13 Effective Time Management Strategies

Many people feel as though there aren’t enough hours in the day. It can be a struggle to stay on top of work responsibilities, self-care, a social life, and other obligations. This can have serious implications for not only your academic or professional performance, but also your well-being and ability to enjoy life.

If this is the case in your life, implementing time management strategies can help you find ways to get more done in less time, freeing you up to do the things you want and helping you avoid excess stress. Below are 13 reliable strategies for organizing your time.

1. Develop routines

Having consistency in your daily schedule may make certain tasks feel almost automated, which can lighten the mental load of balancing several responsibilities at once. When you focus on specific tasks every day at the same time, you may be able to build predictability and organization into your schedule. For example, you might develop a routine in which you check emails, exercise, and eat at specific times throughout the day.

2. Prioritize key tasks

Doing the most important or difficult tasks first may help you get everything done on your list. When you tackle critical tasks first, it may help you focus on those tasks completely to get them finished more efficiently. Then, all you’ll have left are small tasks that can be easily knocked out one after another. You can think of this technique like ripping off a bandage; by getting yourself over the most difficult hump in your schedule, you may find that other, smaller demands feel easier to tackle.

3. Reallocate personal time

Even in the midst of other responsibilities or distractions, scheduling time into your day for personal tasks may help you feel more productive. For example, instead of being too drained after work to call a friend, you can schedule your conversation during the afternoon while you take a break between tasks.

4. Create effective to-do lists

Checklists are vital time management tools. Many times, though, the tasks you need to complete on one list can be overwhelming. Instead, try making use of multiple lists and organize them in a way that makes sense to you. You might, for example, create a list each morning of the tasks you must complete for the day. You can also create a separate list of tasks that need to be done over the long term, and one of tasks that can be done when you have the time. 

5. Minimize distractions

Distractions can easily become time wasters. Some of the most common distractions are things like social media, video games, and tv; but almost any activity that takes your attention away from your responsibilities can be considered a distraction.

The best thing you can do to minimize distractions may be to put your phone on silent and turn off all notifications on your devices while you are working on a task. 

6. Avoid multi-tasking

While multi-tasking may feel like a more efficient method of balancing your responsibilities, this strategy can be mentally draining, and research suggests that it may lead to decreased productivity. When you are frequently shifting between various tasks, your mind may spend a lot of its energy trying to adjust. That means that truly focusing on and devoting enough mental energy to your obligations may be difficult. Instead of multi-tasking, try to tackle your to-do list one item at a time. Focusing all your attention on each task may actually help you complete everything more quickly. 

7. Make use of technology

There are numerous applications available to download or use online that can help with several areas of time management. For instance, you may find an app that creates timers for different responsibilities, download a digital planner tool that helps you manage your to-do lists, or make use of websites that help you save your time from potential distractions.

8. Organize consistently

If you struggle finding things —whether they’re files on your computer, tools in your home, or clothes in your bedroom—you may lose a lot of time. Ensuring you have what you need at your disposal on a regular basis can help save you energy and avoid excess stress. There are a lot of different methods of organization to use, so even if organizing isn’t your strong suit, you can likely find a system that works for you. 

9. Delegate responsibilities

Often, one of the hardest things to accept when you are trying to get everything done on your to-do list is the simple fact that one person can't always do it all. Chances are, there are quite a few tasks on your to-do list that you don't have to do personally – what matters most may be that they get done at all. 

Delegating, then, is a useful time management strategy that can be used by nearly anyone. If you work within a team environment and you notice someone has time that you don't have, ask them to take a couple of smaller tasks off your plate. You can also free up personal time by delegating small tasks to other individuals in your family or asking for help from friends.

10. Set goals 

Goal setting is often extremely important when it comes to time management. When you have a list of tasks to complete without a clear goal or understanding of why you’re doing them, it can become difficult to work your way through your plans without feeling overwhelmed. Goals may also help you feel more empowered and in control of your time, as intentional decisions and clarity can often lead to realizations about what matters most and what doesn’t.

Consider setting goals based on the SMART framework. SMART goals should be: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time sensitive. You should likely have goals for larger projects, but also for each day, week, or month. The clearer your goals are, the better at managing your time you may be.

11. Use time blocking

It may be easier to avoid multi-tasking if you’ve already allocated your time among the various obligations you must fulfill each day. Time blocking is a system in which you devote each period of (productive) time you have to a specific task. For example, you may divide the first three hours of your day evenly, with the first hour being spent answering emails, the second calling clients, and the third doing research. Knowing exactly when you’ll be working on various tasks can help you get things done one at a time and avoid worrying about when to transition.  

12. Analyze how you spend time

It may be particularly important when first starting to implement time management strategies that you analyze how you are spending your time. Consider keeping a log of how your time is spent throughout the day. Are you getting distracted? What is keeping you from getting things done? Look closely at your habits and see what needs to be eliminated or improved.

13. Seek support

When you analyze how you spend your time, you may discover you are losing time to things seemingly beyond your control. You may find yourself preoccupied by anxiety, doing nothing for long periods due to a lack of motivation, or unable to focus for more than a few minutes at a time. 

Research suggests that online therapy can help individuals address mental health concerns that may arise out of the challenges of organizing one’s life. For example, in a meta-analysis that included 14 studies, researchers concluded that online therapy can reduce perceived stress in participants. The primary measure of stress used in the studies was the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which largely focuses on how well an individual can control the responsibilities in their life. Additionally, the study’s authors mention that online therapy can play a role in “reducing therapist time and enabling increased care for patients”.

If you’d like to learn how to better manage your time or address mental health concerns related to life’s everyday challenges, consider utilizing an online therapy platform like BetterHelp. With online therapy, you can set appointments for times that work for you and receive regular reminders of upcoming sessions, which can make planning easier. Your therapist can also connect you with useful resources, such as at-home exercises geared toward helping you manage your time.