9 Time Management Strategies That Actually Work

Time management strategies build a barrier against failure. It explains why big enterprises invest in training their employees not only to develop professional skills but create own time management strategy and maximize personal productivity.

Without addressing the question of strategies, we tend to stick to the traditional 'time management techniques' teaching us useful but hardly realistic rules: their chaotic implementation leads nowhere. As Maura Thomas stated:

... most knowledge workers spend their days in a state of constant distraction and task switching. The results are perpetual stress, and being busy instead of being productive.

🕒We need to build strategies:

★ to adjust to changes quickly

★ to become pandemic-proof

★ to balance work and life

★ to prevent burnout

★ to meet deadlines stress-free

★ to cope with procrastination

★ to cultivate a healthy lifestyle.

What are the most popular time management strategies?

9 Time Management Strategies

 #1: Time Tracking

To avoid disruption, anyone with time management in mind requires metrics. Time tracking for accuracy of metrics on time spending gives insights into how:

• ample your time allocation is
• productive you are during the day
• financially rewarding your work time is.

Great Strategy Quote by Lord Kelvin:

If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.

Aside from cushioning the time loss pain, time tracking:

• brings focus on profitable activities
• limits multitasking
• delivers a review of your day in a clear timeline.

How to Apply Time Tracking: Monitor how you spend your time using a free time tracking app or simple logs to record activities in intervals. Close monitoring helps spot patterns of productivity and see where you need improvement.

#2: Goal Setting

Time management is impossible without planning. Learning to plan and prioritize creates space for important things, which diminishes stress and improves motivation by bringing purposefulness. The planning strategy includes:

• setting objectives
• choosing priorities
• building the tasks dependencies.

Great Strategy Quote by Michael Porter:

Sound strategy starts with having the right goal.

Creating action plans according to importance rather than urgency removes the question of time shortage by constructing an unbroken daily workflow and providing the instruments for the accomplishment of short and long-term goals.

Clear goals match the SMART criteria.

• Specific: If you remember, a treasure map is a piece of land with a red cross that points📌 to gold buried there. That’s specificity – with it, you have aims and objectives and are sharply focused on what you want to accomplish.
• Measurable: It is like a fitness band that keeps track of every step you take. In a broad context, it turns intangible goals into tangible by providing quantitative analysis and showing proof of impact of your actions 🏁
• Achievable: The goal can be ambitious and hard but it must not be out of reach. Achievability means that you are ready to push yourself as far as it is reasonable and feasible.
• Relevant: Relevance of your goals creates a purpose⭐. It also prevents wasting energy or falling into procrastination traps.
• Time-bound: Make the goals time-bound to construct healthy pressure and drive. The deadlines are a good ally to a proper plan of action.

Make SMART goals a part of your time management strategy, and it will help you focus your efforts in the right direction.#3: Habit Building

#3: Consistency in Habit Building

By instilling keystone habits (not being late, exercising, avoiding sleep deprivation, eating healthy, recognizing stress triggers, etc.) into your daily routine, you elevate your time management skills to a new level.

Habits when developed and cultivated, tend to become automatic. Hence, creating the 'right habits menu' helps you build the necessary skills and achieve success.

Great Strategy Quote by Seth Godin:

Fitting in is a short-term strategy, standing out pays off in the long run.

Habits pave the way to practicing certain behaviors on autopilot. It makes habits more important than willpower. Having good habits empowers you with determination, and brings clarity in goals and actions.

#4: 2-Minute Rule

Though it may seem primitive, it is a working productivity strategy.

It implies that tasks requiring 2 minutes to perform MUST be done instantly.

If you follow this simple rule, it guarantees to save time and boost efficiency.

It helps you avoid procrastination and get rid of small, nagging tasks that can add up and consume a lot of time, if not addressed promptly.

Examples of tasks that fit the 2-Minute Rule

1. Response to a simple email or message
2. A quick phone call to confirm an appointment
3. Filing a document or saving a file to its designated folder
4. Update of a to-do list or calendar entry
5. Quick tidying up of a workspace or desk
6. Instant message to someone
7. Bookmark for a useful article or resource
8. Setting a reminder or alarm for a future event

Benefits of the 2-Minute Rule

• It reduces procrastination because you decrease the number of tasks to avoid.
• You can focus on more important tasks once you know the small tasks do not bother you.
• It clears the mental clutter and helps be in control.

