Whenever it comes to time management or productivity tips and techniques, generally there are two schools of thoughts.
One says that you must meticulously plan each and every moment of your day to utilize it to the best of possibility.
And another school of thought says that you cannot manage time until you manage yourself. According to them, time management is actually more about self-management.
Personally, when I started to focus on managing my time, it was utterly difficult. But when I shifted my focus to manage my mindset and purpose, it became very easy to enhance my productivity.
I too had failed many a time by making all sorts of schedules and timetables. But understanding the biggest why of my life has helped me a lot. Because it is the root of anything we do, knowingly or unknowingly.
Reading more about this topic has always brought me more clarity and deeper understanding. Therefore, I have prepared a list of best of the self help articles on productivity and time management.
You can read them to explore a new perspective about time management and learn smart hacks which actually work.
So, here we go:
#1. Self-Management vs. Time Management: What You Need to Know
About Author
Patricia Thompson, Ph.D. is a Corporate psychologist writing about leadership, productivity, and being your best. Featured in HBR, Entrepreneur, Fast Company. Website:www.silverliningpsychology.com.
What did I like about this article?
In this article, Patricia clearly shows how important it is to manage oneself in comparison to managing time.
All our life, we make unsuccessful attempts to manage something (Time) which is beyond our control and ignore one of the most crucial parts (Self).
I could clearly relate to this perspective because I have been through similar situations.
There were times when I did my best to manage time but nothing substantial happened, rather it led to frustration. But when I started working on my own self, it became very easy to do more meaningful stuff in less time.
Patricia also says in this article that managing time is more about managing yourself rather than actually managing time.
She shares 5 practical tips to actually empower yourself to manage oneself and eventually utilizing time in a much better way without any feeling of deprivation or military type rigidity.
One tip that I loved in this article is “Get Crystal Clear”
She says…
“When you’re clear about what you want to do, how you want to do it, and when you’re going to do it, you’ll be much more efficient at getting things done.”
She also talks about this amazing principle popularly known as Parkinson’s Law.
It says…
“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
I’m sure, you must have felt it in your life. We procrastinate when the deadline is too far and become super-efficient when the deadline is approaching.
My Cent
Get Crystal Clear about your goals so that you can utilize your time which you are always trying to save. Because it is of no use to save time if you don’t know what to do with it.
#2. Time Management Is Really Life Management
About Author
Matt Mayberry is a Keynote Speaker, Maximum Performance Strategist, and CEO of Matt Mayberry Enterprises, a training and consulting company. He published his first book, Winning Plays, 2016. You can contact him and learn more at mattmayberryonline.com.
What did I like about this article?
Through this article, Matt took the understanding of time management to another level. It is amazing to read how he connects health and effective management of time.
He talks about time management in a very holistic way. It is not just about managing time rather managing your entire life.
It starts with getting basic fundamentals in place, that is taking care of one’s health.
I was really impressed by the way he explains how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle in order to efficiently manage your time.
We rarely think in that direction. All we think that time management is just to get maximum work done in less time.
He shares 5 fundamental principles to manage your life, not just time.
One thing I could easily relate to is being observant and aware about your lifestyle to make some critical changes.
Changes which not only enhance your quality of life but also help you become more productive throughout the day. And over a period of time, you can be much ahead of other people in your field.
My Cent
Observe your current lifestyle and make it healthier and stress-free so that as a being you are well prepared to do more in a day. Wonderful learning!
#3. How Managing Your Time Is a Waste of Time
About Author
Steve Tobak – is a management consultant, columnist, former senior executive, and author of Real Leaders Don’t Follow: Being Extraordinary in the Age of the Entrepreneur. Tobak runs Silicon Valley-based Invisor Consulting and blogs at stevetobak.com, where you can contact him and learn more.
What did I like about this article?
Don’t get intrigued by the title of this article. Reading this title might give you a shock but it is more about triggering a different thought process which we generally ignore.
Most of the time, we are in a search of quick fixes, without realizing that building something of quality needs sheer hard-work and sincerity.
