6 Tips for Better Time Management

Life is a lot easier when time is on your side, and no matter where you work from, effective time management can help decrease stress and increase productivity. Here are six simple strategies from industry experts that can help you be your best.

Master the art of prioritizing

When your to-do list is long in the morning, tackle tasks in order of importance. “Our tendency is to get the easy stuff completed [first],” says Charmaine Hammond, professional speaker, author and consultant on conflict resolution in the workplace. “The challenge is that once meetings begin, priority items are left unhandled and you have to deal with them at the end of the day.” Hammond recommends the “4 D” method to deal with emails: do it, delete it, defer it (with reminder to revisit), or delegate it. 

To end the workday on a productive note, take 15 minutes to create a to-do list for the following day. This process can help alleviate stress once you leave the office or close your laptop for the evening.

Schedule time between meetings to complete tasks

While it’s tempting to book continual meetings during busy periods, ensure that you schedule time into each day to handle other work, including responding to emails and phone calls. You need time to handle responsibilities other than meetings, and back-to-back meetings without breaks in between can add to your stress level. Make yourself “unavailable” for short bouts of time in shared calendars so that others don’t book you for meetings you don’t have time to attend.

One task at a time

It’s often tempting to multitask when faced with numerous priorities, but it’s usually better to fully complete one task before moving on to the next. “We tend to multitask when we feel overwhelmed or challenged by competing demands,” says Hammond. “While we think we are being productive, this often leaves us with many half-finished documents or tasks at the end of the day.” Worse, you can forget key items and have to revisit them later, which may tap into time you don’t have.

Use your tools

“As we return to the office, we need to leverage the advantages of working in person when it comes to collaboration and organization,” says Maggie Clark, Senior Manager, LOB Strategy Business Essentials at Staples Professional. Clark recommends making use of organizational materials like a large-format wall calendar, colour-coded Post-It notes, and dry erase products such as the Quartet Glass Dry-Erase Desktop Pad or the Quartet Mini Dry-Erase Board. Home office workers can benefit from these items too. The act of writing on a board or note can act as part of your analytical or memory process, kicking the brain into gear in a positive way. Glancing up from your desk at a large wall calendar also gives you a break from staring at your screen. Finally, a desk organizer like the Poppin Large Desk Organizer or Gry Mattr Deskpad Calendar gives you a tangible and portable reference for all your notes, lists and “to-dos,” which can be a welcome alternative to digital or screen-based apps.

Make space for breaks

Taking a breather during busy periods may feel counterintuitive, but breaks are essential for regaining focus. “They’re also a way of managing stress and some of the emotional ‘drama’ we sometimes experience or are witness to in the workplace,” says Hammond. A five-minute walk without checking emails, a coffee break in fresh air, or lunch away from the computer can make a world of difference in terms of energy, resilience, and productivity. At-home workers might find it relaxing to get one or two household chores done while clearing their minds or taking the dog for a short walk. Then you can feel productive and take a break at the same time, which is a win-win. With a smartwatch like the FitBit Versa 3, you can track and monitor your activity, making any little downtime feel like progress. And you’ll come back to your desk refreshed and ready to work.

Practice flexible thinking when ordering supplies

With many of us working from home or using a hybrid working model, it can be challenging to order and purchase office supplies for the larger team, especially when time is of the essence. Staples Preferred’s online ordering process makes it easy to track your orders, making re-ordering vital supplies, like printer ink and paper, quick and simple. These are the things you don’t want to run out of when you are crunched for time and keeping multiple workspaces humming.