How to Do the 2-Minute-Rule

• Set a timer for 2 minutes and challenge yourself to complete the task.
• If you have multiple tasks that fit the 2-Minute Rule, favor important ones.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Be realistic about how long a task will take. If it's going to take much more than 2 minutes, don't try to apply the rule.
• Avoid getting sidetracked by other tasks or distractions.
• Don't apply the 2-Minute Rule to tasks that require deep work.

#5: "Attention Residue" Management

In 2009, using psychological studies, Sophie Leroy came up with a topic called the “attention residue”. The intention behind this strategy is most pronounced with the kind of tasks that are complex or those that require a lot of thinking.

It is recommended to take a moment to "clear your mental cache" when switching between tasks. This can help you avoid carrying over mental residue from one task to another.

How to Do It

• Design a short changeover routine between two activities.
• Spend a minute to reflect on the completed task.
• Make a list of all the issues that remain on your mind.
• Consciously "close" the mental file on the previous task.
• Do some quick mindfulness exercises (two deep breaths, close your eyes for about 20-30 seconds).

Pro Tips

• Make a task closure list and check it.
• Reduce notifications, especially when you switch between tasks.
• Develop a task transition routine.

For a better experience, you can try note-taking apps and mindfulness meditation apps.

Benefits

• Minimized number of cognitive switches
• Decreased mental fatigue
• Reduced stress arising from switching between tasks
• Enhanced engagement.

#6: Taking Breaks

Even micro-breaks can boost productivity and improve time management. Breaks are also important because they support emotional regulation and mental resilience.

⭐For breaks to be effective, they should be planned not situational.

How to Do It

• Schedule pauses when planning a certain part of the day
• Use a calendar or time-blocking app to receive regular reminders on breaks
• Engage in a motor activity (taking stretches, taking a walk)
• Practice mindfulness and meditation
• Do not forget about hydration and healthy snacks
• Use breaks for a brief social interaction
• Avoid screens during breaks
• Set do-not-disturb modes.

Pro Tip: Listen to your body

• Pause before the organism is worn out and productivity reduces. Even highly energetic persons begin to show signs of mental tiredness (after 52 minutes of focused work, it is highly recommended that you take a break).

#7: Productive Peaks

Circadian rhythms greatly affect cognition and the best time individuals are fully awake is between 10 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.

Peak Time Indicators:

• High mental clarity
• Fast problem-solving
• Enhanced concentration
• Reduced mental fatigue
• Increased motivation.

On the other hand, individual peak times differ with time of the day preferences which include morning and evening chronotypes.

How to Do It

Start slowly and steadily, facilitate, evaluate, and adapt.

• Note peak concentration times. Are there specific times when you feel more focused and energized? Writing goals in a journal or using an app that records productivity will help here.
• Optimize task scheduling. Assign complex, critical tasks during peak hours. Reserve low-energy periods for routine work.
• Create a flexible weekly schedule.

#8: ‘Done List’

'Done List" is an effective strategy for time management. Here's how to implement the "Done List" strategy for personal time management.

• Establish a second journal or electronic document as the “Done List.”
• It is recommended to jot down each accomplished activity right after the completion of that task.
• This section should contain the date, and description of the task, and the brief reflection (optional).
• Once a week go over the list to paint a picture of progress and the need to push forward.

Why It Works

• Neurologically, logging achievements triggers dopamine release.
• Psychologically, it helps a person decrease stress levels and become more confident
• It gives a tangible proof of productivity
• It helps identify the most effective work patterns and time investments.

Personal Time Management Benefits

• It switches perspective from what is still to be done to what has in fact been done.
• It develops a positive reinforcement cycle.
• It minimizes productivity anxiety
• It provides data for rational evaluation of daily/weekly performance.

Recommended Tracking Frequency

• Minimum: Daily logging
• Ideal: Real-time task completion recording
• Maximum: Hourly progress snapshots.

#9: Saying No

Saying no is a successful time management strategy – it can enhance concentration and reduce distractions, especially from other non-essential tasks.

Highly productive people practice 'time protection' because it is important for strategic thinking.

The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything. – Warren Buffer

Here's a strategic approach to saying no and saving your time.

How to Say No Effectively

• Be direct and clear. Give a short and genuine explanation. If possible, suggest some form of a solution. To say 'I can’t commit to this right now' is normal!
• Answer on time to avoid misconceptions.

