coaching packages here.
Daily Planning
1. The MIT List: Identify your Most Important Tasks (MITs) for the day. Prioritise these above all else. If you complete your MITs, consider the day a success, no matter what else happens.
2. Use a Planner: Whether it’s digital or analogue, a planner helps keep your tasks organised. Spend a few minutes every evening planning the next day. This prepares your mind for what’s ahead and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
3. Time for Reflection: At the end of each day, reflect on what worked and what didn’t. This habit can provide insights into how to better manage your time moving forward and help you continuously improve. This works really well for both our clients and our team.
Mastering time management is an ongoing process, especially if you’re trying to balance work/life balance and family and professional responsibilities, but implementing these techniques can help you stay on top of your game. By focusing on efficiency, avoiding the pitfalls of procrastination, and planning your days meticulously, you’ll find yourself achieving more with less stress.
Team A-Game
