Being in charge of your own time: no sooner said than done, right? Unfortunately, this is not the case for many. It is also quite difficult to manage your time properly, especially with the continuous stream of stimuli around you. You would like to cross off as much as possible from your to-do list, but you just can't. To help you a little bit with this, we give you a few tips. This is how you become the boss of time!
What exactly is time management?
Time management is the art of using your time wisely. It's about planning, prioritizing and being realistic. Most people do their jobs well, but unfortunately don't get the most out of their usable time.
This is why time management is important:
Time management is one of the most important skills to master, whether you work individually or in a team. Do you miss this skill? Then it becomes difficult to start and finish tasks efficiently. There is a good chance that you will quickly become overwhelmed and stressed by the workload. By working with a clear (feasible) planning or to-do list, you can easily prevent this.
5 time management tips:
1. Plan, plan and plan again
To master time management, it is important that you create structure in your work. Kickstart your day by making a schedule: what are the most important things to do? What about meetings or appointments? It is then important to prioritize your tasks: what is most important? Write everything out as clearly as possible. NB! Make a realistic schedule: you can't do everything in one day.
2. Saying no is allowed
Dare to say no too! It is of course very collegial and nice to help your teammates when they are behind on their schedule, but don't let it come at the expense of your own work. Learn the power of saying 'no' and dare to use it.
3. Full focus
Every day you receive a mega stream of stimuli: phone calls, e-mails, the people around you. Do you really have to focus on getting started? Then isolate yourself and put your devices on silent. Let your colleagues know that you are entering your focus hour and that they should not bother you for a while. Try out a new, inspiring place to get started with full focus. For example, book one with your colleagues meeting space at a location in another city and make it an efficient day together. End it with a well-deserved dinner.
4. The 60/40 Rule
Always take unexpected situations into account in your planning, such as a task that does not go as expected, the absence of a colleague or an extra meeting that is scheduled. A well-known rule is the 60/40: 40% of your time is reserved for ad-hoc matters and 60% is planned effectively.
5. No stress allowed!
One of the most important parts of time management: can't you control it? So don't stress. If you do, you will be wasting valuable time, and especially energy, worrying instead of being efficient. Compare and take a step back. How bad is it really? And how can you proceed now? Pick up where you left off and stay realistic.
We hope that these tips will help you on your way, so that you can get started efficiently and focused. Spend your time on the things that really matter!