Back in January 2011, I wrote a blog post called 10 Easy Steps to Improve Time Management and Reduce Stress. It was picked up by Freshly Pressed by WordPress.com, and became an instant hit, prompting me to write a follow up post titled 10 MORE Steps to Improve Time Management and Reduce Stress.
For many years, the first post was number 2 on Google when you searched “improve time management.” Then, I started focusing on other businesses and I stopped posting here on this blog, and the post slipped in search rankings.
My focus on time management has changed over the years. Sometimes I use a really structured system, and other times I just kind of wing it when I sit down to work. The structured days tend to be much more productive than the unstructured days, that’s for sure. But sometimes I just feel like going with the flow, and so I do.
I’ve recently been feeling drawn to create a new post about time management. I reviewed my original two posts on the topic, and I realized that the most important tips could be reduced to just five.
Here they are:
- Set goals and deadlines. Know what you want to achieve, both in business and in life, and write this down with a clear deadline for completion. I don’t know about you, but if I don’t have a deadline, things just don’t happen.
- Plan. Plan your days. I use an online calendar, and actually block off time in my calendar each month for the tasks I know I’ll be doing every month: writing my newsletter, listening to the materials on a course I’m taking, writing guest blog posts. That kind of thing. I set up recurring events in my Google calendar to block off the time.
- Prioritize and focus on your top 3. When planning non-recurring tasks, I also block off time in my calendar to get things done. First, I look over my list of things I want to get done, then I narrow it down to the top three most important tasks…not stuff that would be nice to do, but things that will actually grow my business in some way: marketing, networking, content creating.
- Minimize distractions. I have this kind of laser focus when I sit down to get work done, which means that I’m not easily distracted. But it also means that things like phone calls really throw me off balance. That means I’ve got my phone on silence when I’m working. Get rid of other distractions as well, such as closing your email software or tab on your browser, closing your browser entirely if you don’t need it for the work you’re doing, or people interrupting you by knocking on your office (or home office) door.
- Declutter everything. I’m a huge fan of decluttering, and you’ll find a few blog posts in here on the subject. Declutter your work area, your entire office, your home, etc. Get rid of all the things you don’t really need, and you’ll find that it’s easier to focus on the things that really are important.
I’ve touched on most of these topics in the two original posts, so if you want to learn more about tips that may help you improve your time management (and, in doing so, reduce stress), check them out:
- 10 Easy Steps to Improve Time Management and Reduce Stress
- 10 MORE Steps to Improve Time Management and Reduce Stress
What are your top tips to improve time management? Please share them in the comments.
