Well, fret no longer. Because we want to help you achieve goals and boost productivity, we wrote this. This is not going to be a mere “how I manage my time” essay. This is going to be something that will be actionable and will really help you manage time better. We want you to be able to answer the questions “How can I improve my time management?” and “How can I manage my time wisely?”.

Without further ado, here’s our guide to time management strategies.

How to do scheduling and planning of tasks at hand?

As we all know, unscheduled things happen. For example, as of this writing, it has been raining for more than a week already. It’s definitely hard to study or be productive when it’s bed weather! Young children are definite disruptors of schedule, which is normal. After all, they’re not yet at the age where they can understand the limitations of a person’s time.

You know how you can combat these factors? Plan ahead. You have to take control of your time so you can improve your time management. Do a time audit of your daily activities. We guess we can say you can divide major areas of your life into work, studying, and personal or home life.

For example, if you have a full-time job, at least you know you’ll be working from, say, 9 AM to 5 PM. The only things you’ll have to schedule are for during the weekends and when you get home from work. If you work at home or are a full-time mom, it’s more complicated. It will be harder to block distractions and avoid schedule disruptors. But you have to so that you can achieve effective time management.

How to manage my time better at work?

As mentioned, if you have a full-time job, it’s easy to block off work time. But what if you work from home? Or what if you’re a full-time mom? You might be wondering how to manage time better at work. Well, here is how to manage your time more effectively at work. These three ways might even be applicable to other aspects of your life.

Pareto’s Principle

Pareto’s Principle basically says “80 percent of your output should come from 20 percent of your time.” It’s also known as the 80/20 rule. The Entrepreneur article further states that “if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth as much or more than the other eight items put together.” So eighty percent of your output should come from twenty percent of your time. It doesn’t mean you should work less; it just means you should focus on bigger things. This principle answers the question, “​​How do I manage my time better?”

For example, at work, you might need copies of a report you’re going to present. Does that mean that aside from doing the report, you’ll also have it photocopied? No, especially if you can get someone to do that for you. In the same way, if you’re a full time mom and homebaker, you have a lot of responsibilities. Regarding cake delivery, will you also be the one to do that? No. Just outsource it to plenty of delivery services out there. Your time will be better used in making more cakes, answering inquiries, and so on.

Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique, on the other hand, is different. This technique involves the use of time tracking software. Why do you have to track your time? It’s because when you set the clock, you work only on one thing for 25 minutes. When the time hits 25 minutes, stop working and take a break for five minutes. This doesn’t have to be strictly 25/5. However, it’s a good starting point for making sure you finish a task. Remember, the end result of the Pomodoro Technique is to help you keep taking action and avoid procrastination. It’s a great answer if you’re wondering, “How can I manage my time and avoid procrastination?” At least you’ll be able to look forward to a break after working for 25 minutes straight.

Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix is also a way to prioritize tasks for work. Imagine you have a square. Divide that into four smaller squares. The first square (top left) is the one with important daily tasks. All the tasks there take priority and require immediate attention. In the second square (top right), list each task at hand as important items, but can be scheduled. The third square (bottom left) are things that are urgent but less important. Delegate these tasks. The last square is “Don’t Do” square. Are you spending your time too much on social media or gaming? Those are the bad habits you should avoid and must not do. It is recommended to list only a maximum of eight tasks for each square or quadrant.

How to manage my time better at home?

Say you just got home or your work period is over. Now you have to face the tasks of being at home. These can include cooking, feeding the children, and cleaning the house. And it can get quite stressful. Because tasks at home have no real schedules, how can you manage your time better while in the house? How to reduce stress? With time management, of course!

What will happen when you get home will depend on what you plan to do when you get home. If you plan to study, make sure you get all the house tasks out of the way first. Put similar tasks in the same time slots. For example, anything to do with cleaning, put it in one segment. That way you won’t go cooking, then back to cleaning, then back to something else. Also, be sure to make time for your husband and children. We don’t recommend going so far as to setting time limits when it comes to your family. Just be conscious of the amounts of time you spend with them, especially if you plan to do something after.

Also, as we said in a previous blog entry, break time is important. If you don’t get enough rest or sleep, you will not be productive at all. Rest is not for the weak; rest is a necessity to recharge and be energized. And if you’re not productive, no tips on improving time management will help. When you’re tired, all management skills will go down the drain. You won’t have the energy to think or try to be organized. Set time to get some rest, or to just take a break. Your body, your mind, and the people around you will thank you for it.

How to manage my study time?

Our first recommendation regarding studying time is to find a time where everyone is asleep. You will have a lot of time on your hands because no one else will need your attention! This is the answer to the question, “How can I manage my free time?” When you have free time, then it’s the time you use to study Bailiwick Academy videos. 

Another time slot you can block off is a time on days where you don’t have work. It can also be a day where you don’t have to do any household chores. It can be early in the morning, or late in the evening. Ignore emails or text messages so that no work commitments will distract you. Tell the people at the house, “How can I manage my time for study? I have to block off this time for me.” This will also help you minimize distractions of any sort. 

Also, set time limits on your studying time. Unless you’re one of those people with long attention spans, you might not benefit from sitting long and studying. If you watch and you’re tired, you may end up not absorbing any information from what you’re watching. If you know that after two hours of watching you will get distracted, stop. And don’t worry. You have unlimited access to Bailiwick videos. All purchased videos will never disappear from your dashboard. Take a break for a few minutes, and get back to watching. 

One of the best time management tips ever: smarter, not harder!

You know one of the best productivity hacks ever? Focus on one task and one task only. Contrary to popular belief, multitasking is not good. That is not using your time wisely. Multitasking is working hard, and for you to be able to finish things, you have to work smart, not hard. Focus on one task at a time. You’ll be surprised that you will end up with a complete task. You’ll also be surprised that you have a huge amount of time left to do other things, all because you kept focused. Say good-bye to wasted time! 

Have these tips helped you get better at managing time effectively? Were you able to finish one of your courses? If yes, congratulations! Put that course into action, and then enroll in the next one, only here at The Bailiwick Academy!

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