Eight Important Things You Should Know About Effective Time Management

 

Days always fill up. Only plan for 4-5 hours of real work per day.

- David Heinemeier

 

1. Rule #1 of time management: 'You Don't Need More Time, You Just Need to Spend It Doing What Matters.'

 

2. Why time management is important: 'Success Is Controlling How You Spend Your Time' - - Peter Cohen

 

3. Rule #3 of time management: When you value your time, you are also valuing other people's time. ('Time Is Everyone’s Most Valuable Asset, Not Just Yours')

 

4. Have a 'stop doing' list: Focus. 'Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do.' - John Carmack. Warren Buffett has an 'Avoid At All Cost' list. A to-do list without prioritization is a useless to-do list.

 

5. How to estimate time for tasks: You will need a timer and a week to observe your work. Just set up 10-15 minute timer (or, whatever interval you are comfortable with. As you continue working, you will notice the alarm going off. So, you will have an idea of how much work you were able in the time between two alarms. Also notice the times when you just don't feel like working.

 

6. How to manage your time: First, find out if you can improve your use of time.

Are you working on the important tasks or are you bogged down with the no-so-important small things? Sort out your priorities first

Then, look at how you actually spend your time. Keeping a time diary for a while will help you do this easily.

What tasks or habits eat away most of your time?

How could you have shortened the task-time? (checklists, playbook containing step by step best practices for the task etc.)

 

You will also notice the non-work time eaters.

Work commute is a big time eater for example.

You either do the task faster, and if you can't (for example, fly to office downtown everyday), make sure the time is well spent - new skills etc.)

 

Then, you come up with your daily organizer to help you list and prioritize daily tasks.

 

7. Rule #3 of time management: Do the most important things first in the day and don’t let anybody stop you.- Tyler Cowen

 

8. In this age of 'too many TV shows' it is a matter of your willpower and prioritization skills, to not go in and binge-watch that TV shows everyone has been talking about.

 

Always take notes. Get a reminder app for everything. Do not trust your own brain for your memory.

- Julien Smith

 

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