Same goes with effectively using your time. Steve has focused on two major things in this article.
One is to do what you love, what gives you inner satisfaction and makes you happy. Give as much time as possible to that.
And another one is to stop wasting time on meaningless things, like wasting time on social media, watching videos without any specific purpose.
Because after a point, it becomes obsessive and addictive. And it becomes hard to evenrealizee that you are actually wasting your precious time.
This time, you can use to create something of value or even spend that time with your loved ones.
I love the way Steve has put his point of view very bluntly. It actually makes sense in today’s scenario when we are surrounded by so many distractions.
My Cent
Look deep inside yourself and find out what you truly love. Then put your efforts in that direction and cut yourself away from all kinds of distractions, be it in the virtual world or in the real world, the so-called societal peer pressure.
#4. 3 Time Management Tips That Actually Work
About Author
James Clear – American Author, Entrepreneur, and Travel Photographer in 25+ countries. Teacher of the best-selling Habits Master Class
What did I like about this article?
Another great article, I have read so far. James has beautifully articulated 3 time management tips that can actually work.
I’m not saying this because of the title of the article but because of the real-life personal experience, James has shared in this article.
Time management is more of a habit which is developed over a period of time. And depends on your attitude towards life, how well you’ll be able to do it.
Below are the three tips he shares in the article:
1) Eliminate half–work and focus deeply: Eliminate distractions and work with more focus
2) Do the most important thing first: Do the most important thing first when you have more energy and more willpower
3) Stick to your schedule and build the habit, no matter how small the accomplishment: When you find yourself in a crazy hectic schedule, instead of skipping the task, do a smaller version of it but stick to your planned schedule. Run for one mile instead of 5 miles when the time is less.
I could relate to the third tip because I too use it. We have a natural tendency to leave the task when we are overwhelmed by other things. And gradually, we miss it on daily basis and a good habit is lost.
I have learned this thing very hard way. This usually happens for morning exercises or workout.
Suppose, you woke up a bit late and you think it’s better not to do your workout because you are left with only 10 minutes.
But if you miss it, believe me, you are going to skip it on every coming day and gradually, your new habit of daily workout has gone for a toss.
Instead of skipping your exercise routine, even if you do it for 10 minutes in case you have less time left, you are mentally preparing yourself to be consistent and develop a habit.
This habit will go a long way and you will reap amazing benefits.
My Cent
Time management is not a project which is followed for a certain period of time, rather time management is a habit which is developed over a period of time. It’s the way of life. It should be your lifestyle and attitude.
#5. How good time management and productivity increase your self-confidence
About Author
Kayla Matthews is a technology blogger who regularly contributes to Inc.com, MakeUseOf, and The Gadget Flow. Check out her technology blog, Productivity Bytes.
What did I like about this article?
Have you ever thought of time management this way?
Time management increasing your confidence!!
Till now, the only motive to manage time was to do more in less time.
Kayla has provided a new perspective in this article by showing how effectively managing your time can boost your confidence and as a result, makes you more productive.
Time Management = Confidence
Confidence = Productivity
Productivity = Confidence
Approaching deadlines create stress and anxiety at the cost of your mental peace.
It leads to loss of focus and committing more mistakes. Making mistakes forces you to do repetitive work, eventually making you less productive.
Basically, when you are not able to perform your required tasks as per your schedule, it builds up stress and fatigue which eats away your self-confidence.
When you are able to complete your tasks as desired, it reduces stress, makes you comfortable and more self-confident.
In this article, Kayla mostly refers to workplace productivity, but I feel the 9 ideas shared can be beneficial in one’s personal life as well.
My Cent
It’s a new perspective to look at time management. It can be a great way to enhance one’s self-confidence and peace of mind, ultimately living a happy and cheerful life.
#6. Work Smarter, Not Harder: 21 Time Management Tips to Hack Productivity
About Author
Jordan Bates is the creator of Refine The Mind (refinethemind.com) a cozy cabin for compassionate freethinkers. He makes weird philosophical rap songs as Lostboyevsky sometimes. He mostly thinks everyone should just chill and love and be kind and stuff.
