It is common to think that time is out of control. And indeed, there are no more than 24 hours in a day. At the same time, you are in control of what you do with your time. You have power over your choices. So, how do you make the most of your time? By developing essential time management skills.
The people who are most satisfied with the use of their time are those who feel that they are putting their time on their priorities, personal and/or professional.
They know how to recharge their batteries. They know how to double down where they need to, when they need to. They have found their balance.
Here are the most important elements to know how to use your time for those who really want to be satisfied.
Essential time management skills at the professional level
1. Manage your priorities
When I was in the corporate world as a director, I had goals, but I didn’t really have a job description. I had to make a plan, mobilize the teams to follow it while being the leader of an operations department (there were a lot of unforeseen events!).
I admit that in the first few days, I had a little trouble seeing what I should do. I was juggling. Then, a few weeks later, I already had more to do than my standard 40-hour week could take.
On the one hand, because I was an apprentice and I wanted to understand the reality on the ground even better. On the other hand, because my direction was clear, but not prioritized enough in the short term, I was leading all the files at the same time. And I had a ton of ideas.
As a new employee, I didn’t always know how to say no either.
I learned to focus on what was most valuable in relation to my goals and the team’s performance. Then, on what had the most impact. For example, if projects or teams were waiting for a decision or action from me, the task would move up my list. Finally, I really made sure I understood the timelines and expectations of the deliverables. I didn’t hesitate to question.
I see many people who, well-intentioned, with great energy and commitment, spend too much time on files. Because they don’t know where to stop, either because they’re too perfectionist or because they think the expectations were clear and they’re going with their ideas. They don’t necessarily have a manager who comes to validate or supervise, because they are autonomous people.
If your autonomy and commitment create work, there is probably priority management to be done.
You can continue to deliver your files by being much fairer and more relevant.
The criteria: impact, value, time, and risk are explained in more detail in this article. Click here to read it.
2. Say no
There are two main personality types, those that are more relationship-oriented and those that are more task-oriented.
If you’re more task-oriented, it’ll be easier for you to say no.
If you’re more relationship-oriented and foster harmony at all costs, you may find it harder to say no. Perhaps you see the refusal as a refusal to the PERSON.
If this is your case, I invite you to see that saying no to a request is not saying no to a person. You could say, “I’d like to help you, but I’m running out of time for this request. What is your deadline? Who else could help you? »
More details in this article.
3. Generate your own motivation
When I have busy weeks of training and coaching and then I have to take a moment of concentration to write, or validate content, I don’t always have the motivation. It depends on my energy or the dynamic I’m in.
If I wait for motivation to arise… I’m going to wait a long time!
So I do the 5-minute exercise: I sit down, and I start the work for 5 minutes without interruption. Generally, concentration appears. Otherwise, I take the time to make a list of what bothers me, WITHOUT necessarily acting on it. What I mean is:
Let’s say I think I have to call a person. I’m going to write it down rather than interrupt my task and lose my focus again. Then if I think of a personal task, same thing, I write down.
In very busy times, it can take me 15-20 minutes to “motivate” myself, i.e. to finally be focused and present at my task.
This is normal. It’s an effect of stress. So, don’t wait until you’re motivated. You’d probably rather have finished your task than do it tonight, this weekend or at the same time as a meeting…
Essential time management skills on a personal level
1. Surround yourself with positivity
Take advantage of your personal time to surround yourself with people or situations that make you feel good. If for some reason you choose the opposite (because yes, at a certain point you choose), do so in full awareness and understand the impacts on you.
Have you chosen to stay in this relationship? Have you chosen to go to this party?
Visualize the impacts not only on you, but on others. When I am in a moody mood because I have accepted something or someone, my loved ones may feel it even if it is not my intention.
And if I talk about it, I am often asked, “But why did you come here then?” If the answer is to please, or out of habit or to be polite… I’m clearly not in the right place!
2. Make room for what you love
We all have passions, or interests. Personally, I like to read, write, train, listen to music, light fires outside, play sports, cook, etc. I have friends who come to visit me at the cottage and they just chat outside.
That’s fine with me, but not always. I’m a person who likes to move. Sometimes the compromise is: we go for a hike and we talk at the same time!
There’s a limit to compromising if it frustrates you. There is nothing wrong with adapting, if you don’t forget yourself and/or are aware of the impacts. Do it consciously, knowing why and daring to take a moment for yourself. Also, come up with your ideas and if no one is interested, do it alone! Dare to do what you love.
3. Respect your rhythm
It’s the one that touches me the most and has caused me the most adjustments in my entire life. I have a fast pace. Personally, 65% of my time can be spent on action, interactions and exchanges while I like to use 35% of my time to regenerate. In quiet moments, of concentration, alone or with loved ones.
I am not usually surrounded by people of the same “ratio” in my life. Some need more action, others much less. This makes it difficult to respect your rhythm, but to do so you need to 1- know it, 2- verbalize it and 3- act it. For my part, I use the ratio of my Nova profile, but you can probably recognize it intuitively.
The more I respect my rhythm in general, the better I am.
In conclusion
By developing essential time management skills, you will be more successful. This is one of my beliefs. You can succeed by not being happy, by waiting, by going “the hard way” at work. But since you only have one life to live, make an informed choice!
At work, develop your time and stress management skills. Your personal life will be better for it. And at home, make time for what you really love and respect yourself.
Both, together, can only be a virtuous circle of success!