1. Minimize context-switching

Combat the urge to tab between your tasks and your slack by time blocking your tasks. For example, limit yourself to spending one hour in your inbox - 30 minutes at the beginning of the day, and 30 minutes at the end. Blocking off the time you need to complete the task in your calendar will help create accountability to stay focused on finishing one task at a time, and to give it your full attention, rather than trying to juggle multiple tasks at once. This also helps create clarity for your teammates, so they know when they can reach you, and when you're tied up. Using a pomodoro timer is a similar technique - limiting your time on one task to 25 minutes, and then taking a short break before spending another 25 minutes on it or shifting to another task.

2. Treat your focus time as sacred and disconnect completely

To help set yourself up for successful "deep work" periods, schedule time periods where you can turn off your slack notifications, silence your phone, and close your email! Disconnecting from anything that will send you alerts or interrupt you, when it’s possible, is a great way to boost your productivity. Be extra diligent about treating this time as sacred, heads down time.

3. Take breaks (real breaks)

A break isn’t mindlessly scrolling through your social media feed. A real break should mean stepping out of your work environment, so take time to leave your office and step away from your desk. Going for a walk, calling a friend or family member quickly, or meditating for a few minutes is a great way to boost your productivity, so that when you come back to your desk, you’ll have more energy to jump back into your to-do list. If your calendar gets filled up days in advance, set up recurring blocks of time for a few breaks throughout the day so others can’t book you into meetings during that time.

4. Do the urgent work first

Start your day by making a list of tasks that need your immediate attention. Unimportant tasks can consume much of your precious time, and it can be all too easy to spend energy on this kind of work because it’s easier or less stressful. However, if you can identify the most critical tasks that need to be completed during the day, get them out of the way first while you have the most energy. Take this to the next level by spending 10-15 minutes before you leave work for the day organizing your inbox and composing a list of your most important items for the following day.

5. Plan your schedule around your energy levels

If you feel more energized at certain times of the day, change your schedule to embrace that. Some people are more energized in the morning, while some are night owls. Plan your calendar around your energy levels. Spending your afternoon doing deep work, vs your afternoon in meetings may help you be more efficient. Similarly, stick to a consistent schedule as much as possible. Starting and ending your day at the same time can help to create more efficiency in your day, if you know you have to close your laptop at a certain time.

6. Leave time to regroup between tasks and meetings

Jumping immediately from tasks into meeting and back again can be challenging. Leaving yourself time to take a break and successfully transition from one type of task, like a meeting, to another, like answering emails or slack messages, will make it easier to stay focused and motivated. Leave yourself somewhere between 10 to 15 minutes if possible. This is a great way to build a break or two into your day!

7. Batch similar tasks together

If you have related tasks, batch them together and do them at once. For example, if you have to work on a few different spreadsheets, block time in your calendar to dive into them. Scheduling a specific time to handle related tasks helps minimize switching gears and having to adjust to the context of a new type of task. You may find this helpful for meetings on your calendar; batching your calls together during the morning can free you up to focus on your task list and to-dos in the afternoon, so your day won’t be truncated and interrupted by hopping in and out of calls.

8. Don’t hold a meeting without an agenda

Be ruthless about avoiding meetings that should have been emails by ensuring that any meeting you attend, there is an agenda circulated in advance. This should also be the case for any meeting you’re hosting; ensure you have clearly defined the meeting’s purpose and share your notes with the team before the meeting starts. Any prep you do beforehand can help you run the meeting smoothly and may even help you finish the call earlier! Agendas are great places to note any follow-up or action items which you can refer back to later, so nothing slips through the cracks and gets forgotten.

9. Do a weekly review at the end of each week

Auditing your time at the end of the week is a great way to spot areas where you could build in a better schedule or system for yourself. Use your weekly review to make adjustments to your time management plans. Continue to review your results week over week to see trends and gradual improvements.

10. Find a task management app that works for you

Everyone has different preferences when it comes to managing their to-do lists. One of the best ways to ensure you are making the most out of your time, and being as efficient as possible, is to find a task management app that you love, and suits how you like to keep track of your projects. Asana Trello, and ClickUp are all worth exploring, and there are many many others! A task manager should be able to help you quickly and clearly identify critical action items, so you can plan your time and energy around them accordingly.

10 Ways To Manage Your Time