Time management seems to be a difficult task for many of us. In this article, we are going to share essential tips to help you track your time properly, plan your day well and maintain a work-life balance.
Studies have shown that tracking your time every day can cause a drop in productivity leaks by 80 percent. Time tracking data suggest that the US economy loses 7.4 billion dollars per workday due to lack of time-tracking mechanism. With some simple time-tracking hacks, you can learn to manage your time properly and live a satisfying life.
Undeniably, time-tracking can boost your productivity.
But how do you track your time the expert way?
Here are the tips to get you started.
1. Limit Distractions
There are things that don’t add value to our life but despite that we usually spend immense amount of time on them.
For instance, checking your email every time is definitely burning daylight. You can set some days in a week when you will look over your emails.
Other things we waste time on is watching videos on YouTube. Just find a way to block these distractions temporarily so that you can concentrate on things that are really valuable to your work and life.
2. Focus on Your Most Essential Goals
According to productivity experts at Top Dissertations, a firm that offers dissertations services, once you focus on your most essential goals, you will stay concentrated on the task you are working on and, as a result, you will be more likely to achieve these desired goals.
You have your to-do list, right?
Identify tasks that are mandatory at that moment leaving those that can be done at a later date. You can even evaluate the time each task must be completed.
The best way to achieve this is to work with a time tracking software. Such tools will allow you to know how much time each task should take. Sometimes we tend to spend too much time working on a project that could have taken a few hours to complete. Once you determine how much time each task should take, you will be able to plan your day properly.
3. Break Down Large Tasks into Small and Manageable Ones
Working on a huge project can result in procrastination. Don’t let procrastination hold your legs. Break down large tasks into smaller ones and work on each one before you take another. This way, you won’t find the work overwhelming.
4. Evaluate the Time You Need on Each Project
A time tracker will do the trick here. Once you have your to-do list, you need to specify how much time you need to complete each task. This way, it will be easier to know which task to handle first and which one should wait for another day.
A good rule of thumb is to prioritize large projects. Remember, you can only say you have achieved a perfect work-life balance when you get in and out of the office at the right time.
When you track your time, you will also know whether you are spending your time productively or you are wasting it.
5. Schedule Time for Yourself
You usually schedule your tasks so that you know how you will tackle one task after another in your to-do list. You also need to schedule a time for yourself in that way.
For example, it can be the time you spend with your family and friends.
Let’s say you will finish working on your tasks at 2 pm, why not make it a habit that you meet friends at 4 pm and spend time with family from there onward.
6. Eliminate Time-Consuming Tasks from Your To-do list
There are tasks in your to-do list that aren’t essential but consumes too much of your time. You should identify these tasks and eliminate them.
Spending time every day working on things that aren’t essential can kill your productivity so do away with them from your to-do list.
Once you have eliminated non-important tasks that are eating up your time, identify those that are crucial and then find out how you can tackle them. You could either automate some of these tasks or ask for help.
7. Concentrate on What You Are Doing at the Moment
Staying focused on the task at hand can clearly boost productivity and maintain a work-life balance. For instance, you are working on a project that should take about 2 hours to complete, but you are doing it much longer due to small distractions. What you should do is set time limits to every task you are currently working on and try to fit in them.
8. Create a Sensible Schedule a Day Before
Do you set your schedule the same day or a day before? Well, if we were to collect responses, we could end up with different opinions here but the trick that works well for most productive people out there is to set a sensible schedule a day before.
Once you set your to-do list the day before, you can wake up knowing what you need to start with and what task should end your day. You will also be able to cross every task you have accomplished thus leaving yourself with a sense of fulfilment.
9. Determine the Time of the Day When You Are Productive
Some people are productive during the day while others work well at night. Knowing what time you work well can help you schedule tasks that require more effort to complete during those hours.
Remember, some tasks require a lot of thinking and others don’t take too much of your mental effort. You should schedule complex tasks in the morning since your mind is still fresh. Answering emails and making calls can be done in the afternoon.
Final Words
Time tracking is essential if you want to work productively and maintain a work-life balance.
But since it’s not easy, many people are still struggling. We hope this article will help you to effectively track your time so that you can become productive in whatever you do. Let us hear how you intend to track your time in the comment section.
