Working has changed a lot in the last few years, and it may still be evolving as the pandemic continues across the globe. No matter how your work life has changed, it may still be hard to stay focused and get your work done on time. Keep reading for time management techniques that may be able to lend a hand.
Determine What Must Be Done and When
One way to manage your time is to determine what tasks need to be done weekly or daily. This is a tip you can use no matter if you are working in your office or your home office. Once you take a look at everything that you must accomplish, it will be easier to figure out where to start and how you should approach your day.
For instance, if you have a big project and emails to answer in one day, you may want to save the emails for when you need to take a break from your larger project. This can provide your brain a chance to relax a bit and give you a couple of minutes to relax.
Every day you can choose what to prioritize and if some tasks have to be moved to different days, this is fine. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself.
You can learn more about time management from BetterHelp, where there are tips and articles to review.
Don’t Take on More Than Necessary
If you know you have a full plate, try not to take on more work. When you are overworked, you may face burnout, which can cause you to be unproductive or unable to complete your workload.
Anytime you are feeling like you have too much going on or you won’t be able to deliver your work, you should talk to your boss about how you are feeling and see if you can get an extension on a project. On the other hand, if you have been experiencing the effects of burnout for a while, it may be more beneficial to speak with a therapist about how you feel. A couple of signs that you have work burnout are if you have unexplained pains when you are at work or thinking about work and if you are unable to sleep and concentrate.
Switch Tasks if You Are Having Difficulty
When you have decided what tasks you are doing and you become stuck on one, it is okay to switch to another until you are able to go back to it. Perhaps you are trying to get a report finished and your eyes keep glazing over, it is likely time to take a break. You should get up and walk around to rest your eyes and then you can work your way into finishing your report. Perhaps you can complete a few simple tasks first.
You can also ask others for help if this is necessary. If you need help at work, talk to a co-worker that may be able to provide a shortcut or advice on how to complete an assignment. If you are boggled down by chores at home, you can ask your husband or kids to do a chore or two, so you can spend more time finishing up your work. You should do everything you can to keep your work life separate from your home life, but this can be especially trying when you are working from your house.
Remove Distractions
Removing distractions is something that may be able to assist in managing your time also. This means keeping your phone and other devices locked in your desk or on silent when you should be working. You can look at them when you take breaks or after work.
Something else to consider is keeping snacks and drinks on hand, so you don’t have to keep getting up from your desk. This could cause you to lose valuable time.
Make Changes When you Need To
As you start to make changes to be more efficient, you should also be able to roll with the punches. If something you are trying doesn’t work, attempt something else. Always make changes so you can manage your time wisely at work. You can also ask others you trust for advice on how to do this, and they may be able to give you further tips.
Conclusion
It doesn’t take much time and effort to address your time management techniques when it comes to getting tasks accomplished. No matter if you work from home or an office, these tips can be effective. Try them and see if they make a difference for you. Feel free to ask others for advice on the matter as well.