What did I like about this article?
Jordan has prepared a comprehensive list of 21 time management tips.
I’m sure you’ll be able to find at least one tip which you can use in your life. There’s a tip for every taste and lifestyle.
The perspective Jordan presents in this article is that time management is not just about developing a skill but more about your attitude to work smart rather than working hard all the time.
And it’s true up to a large extent. Your attitude affects how you behave and eventually it becomes your habit.
Below are 3 productivity hacks from the article which I loved:
1) Turn key tasks into habits: If there is a key task on which your majority of work depends, then make it a habit to practice it almost daily. Because when it becomes your habit, you’ll become highly efficient in it. Jordan gives an example of his habit of writing every day.
2) Find time for stillness: In today’s scenario, it is very easy to get into the trap of being hyperactive and consider it as being productive. It is essential to take a break when you do nothing and spend time with your own self, enjoying inaction. It will not only reduce stress and anxiety but will also make you ready for new challenges. It is just like sharpening your ax.
3) Eliminate the non-essential: It is one of the most important hacks for today’s generation. There is so much information and distractions all around. To be productive doesn’t actually mean doing more, rather doing less by cutting out all the crap which takes away your precious time and focus.
The most important lesson is to enjoy your work. When you enjoy your work, there are fewer chances of getting distracted by external factors. Because you’ll be entirely into the task with all your mind, body and soul.
My Cent
In earlier times, it used to be easier to focus on the task at hand because of fewer distractions. But now, the first task is to save yourself from these energy suckers and then give your best to the task you are working on.
#7. 26 time-management tricks I wish I’d known at 20
About Author
Shana D. Lebowitz is a Strategy reporter for BusinessInsider (New York)
What did I like about this article?
I really loved this article. Shana has used a very creative way to share time management tricks. She has depicted all the tricks in the form of images and quotations.
One of the tricks which I liked very much is
“Separate thinking and execution to execute faster and think better – Sol Tanguay, Imarklab”
It means that one should segregate brainless tasks from strategic tasks which require intense thinking.
I personally follow this.
The first half of the day is very critical when you are highly energetic and can work with more focus.
Therefore, I complete all those tasks in the morning that need more creative thinking and strategy.
And tasks which I can do without much thinking, I place them in the latter half of the day.
Complete important tasks when you have more energy and focus. Think strategically to place your tasks on your schedule because one can’t have same energy level throughout the day.
Another gem is avoiding multitasking.
Although, you might feel you are productive but actually you are giving fractions of your focus to each and every task at hand.
It not only increases stress in the long run and also reduces the quality of your work.
Instead, what you can do is to work on those tasks one by one and give your entire focus to the task at hand.
Another great tip,
Doing is better than perfect
I personally believe this because it works.
In expectations of being perfect at something, we often end up doing nothing. But by at least doing it, you take a few steps towards perfection in the long run.
My Cent
Always remember, perfection is not something which one can achieve in one day. It is a result of consistent effort and doing something like a habit.
Perfection is an evolution. It comes when you evolve gradually with thoughtful sincere efforts.
#8. 10 Places to Find More Productivity in Your Day
About Author
Craig Jarrow is the author of Time Management Ninja. He has published hundreds of articles on time management, goal setting, and organization. He has taught time management at companies ranging from The Home Depot to the U.S. Navy. Time Management Ninja has been featured on websites including American Express OPEN, Law.com, Spinsucks.com, Accomplish Radio, and the International Business Times.
What did I like about this article?
Most of us would agree that we need to do something about time management. But most of the time, we struggle how to extract more time out of 24 hours (which is same for everybody).
This article answers this question very well:
How can you find places throughout the day which you can utilize to be more productive?
These are the moments which most of the people don’t even think about when planning to manage their time.
Some of the places are like
‘Early in the morning’,
‘During your commute’ or
‘During lunchtime’.
You can read this article to know more about such opportunities which you can use to make an investment in you.
Time management Ninja is one of the best blogs on time management. On this blog, you can find everything related to time management.
