Time management tips Archives

Time Management: 4 Keys To Avoiding Work-Related Stress

September 12, 2023

Workplace stress is considered normal. However, excessive stress may negatively affect your productivity and personal health. The way you deal with stress at work can make a difference. Many people assume that they don’t have any control over their work environment. Yes, you can’t control everything at your workplace, but it doesn’t mean you’re powerless.

Stress management isn’t a big deal if you keep your focus clear and think about the aspects that ARE in your control. If you are over-occupied with work, then it might make your attitude stubborn or irritable. You can lose your confidence and your work will seem less rewarding. If you don’t manage workplace stress at its initial stage, then it will ultimately result in bigger problems.

Here are some simple time management tips to regain your control over difficult situations and handle work-related stress effectively:

Balance Your Work-Life Schedule

Analyze your daily schedule and responsibilities at home and work. Make a to-do list and estimate the time needed to complete tasks. Create a smooth balance between work and family life. Analyze your eating and sleeping habits (many people don’t get enough sleep). Eat a balanced diet and try to get 6-8 hours of sleep.

Don’t Over-Commit

It’s not humanly possible to work well consecutively for 8-9 hours. Some people think that if they work uninterrupted for eight hours, then they can get more work done. This concept is not true. Instead, it will decrease your energy and productivity levels and lift your work-related stress level.

Avoid putting too much on your plate and scheduling tasks back-to-back. Don’t over-occupy yourself and take on too many tasks for a single day. If you have heaps of tasks, then make a distinction between “should” and “must.” Drop down tasks that are not on priority right now or remove them entirely from your list. Time management is essential to any workday.

Get To Work Earlier

Try to get to work early. Even 10-15 minutes can bring a huge difference between rushing toward your seat and peacefully starting your day. Don’t add one more stressor to your list by arriving late to the office.

Organize Your Breaks

Take a few five-minute breaks throughout your day to keep your mind fresh. Go for a walk, stretch at your desk, conduct a breathing exercise, or engage in small chit-chat with your colleagues to keep yourself active. Sitting in one place the whole day can make you dull and lethargic.

Go out or get away from your cubicle for lunch. Stepping away from your tasks and taking small breaks will help you relax and recharge so you can conquer new challenges.

Pressure at work is sometimes motivating but an excessive amount of it results in stress. By effectively managing your time, you can organize your tasks, meet your deadlines, and beat work-related stress.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

3 Keys To Good Time Management

June 21, 2023

How often have you said, âIf I only had more time,” or âI wish there were more hours in the day”? We say that often implying that, if we had more time, we would get the rest we need or slow down to a more normal pace.

But chances are if we did have more hours in the day, we would immediately fill them up with more things to do instead of creating the space we need to take a much-needed break.

We don’t really need more time in the day. What we really need are strategies to better manage our time.

The concept of time management is not new: most of us have schedules, planners, and reminder notes aplenty. What’s lacking though is the prioritization, decisions, and boundaries needed to ensure the schedule works not just for your job, family, friends, and commitments, but for you as well.

Too many professionals put time for themselves last on the list. Here are three time management tips that will help you achieve a better work-life balance:

Set Priorities

Effective time management begins with setting priorities. Start by making a list of all the tasks you have to do this week. Once you’ve got a completed list, go back to the top of your list and add your name. If your name or doing something for yourself was already on the list, give yourself a pat on the back and make sure it is at the top.

If you don’t start setting aside some time for yourself, it’s easy to keep working non-stop. And while you may get a lot done at first, eventually you’ll burn out and your work and personal life will suffer. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance should always be a part of your priority list.

Make Decisions

Now that you have your list, you have some decisions to make. Unless you’ve done a really good job of filtering, you probably have a list that is way too long to be realistic.

Make the first decision to carve out time for yourself. It doesn’t have to be a big chunk of time to start with. Try setting aside 15-minute blocks of time for yourself. Use the time to walk, read, take a nap, or call a friend. Make a list of things you can do in 15 minutes. That way, you don’t spend your block of time trying to figure out what to do.

Other decisions: decide on the number of things that are number one priorities. Will you have two or four things that must get done? Choose what you can realistically handle. That does not mean you won’t get to other things; it just allows you to take some of the pressure off that comes with feeling like you have to do everything now.

Please note this is not procrastinating. You’re not putting it off out of avoidance or fear. You are wisely taking control of your clock and taking care of yourself.

Set Boundaries

Look for ways to set healthy limits in your relationships. This includes relationships at work and with friends. It also means setting limits and keeping promises to yourself. Most of us wouldn’t dream of breaking a promise we made to someone else, and if we did, we’d spend at least a week beating ourselves up about it. But we break promises to ourselves all the time, crossing the boundaries we’ve set for ourselves.

