Time Management Techniques That Work

Time is a precious resource that none of us can seemingly get enough of. Between working full time, taking care of the kids, and enjoying all the other activities of life, it can be difficult to find enough of the week to do all that needs to be done.

Fortunately, many effective time-management techniques can help you reclaim some of that lost time. These aren’t just wishful practices, but proven strategies that help millions of successful career professionals accomplish their goals every day.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most popular and effective time-management techniques out there. We’ll also provide you with some more general tips that are universally applicable.

The Top 5 Most Effective Time-Management Techniques

Many are wary of time-management techniques, as there are so many out there that tout themselves as the miracle solution for working more efficiently.

However, that doesn’t mean that none of them work.

The five time-management techniques on this list are well-supported by research and help millions of people better plan their days. They’re also fairly quick to employ, so there’s no harm in trying them out.

These tried-and-true time-management techniques are:

1. Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro technique is based on the idea that people work most efficiently on tight deadlines.

   By breaking our work down into smaller pieces with shorter timeframes, we can instill a greater sense of urgency in ourselves that effectively combats any desire to procrastinate.

   Placing short breaks between each of these time frames also helps to recharge our mental stamina and tackle the next task in line more effectively.

   A “Pomodoro” refers to each of these short timeframes.

   The Pomodoro technique involves the following steps:

   • Choose a single task to focus on. If it’s too long for a single 25-minute session, then break it up into smaller tasks until it’ll fit.

   • Set a timer for 25 minutes.

   • Work exclusively on the task. Avoid any multitasking or distractions under all circumstances.

   • When the timer rings, take a short five-minute break.

   • For each fourth Pomodoro, take an additional 20-30 minute break.

   • Finally, go back to the first step and choose another task.

2. Time blocking. Time blocking means dividing your available time into discrete chunks, and then pre-plan what activities you’ll devote each of the time frames towards completing.

   This strategy works because you’re creating a sense of urgency by setting a start and end time for each task, causing you to unconsciously use your time more efficiently.

3. Important-urgent matrix. Create a 2×2 matrix with one axis labeled “urgent” and “not urgent,” and the other labeled “important” and “less important.”

   After you fill in the matrix with your tasks, you’ll now have four quadrants that conveniently show you the order in which you should prioritize task completion.

   Tackle the tasks that are both urgent and important first, and those categorized as not urgent and less important last.

   When considering the urgency of a task, consider how long you’ll take on it and not just the deadline. If one activity is due sooner than another, it may be less urgent if it aligns with your strengths.

4. Getting Things Done (GTD). The purpose of the GTD method is to break down all your tasks into smaller, actional items, allowing you to spend less time thinking and more time doing.

   Take out a piece of paper and write down anything you need to complete. Leave as is any item that’s a simple action statement, such as “respond to Jack’s email.”

   Anything that isn’t a simple action statement, break it down into smaller tasks until it is. Now that you have a list of what you need to do, you can simply go and execute it.

5. Rocks, pebbles, and sand method. The rocks, pebbles, and sand method allows you to categorize your tasks in a clear way that allows you to tackle them in the most efficient and logical order.

   First, write everything you need to accomplish soon on a piece of paper.

   Next, mark each task as either a rock, pebble, or sand based on the following:

   • Rock. The most important task or project.

   • Pebble. Tasks that are important, but not as critical or time-constrained.

   • Sand. Smaller, less important tasks.

   Target the “rock” tasks first, followed by those labeled as pebbles and sand.

Other Important Time Management Tips to Consider

Even if you’re not a fan of the Pomodoro technique and think time-management strategies are gimmicks, there are still some universal skills and tips that can help you better use your time.

Here are a few of the most important time management tips:

• Set concrete goals. The danger of not setting explicit goals is that we tend to just tackle whatever tasks seem urgent and are staring us in the face.

  Maybe you don’t want to use the important-urgent matrix or any other specific technique to prioritize your goals, but at least try to set them internally and stay mindful of them.

  Establish a general outline of what you want to accomplish within the day, week, month, and so on.

  Knowing where you’re headed allows you to strategize and plan accordingly, increasing the efficiency of how you spend your time.

• Log how you’re spending your time. One of the first steps to managing your time better is to get an overview of how you’re currently spending it.

  For a week, try to record your activities and how long you’re spending on them.

  You’ll suddenly realize things like which tasks are taking up unnecessary hours and how you could more logically arrange your activities.

• Create a daily schedule. Once you’ve learned your current schedule, it’s time to improve it and create a new one.

  One of the greatest benefits of pre-planning in your activities is that it reduces stress and hesitation throughout the workweek.

  By organizing a list of activities, you’ll know what to get started on as soon as you step through the door at work.

  You’ll also find yourself spending less time at night worrying about everything you need to get done the next day, as you have a schedule that shows you very clearly how you’ll be able to do it all.

• Group similar activities together. When we start on a task, it takes a bit of time before we get into the right mindset and reach peak productivity.

  By grouping similar tasks close to one another on your schedule, you’ll maintain some of that mental momentum when you finish one item and move onto the next.

• Eliminate distractions. As obvious and easy to implement as this piece of advice is, we rarely ever do it.

  When you’re reading or writing on a physical medium, turn off your phone and place it out of reach.

  If you’re working on your laptop, close all unnecessary tabs and disable notifications.

  Most importantly, never fall into the trap of “taking just a peek.” A single minute spent on special media will turn into ten, and then twenty.

• Use a digital calendar. If you’ve never used an online calendar, you should at least give them a try.

  Most provide useful benefits such as:

  • Accessible from any device

  • Easily schedule interviews, meetings, and other appointments

  • Create reminders

  • Create time-blocks

  • Schedule recurring events

  Popular options include Outlook, Apple Calendar, and Google Calendar.

• Stop being perfect. There’s a difference between pursuing excellence and pursuing perfection.

  Many professionals have a habit of trying to perfect every single detail of a particular task, leaving little to no time for everything else they need to do.

  It’s better to approach your work using a broader, more iterative strategy.

  Finish everything you need to do to an exceptional, but maybe imperfect standard. Once you’re done, it’s fine to circle back and tackle the super nuanced details.

• Learn to say “no.” For many people, it can be difficult to turn down requests at work for fear of upsetting or disappointing coworkers.

  If this is you, just know that saying “no” is a perfectly common and normal thing to do.

  Your team will be understanding in the vast majority of cases as long as you’re already contributing your fair share of work.

  Unclogging your schedule of work you didn’t need to take on will allow you to devote more time to your actual tasks, resulting in a performance boost at work.

• Leave a break between your meetings and tasks. This tip can be counterintuitive, as immediately jumping from one task to the next seems like the most efficient way to use your time.

  However, research has consistently shown that most humans can only focus on a task for about 90 minutes at a time.

  If you cram your schedule full of back-to-back tasks with no time-buffers, you’ll burn out, work less efficiently, and waste time.

  You’ll have to find how long of a time-buffer between tasks works for you, but most people generally prefer 15-20 minutes.

• Instill positive habits. Effective time management isn’t about just employing one or two tricks that’ll easily and quickly give you more hours in the day.

  All the tips we’ve provided in this list from creating schedules to planning your goals will likely actually consume more time in the beginning than they’ll save.

  The key is to not become discouraged. As you work at managing your time more efficiently, it’ll become easier until you don’t even need to think about it.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.