7 Tips to Keep Your Time Management Simple

 

When it comes to time management…. less is usually more.

It’s not the latest shiny gadget that makes you more productive.

Rather it is the tried and true, simple solutions, that are most effective.

And when it comes to getting things done, simple usually wins.

Seeking Productivity or Complexity?

Too often, I see individuals looking for the next big system to solve their productivity problems.

Or the next magic app to help them get more done.

Yet, bells and whistles don’t get work done. In fact, they only serve to distract and get in the way.

‘When it comes to productivity, simplicity is usually the best solution.’

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So, keep your time management tools and tactics straightforward.

Here are 7 Tips to Keep Your Time Management Simple:

1. One Tool for Each Task – I have long advocated the “Power of 1,” meaning only having one of each type of tool in your time management toolbox. One todo list. One calendar. And so on. You don’t need bells and whistles. Use the simplest tool that meet your needs. Those extra features end up being clutter in the long run.
2. Focus on Fewer Tasks – To get more done, focus on doing fewer tasks. Instead of starting 57 tasks, pick 5 of the most important ones that you will actually finish that day. You will be surprised how much more you will get done by doing less.
3. Do Things at the Same Time Each Day – Routines improve discipline and the ability to get things done. By establishing routines where you do tasks at the same time each day, you create habits that soon become effortless. Those tasks that were once a pain to get done, now fade into the background of your daily schedule.
4. Time Shift Your Day –  Often, we try to save time by examining what we are doing.  However, it is just as important to consider when we are doing it. For example, shifting your commute by 30 minutes in the morning and afternoon could end up adding hours to your day.
5. Spend Less Time in Meetings – Meetings are one of the biggest time wasters in the corporate environments. Avoid any meetings that don’t have a clear purpose, and the ones you must have, minimize their scheduled time.
6. Accept Fewer Obligations – Most of our obligations in life are self-imposed. For every yes you give, you are saying no to something else in your life. (You only have so much time to give.) Learn to say no where appropriate.
7. Avoid the Busyness – Being busy may get lots of things done, but are they the important ones? Concentrate on the few most important tasks, and reduce your stress level at the same time.

Simple Usually Wins

Less is more when you are talking productivity.

Simpler is usually more efficient and effective.

So, avoid the complex systems and tools, and forget the latest shiny gadget.

Keep your time management simple and you will get more done with less effort.

Question: Is your time management system too complex? You can leave a comment by clicking here.