How to Improve Time Management in 2024: Try These 10 Practices

Briefy

Nov 2, 2023 • 6 min read

Time, the ever-elusive entity, always seems to slip through our fingers just when we need it the most. However, there are individuals out there who appear to have tamed the ticking clock, making the most out of the hours they have. The secret sauce? Effective time management. It’s not about racing against time, but rather, aligning with it to enhance our productivity and quality of life.

What is Time Management and Why is it So Important

Time management is the gentle art of arranging, organizing, and budgeting our time across various tasks to achieve our goals efficiently. It’s like having a roadmap that guides us through the hours of the day, ensuring that we are on track to accomplish what we set out to do, without feeling overwhelmed.

The beauty of time management stretches beyond just getting work done — it’s about carving out space for what nurtures our soul, be it a hobby, spending time with loved ones, or simply unwinding with a good book. Mastering time management skills is key in meeting deadlines without the last-minute rush, reducing stress, and fostering a balanced, fulfilling life. This practice can create a positive ripple effect, where better time management leads to enhanced productivity, which in turn, opens up more free time to enjoy the finer things in life.

10 Best Time Management Strategies

1. Plan ahead

The very first step for handling most of your tasks is to plan ahead, whether you are applying for a Master’s program, kicking off your assignments, or starting a new project at your work, or more.

Step 1: Set clear goals Begin by defining your objectives. What do you aim to achieve? These goals act as your guiding stars, motivating you throughout your tasks. Whether you’re driven by internal values or external rewards, having clear objectives is key.
Step 2: Create a structured to-do list With your goals in mind, break down your tasks into a well-organized to-do list. This list becomes your roadmap, outlining the steps you need to take. It ensures you stay on track, efficiently managing your time and resources. While creating a structured to-do list is vital, it’s important not to overload yourself with tasks. Keep the list manageable, focusing on the most critical items to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

2. Set reasonable deadlines

When making your plan, it's essential to strike the right balance in setting deadlines. These deadlines should be challenging enough to motivate you but also attainable to avoid unnecessary stress. By breaking larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks with their own deadlines, you can maintain focus and track your progress. Remember that setting deadlines is not about pushing yourself to the limit, but about creating a structure that promotes productivity and ensures that your work is consistently on track. Remember, deadlines are helpful, when they're not overwhelming.

3. Improve your reading speed and comprehension

Improving your reading speed and comprehension is crucial because it enhances your ability to absorb information efficiently. In today’s fast-paced world, we’re bombarded with a wealth of information daily. Being able to read quickly and understand content is a valuable skill, no matter if you are a student, a professional, a content creator, or a researcher. When lengthy articles and reports are the case, that’s where AI tools like Briefy come in.

Briefy is your AI information assistant, simplifying complex content into concise summaries. With just one click, it generates structured summaries in various formats, making it easier to extract essential points of a long text.

Briefy is a game-changer in the quest for improved reading skills, and a time-saver for your daily browsing. Take a look at how Briefy is leveraged in daily use, say, when you open a 10-min read article on Medium and enable your Briefy extension, this is what shows up: 👇

You just saved 7 minutes of reading time by using Briefy!

Moreover, Briefy has both Chrome & Safari extensions, allowing you to easily read efficiently both on your desktop and phone. Try out Briefy and see how much time you can save with it!

4. Prioritize your tasks

Here’s a friendly strategy to make your day more manageable: prioritize your tasks. Think of it as sorting your to-do list by importance and urgency. Those high-priority tasks? They’re your main focus. Handle them first to ensure you’re on top of your game. It’s like setting the table with your favorite dish first when you have a buffet ahead. Prioritization keeps you organized and helps you maintain a sense of control over your day.

5. Tackle the most difficult task first

Now, let’s talk about conquering the toughest challenge upfront — it’s like having a hearty breakfast to kickstart your day. We often refer to this as “eating the frog,” inspired by the saying that if you tackle the most challenging task first thing in the morning, the rest of your day feels like a breeze. It’s that task we usually avoid, the one that nags at us. By facing it head-on early on, you not only get it out of the way but also set the tone for a day filled with accomplishments. It’s your secret weapon for a more productive and satisfying day.

6. Don’t multitask if you can’t

Multitasking might seem like a time-saver, but in reality, it can hinder your productivity if it’s beyond your capability. When you try to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, your brain has to constantly switch its focus, which leads to reduced efficiency and more errors. Instead of multitasking, it’s maybe better for you to focus on one task at a time. Concentrated effort on a single task allows you to complete it more quickly and with higher quality. If you find yourself overwhelmed, prioritize your tasks and tackle them one by one. This approach will lead to better time management and improved overall performance.

7. Automate repetitive tasks

Automating repetitive tasks is a smart time management strategy. Identify routine activities in your work or daily life that can be automated using tools or technology. For instance, setting up email filters to organize your inbox, using scheduling software for appointments, or automating social media posts can save you valuable time. By streamlining repetitive processes, you free up mental bandwidth and ensure that important tasks receive your full attention. Automation helps prevent the monotony of mundane tasks and allows you to focus on more critical aspects of your work or personal life, making time management smoother and more efficient.

8. Use time management tools

Utilizing time management tools can be a game-changer. They help you organize tasks, set reminders, and track progress, offering better control over your schedule. This boosts productivity, reduces missed deadlines, and keeps you on top of appointments. Some of the time management tools we found helpful:

Trevor: It allows you create time blocks for your essential tasks and supports team collaboration by displaying team members’ time blocks.
Motion: It helps you quickly create tasks and makes to-do lists for you. You can also use it for project planning and meetings scheduling.
Todoist: Similar to Motion, Todoist helps you create and manage tasks easily. It also offers intelligent AI suggestions for task management, which can recommend due dates, task prioritization, and reminders tailored to your work habits.

9. Learn your patterns of productivity

In the journey to master time management, it’s crucial to recognize your productivity patterns. Start by analyzing when you are most productive during the day — perhaps you’re a morning person or work better in the afternoon. Identify what type of tasks you handle more efficiently and during which periods. Are you better at creative work in the morning and administrative tasks in the afternoon? Learning these patterns allows you to align your most important tasks with your peak productivity times, ensuring better results and efficiency in managing your time.

10. Find your own ways to deal with stress

It's vital to explore your personal stress-busting strategies. Whether it's a relaxing hobby, spending time in nature, or simply unwinding with a good book, discovering your go-to stress-relief methods can be a delightful journey. These practices help you create a more balanced and peaceful life, making the daily grind much more manageable.

Start These Time Management Skills Today

Mastering the art of time management is a journey toward enhanced productivity and reduced stress. We’ve explored ten essential strategies to help you make the most of your precious hours. If you seek to improve your daily information absorption, don’t forget to give Briefy a try!

Written by Nan Ha.