While it’s true no one gets more than 24 hours in a day, we still have power over how productive we are by managing our time.

Managing time is more than just the ability to lay out an organized schedule. True time management means setting priorities that communicate clearly what’s really important, making wise decisions that help set realistic goals, and setting firm boundaries that allow us to keep the promises we make to ourselves and others.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Executive Spotlight: The Best Time Management Hacks To Use On The Job

March 3, 2023

What would we do with more time in the day? Most of us probably think we’d be more productive. But if there’s one thing we want more of but can’t control, it’s time. The secret to being more productive is not more time, but better time management. This is especially true at work.

The most successful professionals have exceptional time management skills. If you don’t have strong time management skills, that’s okay. Like any skill, time management skills can be developed.

We recently asked our leading executives about their best time management hacks.

Here are their responses…

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

You’ve probably heard of “time hacks” by now if you’re a video creator, a YouTube manager, or just someone who needs to maximize their time while working.

Time-saving techniques are basically ways to be more productive at work and do more tasks faster.

You can utilize a few different tactics to make the most of your time. I do the following things, to name a few.

The first thing I do is make a schedule I can follow. I know I’ll be able to focus and make the most of the time I have if I have a plan of action for each day and know what needs to be done and when.

Over the entire month, I aim to develop and batch my stuff, having enough for LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube long form, and YouTube shorts.

I divide my tasks into manageable portions and complete each one one at a time. This is another crucial time-saving technique.

This enables me to concentrate on each activity and complete it more quickly. I discovered various apps, like Notion, to keep track of what needs to be done so that you don’t forget anything.

Limiting distractions is a third time-saving trick. I mute my phone, turn off notifications, even if I find this to be a challenge, and concentrate on the task at hand. That way, I won’t be seduced by diversions all the time and can accomplish more in less time.

I try to take breaks throughout the day. This helps my mind recharge and Iâm able to continue with the task I set out to do.

By creating a schedule, breaking out each task into smaller chunks, limiting distractions, and taking breaks throughout the day, Iâm able to get more done in less time and be more productive.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

I thought I was a great multi-tasker as a businesswoman until I saw a video on Nick Cannon and Amber Grimes when I saw how they both work in the music industry. They are on time, work like no other, efficiently work, treating the housekeeping staff the same as a client. Always having a positive attitude and always showing up. I borrowed a life hack from Nick, where he has a daily list of his to-dos, but always adds the last item where he makes time to do at least one favor a day for someone. This is one of my favorite topics: how do we share our experiences and mold and guide the next generation?

I value sharing my perspective with Gen Z and millennials about the music industry and how staff should be treated. I have many students and industry folks that reach out to me to ask questions about the industry in LA and connecting with these requests is important to me.

My favorite time-saving hack is to follow the Nick Cannon style of working and do favors and serve others. But because there are so many requests, I had to come up with an organizational plan.

I reserve 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm every single Friday to allow for time in my calendar to serve others and share what I know about the music industry. I schedule 30-minute calls, back to back, for anyone who wants to chat on music, needs advice, needs to connect, or is looking for resources. This helps me to plan ahead and group requests together.

I’m a big believer in paying it forward as so many people, especially women, kicked down so many doors for me.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Mark Taylor, Product & Operations Executive

Self-prioritisation. Identify the current âaxis of powerâ in your work and align what you are doing with that.

For example, I gave an update every Monday to the CEO on the status of a number of projects that had previously been languishing.

I knew the CEOâs expectations: 1) that everyone involved in the projects was working well together, and 2) that what we said was going to be done was actually being addressed in a timely and accurate manner.

I spent a good amount of my week getting status updates, fact-checking, and thinking ahead for possible questions. I blended these into a truth-based, expectation-meeting story by the time Mondayâs meeting arrived.

This is where the âaxis of powerâ comes in. If the CEO thought I was getting things done and doing a good job, it didnât matter what anyone else thoughtâand I lived to fight another day…

Mark Taylor has 20+ years of risk, technology, and product management experience working in global and regional financial services firms in the UK and the U.S. He’s managed teams of 40+, successfully addressed 100+ regulatory issues, and has saved companies $15M+.

Carla Biasi, Personal Stylist

Delegation! As an executive, we are charged with hiring a highly competent team. Use the highly motivated in your group to assist with tasks and responsibilities. This also helps acclimate them to different skills, and you have the opportunity to discover hidden talents in your staff. Your employees will love the collaborative environment!

Carla Biasi is a personal stylist living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She currently has her own business and works part-time at an upscale women’s boutique and as a virtual and kit stylist for a womenâs specialty brand.

What’s the best time management hack you use on the job? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.