MindBrave

Time Management Skills and Tips to Managing Time

Last updated: Mar 20, 2023

Good time management involves organizing and planning how to divide time between different activities.

It can help individuals work smarter, not harder, even when time is tight and pressures are high.

Those who manage their time well can achieve greater productivity, less stress, better professional reputation, increased chances of advancement, and more opportunities to achieve their goals.

Time management is considered to be a part of Project Management, so it plays an important role in every activity leading towards a specified goal.

If you want to improve your time management, the very first step is asses your current time management practices. 

Benefits of Good Time Management

1. You can complete more tasks in the same amount of time so you feel more productive and motivated.

2. You can prioritize your tasks so that you can focus on the most important tasks first which saves you time and stress.

3. You will be able to stay on top of deadlines, meaning you don't get overwhelmed with too much work in one go.

4. You can create a better balance between work and leisure time, so you can make the most of your day.

5. You can reduce stress and anxiety related to time management as you know what needs to be done and when.

6. You have more control over your time, so you can make decisions that benefit you and your career.

7. You can use your time more efficiently by creating systems or processes to complete tasks faster.

8. You can stay organized and on top of your tasks, meaning you don't forget to do anything important.

9. You can avoid procrastination as you know what needs to be done and when, keeping you on track.

10. You can use your time to focus on the most important tasks and take care of yourself, which will ultimately increase your productivity.

How can you manage your time effectively?

Remember that time is precious - make use of every minute! 

Create a to-do list and prioritize tasks according to their importance 

Start with the most important tasks and work your way down the list

Estimate how much time each task will take, and set time limits for yourself

Break big projects into smaller tasks to prevent overwhelm.

  • Small task are easier to accomplish than bigger task and accomplishing a lot of small tasks leads to accomplishing big projects.

Schedule breaks throughout the day to give yourself time to recharge 

Avoid procrastination and focus on getting the hardest tasks done first 

Turn off notifications from your phone or computer to minimize distractions 

Delegate where possible and don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed 

Stay organized by keeping all your work in one place 

At the end of the day, reward yourself for a job well done!

Effective time management skills

Good time management skills are essential for living a successful and fulfilled life

Creating a plan for how you want to spend your time each day can help you achieve your goals

  • Creating a daily schedule and goal list can help you stay organized and focused on what is important
  • Making a list of tasks and prioritizing them based on importance can help you stay focused
  • Having a well-structured plan of action makes it easier to focus and avoid procrastination

Simplifying and streamlining your processes can save valuable time over the long run

Making smart choices about how you spend your time can help you achieve more with less effort

Breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks can make them much easier to complete

Setting reminders on your phone or computer can help keep you on track 

Learning to say no to people and things that don't align with your goals can help free up time in your schedule 

  • Learning how to say “no” to things that don't bring value to your life is an important part of being an effective time manager

Tracking the amount of time you spend on tasks can give you valuable insight into where you are wasting time 

  • Constantly evaluating how you are allocating your time can help you identify where you need to make changes

Take breaks throughout the day to give yourself time to rest and re-energize

Understand what your most productive hours are and use them to your advantage 

Cut out distractions and only focus on one task at a time so that you can maximize productivity

Learn how to delegate and look for solutions to save time on mundane tasks 

  • Prioritizing tasks by their importance can help you focus on what matters, while delegating the rest

Starting each day with a strong focus on what needs to be accomplished can set the tone for success

Time slots can help create structure and order in your day, allowing for better focus and productivity

Creating structure and order in your day can be incredibly helpful. One way to achieve this is by implementing time slots into your daily routine.

Time slots allow you to break down your day into manageable chunks of time, which helps you prioritize tasks and stay focused. For example, if you have a long to-do list, you can allocate specific time slots for each task. This approach will help prevent overwhelm and ensure that each task gets the attention it deserves.

When you group similar tasks, you save time by eliminating the need to switch gears frequently, which can be mentally exhausting. For example, if you have several emails that require responses, rather than responding to each email as it arrives, set aside a specific time slot for email management during your workday. This approach will help ensure that all emails are responded to promptly without disrupting your other work-related activities.

