Productivity tips that will help you get more done, in less time.
Time management is a critical skill to have for both your work life and your personal life. Whilst there is endless time, what you can do in the short 24 hours we have in a day is highly dependant on some key factors. These include:
1. How you prioritise your tasks
2. How organised you are
3. Whether you finish a task before starting another one
4. How you delegate responsibility.
Over this series of articles, we will cover in depth how each of these concepts affect your productivity.
The importance of time management.
Time management as a concept is a catch all phrase that describes how well you approach tasks; how quickly they can be finished and how many of them you can complete in a certain amount of time.
We all know people who seem to be able to get far more done in a day that what seems humanly possible, however when we look at how they manage their time and their routines then it starts to get easier to understand.
Time management is a learned behaviour, it’s not something that people are born with. The good news here is that anyone can implement some basic things in their day that will boost their productivity and have them being seen as a time management ninja as well.
Step 1. Understanding your task list
The first habit of highly efficient people is having a solid understanding of the complete list of things that they need to achieve. It is important to note, that this list not a once off tick and flick, it is a living roll of the things you need to get done day to day, and it should be continually growing and changing.
Whether at work or at home, there is usually a long list of things to do and getting this down on paper in one place is a great way to be able to understand the totality of your time commitments. This list should be comprehensive enough for you to understand clearly the things that need to be done, but not so detailed that keeping the list becomes an unmanageable task in itself.
Generally speaking, your to-do list should include a few key things:
- Description of the task
- Estimated time it will take to complete
- Priority level e.g. Urgent, Important, Optional
- Any other people of tools you might need to get the job done.
Description of the Task
This should be a brief summary of what needs to be done. A title if you like. Depending on the nature of the task, you might find that you need to break a major task down into smaller, bite sized pieces. Doing this will help you to understand the whole picture and start making progress on getting the task completed.
Estimated Time
When building your to-do list, it’s a great idea to write down how long you expect the task to take. Some jobs naturally take a lot longer than others so it is interesting to see how much you might be able to fit in, based on the time you have estimated your tasks will take, and the time you have available to you.
It’s a great idea to get into the habit if possible, of always finishing what you start. A big drain on productivity is having to stop and start tasks over and over as the momentum you build after starting is often hard to carry forward if you are interrupted.
This means that when you are looking at your list, and the time its going to take to get the job done, then where possible focus on things you can finish in the time that you have! Of course, this isn’t always possible and it’s not a hard and fast rule, but it is a great tool to help you decide what you are going to do next.
Priorities
Now here is an interesting one! Prioritisation is said to be one of the biggest factors in defining whether someone has good time management. Being busy isn’t the same as being productive. Similarly, finishing jobs that have a lesser impact that critical tasks can be seen as procrastination.
For your to-do list, consider adding a column where you can record how important that task is to complete. I myself, love doing this as it helps me to clearly see what needs to be done now, and what can wait for later.
It is true that you can’t do everything at once, but you can easily decide what is important and get things done that have a high impact on your work or personal life.
Tools and People
Another column you should consider when building a to-do list is highlighting any tools, resources or other people you might need to get the task done. There is nothing worse than getting part way through a job, only to realise you don’t have what you need to get it done then and there.
By setting out exactly what you need at the start you can make sure that you are ready to fly through the job when it is time to get it done, and that you won’t be stuck stopping and starting, which causes huge inefficiencies.
Here is an example of a task list. Start your own and begin filling it out.
| Task Description | Estimated Time | Priority | Tools and Resources Needed | Do you have everything you need to get the job done? | Status |
| Pay Monthly Bills | 30 Minutes | Urgent | Laptop & Bill Folder | Yes | Done |
| Pick up Groceries for Dinner | 60 Minutes | Important | Car | Yes | |
| Clean the car | 60 Minutes | Optional | Car wash | Yes |
So, we now have a well thought out task list! Are you a time management master yet? Not even close. Building your to-do list is just the start. What really makes you effective is the way you choose to approach the tasks on that list.
We will be covering what you need to do to get the jobs done in part 2 of this article.
Manage Your Time Like a Boss – Part 2
Bernie Kyne
Mortgage Consultant
0400141757
bernie.kyne@mortgage-express.com.au