Time management example: When faced with objections, it's essential to address them thoughtfully. For instance, if someone uses the phrase “But it’s important” you can let the response be “How well does it fit within my current objectives?”

In case of guilt tactics employed against you, do not lose track of your priorities.

When you are stuck with the fear that you are missing out on something, think critically about the consequences that your action causes. You should always reflect if those opportunities are in line with your general vision and mission.

Key Mindset: The time you have is what you consider priceless. It is not selfish to protect something – it’s called strategic personal leadership.

Top 5 Advanced Time Management Techniques for Work

#1: Time Blocking

Time blocking is the time management technique that involves scheduling certain hours of the day when work activities will be accomplished with minimal interruption.

How to Do It

• Strategic Task Categorisation

Cluster the like activities (communications, cognitive work, interactions).

• Create Buffer Zones

Allow 10-15 minutes between blocks. It means that certain portions of a day can be left open and fluid to prevent too rigid schedules.

• Use Digital Tools Effectively

Take advantage of calendar applications that offer color coding. Set automated do-not-disturb modes during focused work blocks. Use various forms of productivity measurements to further improve your strategy. In particular, you can use TMetric for effective time blocking.

#2: The Pomodoro Technique with an Advanced Twist

Traditional Pomodoro involves working for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. The advanced twist includes longer focus sessions and customized break activities.

Core Structure

• Work Session: Keep focus on work for 50 minutes
• Break: Intentional recovery for 10 minutes

How to Do It

• Personalized Break Activities

Choose restorative activities matching your energy needs, – for example, meditation, stretching, a short walk, or a power nap that allows the body to recharge.

• Track Energy

After each working session, reflect on productivity and energy level. Use the results to change the work/break schedule to match performance rhythms.

• Be Mindful of Breaks

Make it screen-free time and silence notifications.

Why Advanced Pomodoro Works

• It extends a 25-minute model and allows you to level up your time management skills
• It enables you to practice deep work
• It customizes productivity and regards your individual rhythm.

#3: Priority Matrix (Eisenhower Box)

The Priority Matrix is one of the most used time management techniques, which was developed to divide tasks into 4 categories regarding their priority.

Quadrants

1. Urgent and Important: Do immediately
2. Important but Not Urgent: Schedule
3. Urgent but Not Important: Delegate
4. Neither Urgent nor Important: Eliminate.

Bonus Tips

• Daily Review: Take ten minutes every morning to categorize your tasks according to the matrix, following the urgent and important quadrants and giving priority to assigned tasks.
• Color-Coding: You might want to color code different quadrants in your planner, that way priority levels will be easier to note.

Key Benefit

It enables you to prioritize work, work smart, and avoid work-related stress, thus enhancing productivity.

#4: Batch Processing

The Core Idea: Organize by similarity, increase effectiveness

Batching is the concept of collecting together similar tasks and then scheduling particular time frames to accomplish them. This way, you reduce context switching, you save your brain the effort to remember what was going on before, and you have that clear mental capacity for the work that needs doing.

It is simple but it has the potential to cause major changes in your time management and work-life balance.

Here are three practical tips to get you started.

• Outline those tasks that occur often – email checking or making phone calls – and reserve specific time daily or weekly when these tasks are exclusively performed. To avoid any distractions or tendency to complete these time windows later, use calendar blocking.
• On mail, filter and sort your messages so that you can categorize them, and check on applications that allow you to cluster related tasks together. Automation tools can also reduce cycle time and improve efficiency in activities that may otherwise be done manually, thus making more time for value-added activities. That is why, leveraging the technology clearly elevates your batch-processing game.
• To maximize benefits of the batch processing one has to be focused and not be distracted. Check and modify your batch processing schedule whenever possible so that it stays relevant and beneficial.

How to Use TMetric for Task Batching

1. Task Categorization
   TMetric enables you to tag tasks as billable or non-billable, as well as by their nature or clients or projects. It helps you categorize similar tasks that can be combined.
2. Time Tracking Analysis
   After reviewing your time recordings, you will be able to estimate what tasks are identical or have a similar time span. These can be grouped in one basket.

Practical Example:
Active Tags:
Your tags might be as simple as development that would be useable on any project.
Work Types:
For distinction of different billing structures as a client-service provider, define work types like consulting work with no set rate and testing work type for $ 10.00 USD per hour.

