5 Time Management Tips That Can Increase Your Productivity

The Information Age has created a situation where there is so much information available on almost every topic imaginable.

As a result, information overload has become a common experience to the ordinary individual trying to sift through volumes of email, video, audio, eBooks and printed material.

This leads to more confusion and overwhelm, thus affecting your productivity.

When you have too many things clamoring for your attention, you quickly realize the importance of managing your time.

In this article, we’ll go over 5 time management tips you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you save time and increase your productivity.

 1. Check your email once or twice a day and NEVER the first thing in the morning

The reason behind this is that email and social media can be one of the biggest distractions that will keep you from being productive.

A single email can easily derail the best plans you may have laid out for your day.

I used to spend 2 to 3 hours a day reading and replying emails, and this small change has saved me two hours every day.

 2. Make a clear distinction between urgency and importance

If you are spending a lot of time on activities that do not lead you closer to your goals, you are wasting time.

This is irrespective of whether what you are doing sounds urgent.

Do not fall into the trap of confusing activity with productivity.

Make sure that your goals for the next day are clearly established and written down before you go to bed at night.

3. Take time off to relax

We all need to get enough rest to recharge our batteries.

Without the well needed rest, you will find yourself wasting time sorting petty issues and getting unnecessarily irritable.

As counterintuitive as it may seem, rest and productivity go hand in hand.  Take a few days off and stay away from any work related activities.

When you get back to work, you will find yourself refreshed and energized.

4. Switch off your cell phone during your most productive hours

The convenience of a cell phone has turned it into a nuisance.

We suddenly want to be connected to the world 24 hours a day, lest we miss an important phone call or some urgent news.

This is not necessary.

Once you establish your most productive hours, it is important to let people know that you do not take calls during those particular hours of the day.

I know very productive people who have resisted carrying a cell phone because the only way they can eliminate unnecessary distraction is by making sure they can’t easily be accessed.

5. Evaluate your day before you go to bed at night

When you compare what you set out to do with what you actually accomplished, you create a sense of accountability for how you have spent your day.

Understanding what went wrong, or why you were not able to complete all your tasks for the day will help you refine your activities for the next day.

Do not feel bad if you did not meet all your targets for the day.

Simply find a way to fit them into your schedule for the next day and pay particular attention to those specific activities that never go off your to-do list.

By simply eliminating a few habits that may be consuming your precious time, you can join the ranks of those who seem to be more productive than you without working any extra hours.

This will also allow you to take control of your life in no time. Implement one or all of these time management tips and see what happens.