If you found this guide, chances are your schedule is chock-full of tasks, and you’re looking for a way to handle it better. The problem is there are only so many hours in the day to complete everything on your agenda. The goal is to arrange your schedule and mindset to make the most of your time without losing steam. The good news is there are several ways to address your priorities and win back time in your schedule.
1. Prioritize Tasks
The first thing to do each day is to prioritize your tasks. Once you grasp what activities are essential and what aren’t, you’ll have a much easier time delegating your time.
Start each day by laying out what you aim to get done in order of most minor importance to most significant importance. The Eisenhower Matrix is a handy mechanism for this. It measures tasks based on their urgency and importance. From there, you can plot out what you ought to do immediately and what can afford to wait.
A big part of prioritizing your tasks is frequently re-evaluating their importance. New things may pop up, which may take the mantle as more critical. For that reason, it’s worth making mental checkpoints throughout your day to discern if your current work is as important now as it was when you began it. Try to be flexible with your own schedule in this regard.
2. Block Your Time
Time blocking or “focus time” involves dividing up your day into segments where you work on a single task (or group of tasks) and nothing else. It’s an intensely guarded time slot in your schedule where everyone knows you’re inaccessible.
Whether at work or home, it’s helpful to block off time on your calendar so family members or colleagues can see you’re not to be disturbed in the timeframe you set to focus.
To structure your time blocks, look at your task list and estimate how much time you’ll need to complete them. Because it’s impractical to block off your whole day, use blocked time to work on important tasks that require concentrated attention.
Tools like Calendar, Google Calendar, Microsoft’s Outlook Calendar, and others can help manage these pockets of privacy.
3. Practice the Two-Minute Rule
The two-minute rule is a classic yet highly effective mechanism devised by productivity expert David Allen. Its premise is simple: If a task takes two minutes or less to complete, you should just do it immediately.
Rather than letting little things pile up, tackle them as they pop up. The key is not letting any one of these small tasks distract you from larger priorities for too long.
It might be as simple as answering a simple “yes” or “no” email, cleaning off your desk, or checking the mailbox. Utilizing the two-minute rule will also train you to be more proactive. Instead of letting tiny tasks clutter your mind, you’ll consistently have a cleaner, more manageable schedule. In turn, you’ll naturally free yourself of the gradual stress that mounts up from small things over time.
4. Batch Similar Tasks
People tend to work more efficiently when they tackle things in bulk quantities. When your mind is set on one type of task, it allows you to apply similar thinking and actions faster. Doing similar tasks can give your brain a chance to rest, decreasing mental fatigue caused by constantly switching tasks.
Batching similar tasks can also coincide with the blocked-off focus time mentioned earlier. You can spend dedicated time handling emails, phone calls, or administrative work. If you do so, you’ll inevitably move through your to-do list more easily. And because your work will be easier, you will likely move faster, too.
5. Use a Planner or Task Management Tool
Digital planners, task management tools, and online calendars are your best friends when making the most of your time each day. They are great at keeping track of meetings and appointments and organizing your smaller tasks.
Many professionals will use calendar apps, like the ones mentioned earlier, to manage each day’s hour-by-hour schedule. They also often use tools like Asana, Trello, ClickUp, or Monday to keep track of the finer details of each day’s task list. The beauty of many of these tools is that they also offer free versions. That makes them perfect for corporate teams and even a single family to organize their tasks.
While calendars help with time-consciousness, task management systems help organize what to get done in the time you have. The key here is using them in tandem. Many tools will sync calendars and task management functionality together. Ultimately, the choice comes down to which tool best accommodates your style of organization.
6. Take Productive Breaks
Taking breaks is crucial for maintaining productivity and preventing burnout.
However, you’ll thank yourself if you use breaks productively.
One way to craft your productive rest regimen is to make a list of things that reinvigorate you. Instead of aimlessly scrolling through social media, consider trying short activities that refresh your mind and body, such as stretching, walking, or meditation. If any of your daily tasks involve being on your feet, then resting your legs can be a productive way to rest. I have a leg massager right by my desk; it’s beneficial when I can’t get away to walk. I also have one of those computer stands about 4 inches off the desk — I put it on the floor and put my feet up and down on that throughout the day.
The key to effective resting is frequency. The average person can only work about 3-4 productive hours in a day. Short, numerous breaks will extend your energy stores and make your productive time more effective and meaningful. The Pomodoro Technique involves working in 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks in between. It can be a great method for beginning to budget your break time more effectively.
7. Ask for Help
Many people find asking for help difficult, but it’s OK to do so. Recognizing when you need help can lead to a less stressful life. Whether it’s tasks at home or at work, tapping into your relationships for assistance is a completely valid option for productivity.
When you compare your workload to that of a family member or a colleague, you may learn they have space in their schedules. If you feel overloaded, delegating tasks to someone else can result in a more balanced workload. This will make the time you spend on tasks more effective since other things won’t overburden you.
Asking for help will also cultivate a mindset of compassion that you can later extend to others when they also need help.
You’re In Control of Your Time
Making the time in your day more useful is rooted in your mindset and your actions. You must first want to accomplish more and then create a plan of action to follow that desire. If you enter each day without a plan, you’ll likely find that the time you spend yields unpredictable results.
If you find yourself overloaded with too much, remember you’re in charge of what you can handle in a day. Unless you’re fortunate enough to have a personal assistant, no one else will plan your life for you. It’s up to you to build your schedule to make your time most meaningful.
You may even notice several inconsequential tasks are taking up too much of your mental real estate. In those cases, consider what you can cut out of your daily schedule to create more time for what matters most.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Ana Frontzek; Pexels
Abby Miller
Student at UC Berkeley, currently working on a degree in Electrical Engineering/Computer Sciences and Business Administration. Experienced in CSX, productivity management, and chatbot implementation.