Benefits:

• Improved Efficiency: The need to focus more on one type of tasks or the type of tasks that are less yielding is also made clear by categorizing them.
• Better Client Management: Can assist in identifying which clients or projects are using most of the firms’ time and energy.
• Streamlined Reporting: Grouped tasks help in preparing reports for billing and performance as it is easy to work with group assignments.

This type of structuring of tasks also adds great value to the chaotic approach to time and money, making it easier to categorize and prioritize.

#5: Reflective Review and Iterative Improvement

Regularly review your performance and time management strategies.

Implement small, incremental changes
Test new productivity techniques for 1-2 weeks
Continuously refine approach based on empirical results

Key Implementation Steps

• The daily self-assessment should be conducted as part of a broader weekly self-assessment.
• Pin down those activities that are either unproductive or have inefficiencies built into them.
• There is a need to employ quantitative data to facilitate strategic changes. To get accurate data, record time spent on different tasks with the help of applications and/or spreadsheets.
• Rate overall performance during the week by evaluating time consumption against the set targets.
• Find strategies for one of the following weeks that will help in the further enhancement of the work.

15 Best Tools for Time Management

We researched assisting software that guaranteed to improve time management skills to collect tools for this guide. Our goal was to find the software that best:

• track work hours to bill for them
• facilitate goal setting
• support in building healthy habits.

We checked that our recommends would apply to work-related tasks and, thus, could promote the idea of work-life balance.

TMetric: Stress-Free Work Time Tracking

Timekeeping can be a thorny task but TMetric removes the pressure of memorizing and calculating.

It supports all devices and platforms, which means that users can switch without fear of losing data or locking out of a tracking system.

The implementation of TMetric time tracker allows you to become solution-focused 🕒🚀🌟

Moreover, time tracking can also be the means of coping with the fallout from the crisis: knowing time metrics will help adjust to all the work environments and alter ways of time and resource allocation for better accomplishment.

More top tips: Choosing TMetric supplies you with 'right-measure-metrics' that exclude lack of strategic planning and ensure your time management works for you.

TimeBloc: Time Blocking App

Regarding the fact that knowledge workers experience 56 (!) interruptions of their work per day, it comes as no surprise that lots of employees work beyond scheduled time and on weekends to meet deadlines or have tasks completed, which in the long run causes stress and decreases productivity.

TimeBloc is the top time blocking app that creates smooth time blocking experience. Users can block a day be events, hours or minutes. They can also mark events with icons and colored tags 🎨or reschedule events in a drag-and-drop manner across the timelines.

More top tips: By applying a calendar integration, you can incorporate your existing calendar events into time allocation plan.

Smarter Time: Time Usage Analysis Tool

By implementing this app, time management comes naturally. It helps control your phone time, improve your focus, and elevate your productivity.
Smarter Time records your time whether you are monitoring it for your personal or business goals.

It is designed to create a detailed time log of all kinds of activities. It helps you create adequate timeframes and achieve deep focus while performing the tasks.

More top tips: For identifying the probable missteps in your time management strategy, it provides precise analytics of your time spending📉.

Timeular : Physical Time Tracker

It is a physical time tracker that you keep on your desk. Its digital presence is available across Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and you can try for free for 30 days to explore all the features in-depth.

Timeular is an innovative solution for tracking time and maintaining motivation for increased productivity🐱‍👤. Being tangible, it enhances time tracking experience and provides users with novel ways of taking control over time.

More top tips: Switch between a variety of symbols for maintaining work-life balance and strategic time allocation.

Kimai: Web Time Tracker

Kimai is a time tracking system that has a web browser based interface. This time tracking open source solution suits individuals and teams and in addition to work time calculations provides project budget tracking options to build proper time management while realizing strategic project planning.

You can keep track of your expenses✍✅ based on activity to get an instant overview of the profitability of your time.

More top tips: You keep your data safe with self-hosted environments and enjoy service for free.

Strides: Goal-Setting App

Strides is one of the leaders among goal-setters: it lets you track both specific goals and recurring tasks. The app helps you focus on your streak and turn it into a habit. The progress is marked with green or red to keep you on track. Strides is equally suitable for big or small-scaled projects.

With the option of the Milestone Tracker, the user can easily spot what holds them back and what brings guaranteed success🥇💯. The user account is in sync with all devices.