Using time slots promotes discipline and accountability, as you are committed to staying focused during each allocated slot. Moreover, seeing progress within these designated periods of time encourages a sense of accomplishment and motivates us to keep pushing forward towards our goals.

Assigning yourself a specific time to complete a task can help you stay on track and prevent you from procrastinating

When you assign yourself a specific amount of time for each task, it helps you prioritize what needs to be done first. This way, you are less likely to waste precious moments deciding which tasks require immediate attention. When you know that there is limited time available forces you to focus on the task at hand and avoid getting sidetracked by other distractions. 

Assigning yourself specific amounts of time can help improve your overall productivity levels too. It enables better planning by breaking down larger goals into smaller more manageable tasks with set timelines. 

Time management tips for students

Planning ahead is key to effective time management – make a schedule of your upcoming deadlines and tasks

  • Start your day by mapping out a plan of action - know exactly what tasks need to be completed

Set aside chunks of dedicated time, free from distractions, to focus on your studies

Schedule a regular study routine - dedicate a specific time each day to studying or completing assignments

Break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones

Prioritize the most important tasks and tackle them first if possible

Schedule regular breaks throughout your day in order to stay fresh and motivated

Make sure to get enough rest so that you can remain productive

Eliminate distractions - set aside dedicated times for social media and other distractions 

Make use of available resources - online classes, tutoring, research tools, etc. 

Know when to say "no" - not every opportunity is worth chasing after 

Track your progress to stay accountable and reward yourself for goals achieved

Minimize multitasking as much as possible to avoid distractions and confusion 

Maintain good habits like getting regular exercise, eating healthy foods, and drinking plenty of water

Allow time for yourself to relax and have fun

Find an organizational system or method that works best for you

Books on Time Management

  • Kevin Kruse - 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs
  • Brian Tracy - Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
  • David Allen - Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
  • Jordan Raynor - Redeeming Your Time - 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive
  • Oliver Burkeman - Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
  • Kerem Can Naroğlu - TIME MANAGEMENT: PRODUCTIVITY SECRETS
  • Karen Leland, Keith Bailey - No Nonsense: Time Management: 50 Tips to Hack Your Time and Get Everything Done
  • Lee Cockerell - Time Management Magic: How to Get More Done Every Day and Move from Surviving to Thriving
  • Holly Reisem Hanna - Time Management in 20 Minutes a Day: Simple Strategies to Increase Productivity, Enhance Creativity, and Make Your Time Your Own 

Time Management Quotes

 “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”
― Zig Ziglar

“One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not to be done at all.”
― Brian Tracy

“Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves.”
― Lord Chesterfield

“You may delay, but time will not.”
― Benjamin Franklin

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.”
― Stephen R. Covey

“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.”
― Carl Sandburg

“Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year- and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade.”
― Tony Robbins

“We’ve been granted the mental capacities to make almost infinitely ambitious plans, yet practically no time at all to put them into action.”
― Oliver Burkeman

“You can't make up for lost time. You can only do better in the future.”
― Ashley Ormon

“Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he cannot afford to lose.”
― Thomas Edison

“It's not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?”
― Henry David Thoreau

“One always has time enough, if one will apply it well.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
― Abraham Lincoln

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
― Mother Teresa

“Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time” is to say “I don’t want to”.”
― Lao Tzu

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.”
― Stephen R. Covey

“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.”
― Jim Rohn

Synonyms for Time Management 

Scheduling 

Organization 

Planning 

Prioritizing 

Allocation 

Structuring 

Sequencing 

Arranging 

Utilizing 

Maximizing

Coordinating 

Juggling 

Budgeting 

Streamlining

Forecasting 

Optimising

Words Related to Time Management

Scheduling

Organization

Efficiency

Productivity

Prioritization

Planning

Deadlines

Workload

Time Tracking

Goal Setting

Delegating

Focus

Time Blocking

Stress Management

Time Management Strategies

Goal Setting 

Accountability 

Concentration 

Self-discipline 

Multi-tasking 

Automation

Resource Allocation

Streamlining