A quotation in this article says,
“To be more productive, you may have to get creative. You may need to ignore the norms and do your own thing.”
I truly agree with this. While managing my time throughout the day, I have realized this many a times.
You have to use your creative brain to work smartly in order to waste less time and finish tasks in lesser time.
My Cent
One thing which I can share with you is that all of my work is done in the cloud (Google Drive) and nothing is dependent on my laptop.
No matter where I am, I can work whenever I have small windows of time between bigger tasks. These small time slots can be utilized to accomplish small meaningful tasks.
These small tasks add over a period of time and bring greater results. These smaller tasks can be reading some article, writing some stuff, brainstorming on some idea that clicked your mind, researching about something on the internet or may be discussing something with someone.
It’s you who has to make this choice by being conscious of your time throughout the day.
Bonus:
#9. Time Management And The Power Of 1440
About Author
Kevin is a Founder + CEO of LEADx.org, an online learning platform. He is also an NY Times Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker. He is the author of Employee Engagement 2.0 and 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management.
What did I like about this article?
You might be wondering why I have kept this article separately. It is one of the best articles I have read on time management.
In this article, Kevin doesn’t give you tips directly but gives you an idea to ponder upon. If you think about it consciously, you are more likely to use your time more judiciously.
This article was published in Forbes.
Kevin talks about his experience in handling his organization with an open door policy.
He mentions how at times it would take his best to address queries of his employees every other minute.
People would come in and ask, “Got a minute”, he couldn’t say no because of his helping nature.
When it started affecting his overall productivity, he thought of a creative way to remind himself how each minute is precious in a day.
He wrote 1440 on a big piece of paper and pasted it on his office’s door. Just 1440, without any explanation.
Employees got curious and started asking him about 1440.
He explains in the article beautifully, how it is important to use every single minute out of 1440 minutes available in a day.
He also gives examples of what you can accomplish in a small duration of one minute.
Managing time doesn’t need any secret or tip, it is about mindset.
The kind of mindset you have towards TIME, that will determine whether you will be able to utilize it effectively or not.
What I have personally felt is, when you Think like a Leader, you can easily find out creative ways to not only manage your time but your life as well.
But when you think like a victim, it’s very difficult and you are always in a search for secrets, tips, and techniques rather than creating one for yourself. Don’t be a Victim.
Kevin also gives another beautiful perspective to time.
We are more careful about how we spend our money rather than time, whereas time is much more important than money.
If you have lost your money, you can earn it again but you can never make for the lost time.
Thinking of time as the biggest currency and using it wisely to invest in important things of life is what makes successful people different from the crowd.
While going through Kevin’s website, I found some useful stuff which can add some value to you.
He runs a Podcast series on “LeadX – Leadership Podcast” and “Extreme Productivity”. You can check it out.
Kevin also provides an amazing tool for “Personal Time Management Style Assessment”. You can try this and discover your time management style. Click here to check it out.
This is what I got in the assessment: Calm and Confident, Wow!
Final words:
After doing all this research, I can conclude all the learning in just two words:
Mindset and Declutter
Develop a mindset that supports you in managing yourself.
How can you develop such mindset?
Know the purpose of managing your time. Understand what you really want to accomplish by managing your time. Understand how much value it holds for you and others. It will help you develop a mindset of the leader rather than a victim.
Identify all those energy suckers, in the virtual world as well as real world.
Stop scrolling through social media feeds or watching YouTube videos on autoplay and in the real world.
Say no to people who drain your energy and leave you crippling.
Be blunt, be ruthless in saving your energy and focus. Because it is the only advantage you have which you can use to grow.
Decluttering will also strengthen your mindset. Once you do it, you will see your transformation in front of your eyes, every single day.
…
I’d love to know how you manage your time and be super-productive. Share in comments.
If you have read some awesome stuff on time management that can be beneficial for other readers, mention in comments.
—
Keshav Sharma
[Disclaimer: There is no relation between this website and the authors of the articles listed above. This blog has been written solely based on the quality of content in the listed articles]
Read: Why Time Management is Bullshit
