The most effective way to become more productive is to get control of your time. Unfortunately, time is something you cannot manage. You control what you do in the time you have available. Here are 7 methods of time management that will help you.Time is fixed. You cannot change that.
The Ivy Lee Method
This is possibly the most effective method of time management and productivity you could use.
- In 1918, Ivy Lee told managers to write down the six most important tasks they must do the next day in order of priority on a piece of paper and leave it on their desk ready for the following day
- When they arrived at work the next morning, begin work on the first task and, once completed, cross it off and start on the next one
- If you cannot complete all six, the tasks you do not complete should be carried forward to next day, and you repeat the process with another set of six tasks
Final thoughts
All of these methods are simple and easy to adopt. You don’t need fancy software or tools.
Time Blocking
Block out time on your calendar to do focused work
- Shows you exactly how much time you have available to do the work that matters
- Treat each time block as a confirmed appointment and block it out so that if someone tries to make an appointment with you at a time when you are not busy, they know you are busy
Pareto Principle
For many outcomes, roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes (the “vital few”).
- When applied to time management and productivity, this means you first identify which tasks will give you (80% of results)
- Tasks that contribute 20% have their place, but they should not be the primary focus of your time.
Pomodoro Technique
Set a timer for 25 minutes and work focused and undisturbed for those twenty-five minutes.
- Take a five-minute break, then return to the task with ten minutes of rest before resuming after your alarm goes off at 7:30am.
NET (No Extra Time)
Tony Robbins advocates this because a lot of our time is wasted each day waiting in queues or for something to happen
- It encourages you to take advantage of this time to do work
- While waiting for a meeting to start, you can respond to your email or process your inbox
- Our mobile phones have given us the ability to do much of the work we previously needed to be in a fixed place to do
2+8 Prioritization Method
Select two must-do tasks and eight other tasks you would like to complete the next day.
- The purpose of this method is to focus your attention on what is important, so you decide what needs to be added to your to-do list the day before.
Eisenhower Matrix
This method of time management is less about managing time and more about prioritizing your work
- The Eisenhower Matrix consists of four quadrants: Important and urgent, Important and not urgent, Not important and urgent etc.
- Keep away from quadrant 3 and 4 as much as possible and try to spend as much time as you can in Quadrant 2.
