Posted by Daksh Haldar on May 14, 2019

In a world that is obsessed with getting things done, the focus has shifted from having a qualitative output to a quantitative one. This massive paradigm shift in career-related areas makes a lot of people feel conflicted about the way they see their work. For those that had their hearts set on a certain career, the need for passion is fast becoming redundant, with productivity taking center stage. The world is a lovely place to be, I’m sure, but what do we say to those who feel disillusioned and yet hope to find meaning in their work? There are answers galore, and with strategies presenting themselves at every bend in the road we embarked on a quest to pin down the most effective strategies.

And so the call for time management has echoed like a battle cry across the world. With organizations lobbying for better or reduced work hours, better working conditions, more efficient tools to work with, it seems like time management is the only viable solution to getting things done. And though there is no dearth of strategies to manage your time, we have shortlisted four of the best ways to manage time.

Make a Timetable!

One of the chief methods of time management suggested everywhere is one that has been reiterated from our school days, the easiest of them all, and perhaps, therefore, easily ignored. It is a timetable. Our teachers always tell us this when our exams approach so that we don’tfind ourselved pulling all-nighters. But unfortunately, the time it takes to sit down and draw up a schedule makes us procrastinate and further delay this task. In the end, it is yet another task that bites the dust. But people have found that dividing up their day into smaller bite-size work intervals has helped them get through major portions of their work. I think it plays on the psychology of the human mind. With the completion of a task, the mind releases a dose of dopamine to propel us and make us happy. This works in much the same way; when you get through one work interval successfully, you want to do more.

But remember that timetables often turn mundane. The way to get over this is by crafty use of breaks in your schedule. The Pomodoro Technique, which employs a strategically placed break at the end of a short work cycle, helps the mind focus and breathe…

Remember to prioritize! It’s important to know what you’re giving your time to!

Using To-Do Lists!

Making and following a to-do list not only furthers our attempt to complete our work but also brings into focus the tasks that are waiting for our attention. When we have penned down our tasks, it becomes that much simpler to set a time limit for each task, while also making the process of prioritization better and simpler. To-do lists are an efficient way to handle the tasks that need completion.

To-dos are good for you!

Cut Out The Noise and Distractions!

The secret to increasing productivity is to manage your time well!

And here we don’t mean just the noise of traffic on the road or in the hallway. It’s all kinds of traffic from the internal to the external. Do away with distractions that impede your progress. This means, muting that annoying family group, and all other things that are not work-related. You must concentrate on work during work hours if you want to get stuff done. If, like the rest of us, you too are working from home, keep in mind to carve out a space for yourself. Read about how to work from home here…

While a distraction now and then is a good thing, it proves to be a hindrance to completing work on time. Therefore, all social obligations are to be slotted into your schedule when you feel you’ve completed a satisfactory amount of work.

The world’s markets are an increasingly competitive place. Thus, one must always remember to work smarter, instead of harder. Time and energy-efficient ways are the keys to getting work done. “We live in a culture obsessed with personal productivity. We devour books on getting things done and dream of four-hour workweeks,” says Adam Grant. He believes that we must also change the way in which we think. He suggests attention management. This way you focus on things as and when they come to you and focus on getting them done.