Whether you’re in school, have a full-time job, or just need to get stuff done, proper time management is key to professional success and personal achievement. Unfortunately, due to distractions, feelings of burnout, and overwhelming tasks, it can be hard to manage your time well. Here, we discuss three different time management strategies to encourage a more productive and stress-free life.
Task Batching
Task batching is a popular time management strategy. Batching involves grouping similar tasks so that you can work on them at the same time. First, you should list out everything on your to-do list. This can be by the day or by the week, depending on your preferences. Then, separate your tasks into large projects and smaller items. From there, categorize your tasks into different groups, like communication, research, editing, and more. Finally, you can begin to organize your schedule by groups of batched tasks.
Time Blocking
Time blocking is another time management strategy where you schedule every single part of your day. By dividing your day into specific time blocks that are designated to particular tasks, you can increase focus and prevent unnecessary distractions. This can be on a physical or digital planner, as long as it’s something you can visually understand.
For example, your Monday morning may look like this:
- Breakfast: 8:30 – 9 a.m.
- Emails: 9 – 9:30 a.m.
- Client calls: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
- Meeting with boss: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Lunch: 12 – 1 p.m.
Time blocking allows you to focus on specific tasks at specific times. This can limit distractions and prevent you from context switching, which can make you lose focus and lead to feelings of burnout.
Eat the Frog
This productivity method is based off a popular quote, commonly attributed to Mark Twain, “If you have to eat a live frog, do it first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.” In the case of time management, the “frog” is the most difficult or the least appealing item on your to-do list. Completing this task first gets rid of any dread or procrastination that you may feel throughout the day, and it gives you motivation to address your smaller tasks afterward. For example, if you’re a stay-at-home mom, your least favorite part of the day may be cleaning up your toddler’s bedroom. By tackling this project first thing in the morning, you’ll feel mentally lighter the rest of the day, and cooking lunch and going to the store won’t seem as taxing.
Meet the Author
Ali Lemmons, BS, Summa Cum Laude
Ali Lemmons is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in computer science. While at UTC, Ali also earned the distinction of Summa Cum Laude, the Outstanding Senior Award for the communication department, and was inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society. Now, as editor/digital content specialist for CMC Publications and Digital Smart Marketing, Ali leads the ideation, conceptualization, and development of numerous health, wellness, and lifestyle articles published in print and online for HealthScope, CityScope, and Choose Chattanooga magazines – premier publications serving S.E. Tennessee and North Georgia. She also is the lead copywriter for the company’s social media sites.
