One cannot be an employee without going through a series of hiring processes. You have experience creating your documents and even went as far as exploring cover letters and resume examples to achieve the best results on your job application. You have also been through nerve-wracking job interviews and endured sleepless nights thinking about whether you will be accepted or not. Nonetheless, when you finally get accepted into your dream company, it’s the most fulfilling experience ever!
This indicates that you passed the company’s standards. And as a newly hired employee, you must keep conforming to their standards and expectations. In line with this, you need to perform your duties well. An efficient time management skill with which you can complete more tasks in less time can profoundly help you be deemed as a high-functioning employee. If you wish to know more about time management, keep reading!
What is time management?
Time management is the deliberate effort of planning the time you devote to specific tasks or what you do in a given amount of time. Doing so will increase one’s efficiency and productivity in performing their responsibilities. Being skilled at time management not only enables you to become a proactive employee but also allows you to have more time for your hobbies and interests.
How can an employee manage their time efficiently?
- Establish a morning routine.
Several self-improvement books and successful people emphasize the significance of having a morning routine, particularly a productive one. Morning routines differ from one person to another, but ideally, you should not use your phone during the first few hours. More so, working out in the morning is highly encouraged because it’s efficient at boosting one’s energy and setting the tone for the day. By physically preparing your body, you are also mentally preparing yourself to deal with your responsibilities at work.
- Make a To-Do List
No matter how powerful your mind is, it is better to declutter it. Thus, making a to-do list assists you in keeping your thoughts in place by physically putting them out there rather than mentally keeping them. Creating a to-do list allows you to see the things you accomplish and, thus, gives you a sense of accomplishment once you start doing them. You must also keep in mind that creating a to-do list is not sufficient; you must also take action and complete your tasks as soon as possible. By hustling early, you are giving your future self more time to be happy.
- Set a timer.
Setting a timer is one of the most prominent tips in time management. By doing this, you are giving yourself a fixed amount of time to focus and finish your task. Setting a timer makes each working session more consequential and purposeful, as long as you ensure that no distractions are getting in the way.
The Pomodoro technique is highly similar to this since it is about working for 25 minutes and taking a 5-minute break. Nonetheless, you are free to choose what time interval works best for you. It is also advisable to set a timer for your breaks so that you do not end up getting distracted or engaging in mindless scrolling through social media.
- Stick to a schedule.
By allocating specific time to your goals, you make them more attainable. This also helps in eliminating distractions, wasting time, and knowing when to say “no.” Creating a schedule and sticking allows us to accomplish more throughout the day. However, some people lose interest when they encounter things that ruin their schedules. If you wish to apply this method to enhance your time management, you must stay resilient and optimistic throughout the day.
- Prioritize the biggest and most important tasks.
There are times when we don’t have enough time to complete the tasks we set for the day. This is where prioritization comes in handy. Tasks such as those that take a long time to finish, the urgent ones, and the most significant ones must be prioritized. Doing this will reduce your stress level and prevent you from burning out since you are gradually making things easier for yourself.