More top tips: Navigating among 4 types of trackers, you will close the distance between goal and achievement stress-free and will be able to align with time flow proactively.

GoalsOnTrack: Daily Planner

The app presents a comprehensive solution to focus on the goals and stay motivated for making steady progress daily. GoalsOnTrack enables you to set SMART goals and categorize them into sub-goals. It has a simple intuitive design to help you perform goal tracking hassle-free.

It ensures keeping the most important routines and goals together in one place. Additionally, the solution offers a percentage indication of goal achievement📢, so that the user could monitor their progress easily.

More top tips: the reminders in this goal tracker can help you hold accountable, and Active Goals dashboard will keep you motivated once you tap in your phone.

Remente: Self Improvement: Digital Planner

Making plans and incorporating goals into the scheduled day by day is the only way to create life-changing habits and achieve results. This app promises to listen to you personally, and, with the options it offers, it proves it does.

Use a detailed day planner alongside long-term goal actions. Besides, it has a life assessment tool for sharpening your focus and a mood journal📖 to maintain work life balance.

More top tips: Without leaving the app, you can dive in a collection of articles and exercises on almost any aspect of life.

My Phone Time: Distraction Management App

If you do not limit your screen time, your time management road can be bumpier than anticipated. To focus and increase productivity, applying My Phone Time can be the right solution.

It helps you measure time spent on your phone📴📳. It also tells you which apps you're using most frequently and allows you to block 'goal-distraction-agents' while keeping a whitelist for updates and communications.

More top tips: If you feel that your time management strategy requires a review, you can get detailed overtime analytics of phone apps usage.

Toodledo: Task Management App

We all know that the time we spend on prioritizing we are not spending on the actual work. Therefore, a tool that would help us automate this process and see our priorities in hierarchy, could be a game-changer🎯.

Toodledo can not only track the priority but operate on various kinds of input including start date, due date, time, length or status of a task. Users can also apply search by filters while keeping top priority tasks on top.

More top tips: It has customizable widgets and full integration with Android accounts for a more consistent experience.

Habit Forest: Habit Builder App

App number one for building good habits. The Habit Forest assists not only in creating useful habits but maintaining them. If a user keeps focus on the habit, the trees🌳🌲🌳 of the Habit Forest grow. With the small seeds you plant, you establish the habit that will benefit you in the future.

More top tips: You can grow various trees, enjoy nice sticker packs and choose among colorful themes to boost your motivation.

DiveThru: Stress Management App

The best choice for stress⚡ management. Developers collaborate with mental health professionals to create guided journaling exercises that assist in defining goals, self-discovery, and building a positive relationships with time.

The addressed issues include career-related experiences, self-esteem, and adjustment to the role of a student, parent, etc.

More top tips: You can choose among 1000 of journaling exercises to tackle challenges with ease.

Loop Habit Tracker : Habit Tracking Tool

The great app that will help you track your daily goals hassle-free. With its scheduling🗓️ features, it enables you to set the habit for a certain number of days on a weekly basis. This kind of frequency is proved to be optimal for developing a good habit: you don't have to change habits too often but still maintain motivation for moving forward with confidence.

More top tips: It works perfectly well for achieving long-range goals and cultivating healthy habits with insights delivered in stats📊📈 and multi-color diagrams.

HabitMinder : Habit and Goal Builder

The big advantage of the app is its intuitive design and smooth integration with the Apple Watch and other health-related apps, which means that you don't have to overstretch yourself and deal with data re-entry.

It provides you with just enough habit-building goals to try. Habit setup is extremely easy, and in case you still have questions, there is great customer service📞 available with a click.

More top tips: it has a nice widget that allows you to track your progress directly from the iOS home screen without starting the app.

My Sleep Bot: Sleep Management App

Getting enough sleep is one of the underrated habits in the fast-paced environment consumed with the idea of achievement at all cost. Meanwhile, a healthy sleep routine is vital in time management because it ensures you wake up refreshed and ready for the day.

SleepBot-Sleep Cycle Alarm records your sleep hours and generates suggestions on how you can improve your sleep. In a series of graphs, it introduces the patterns for better sleep💤.

More top tips: SleepBot-Sleep Cycle Alarm helps not only create a good sleep routine but also calculates the exact time of the sleep duration a user needs.