Time management techniques sound familiar to adults. Especially if you want to manage your projects in a short period. Well, you know everyone has 24 hours a day to finish the tasks at hand. But, why do you often feel that the time isn't enough?
It's safe to say, time management is also about managing yourself. You can control how you spend your time, take action or eliminate all of the time wasters.
If you’re struggling with applying time management to your projects, you come to the right place.
Before we dive into time management techniques, let's take a look at the definition of time management.
What is a time management technique?
One article from the International Institute of Time Management showed that time management is a systematic approach to organising projects and other tasks in your life.
Time management techniques involve establishing clear goals and objectives for the project, setting deadlines, and using communication tools to keep track of progress.
Planning time management techniques involve determining how long it will take to complete the project and accomplish resources to tasks based on estimated deadlines.
Execution time management techniques for your project involve ensuring that all tasks are completed as scheduled and that no tasks are left unfinished.
Try a project management tool using VirtualSpace can help you improve your work and time management skills.
Time Management and self-esteem
Everyone has a strategy that works for their specific situation. Some people use calendars and journals to keep track of their tasks, while others rely on mobile and desktop apps.
The task can be divided into short-term goals and long-term goals. If you can achieve each milestone on your goals, it can boost your self-esteem, which is a sense of accomplishment.
While the inability to hit all tasks may lead you to ineffective time management, which negatively impacts your self-esteem.
Keep in mind that it’s unrealistic to think you can do all of them at the same time. Instead of finishing all of your tasks immediately, a Psychology expert suggests you do these things:
- Sort your jobs according to the urgency
- Realistic about your timeline for completing your task
- Set a plan
Successful project management is all about taking the right steps and following through with your commitments.
You need to be organised, keep track of your progress, and have a plan for when things don’t go as planned. If you can do these things correctly, you’ll be able to manage your projects successfully.
But how can you know if your efforts are enough? And what are some key project management techniques? This article will give you a crash course in applied time management for successful projects.
How to apply time management techniques to a project?
One of the most important techniques for managing time is staying on track with your time management plans. It means knowing how to keep track of your work and making sure you spend the right amount of time on each task.
To help you stay organised and on track, use tools like a calendar or to-do list, and make sure you have an understanding of your project goals.
You can also use technology to help keep track of your progress, such as a smartwatch or app that records your progress.
5 Types of Time Management Techniques
Here are the popular time management techniques to apply to your project.
1. Pomodoro Technique
Pomodoro is a time management technique that has been used by many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. Francesco Cirillo developed Pomodoro in the late 1980s. Cirillo was having difficulty concentrating on his studies and completing assignments.
Then, he challenged himself to commit to only 10 minutes of focused study time. Encouraged by the challenge, he discovered a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato (Pomodoro in Italian), and the Pomodoro technique was born.
The basic idea of Pomodoro is to break down a task or project into smaller, more manageable chunks and then complete them within a specific period.
How Pomodoro works:
- List your tasks.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes, then focus on your task until the alarm goes off.
- When your first session ends, give a mark on the first Pomodoro.
- Take a break for 5 minutes.
- Repeat steps 2 to 5.
- After 4 Pomodoros, you can take a longer break for 15-25 minutes.
2. Kanban
Kanban is a popular lean workflow management technique for defining, managing and improving knowledge work services. It enables you to visualise your job, increase productivity, and continuously get better.
Kanban boards serve as a visual representation of the work, enabling you to manage even the most complicated projects in a single location while streamlining the delivery of work across multiple teams.
Kanban is another time management technique that has been used by many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. Kanban is based on the theory that every day should have at least one item completed, rather than everything being done at once.
This allows for more focused work and makes it easier for team members to communicate with each other.
How Kanban works:
Kanban boards can be arranged into three parts: To Do, Doing, and Done.
- If you haven't started your task yet, all of the cards will be on your To Do.
- Once you started working on them, you’d put them in Doing.
- When you've finished each task, place its card in the Done.
3. Eat the Frog
Brian Tracy, a productivity expert, and author popularised the Eat the Frog productivity framework.
The methodology's main premise is based on a famous Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”
In the workplace, your frog, also known as your most important task, must complete in one day.
Eating the frog time management technique will help you focus on your work and make sure everyone on your team is communicating effectively.
How “Eat the Frog” works:
- Identify your "frog" (most important task).
- Eat your "frog" as soon as you get it.
- Every day, repeat the same action.
If you eat more of the "frog", you'll get more results.
4. Time Blocking
Time blocking allows you to arrange your day into blocks of time. A specified task, or set of tasks, is the only thing that is accomplished during each block.
You'll begin each day with a specific schedule that outlines what you'll work on and when, instead of keeping an indefinite list of tasks that you'll complete when you have time.
Setting up a dedicated weekly review is necessary. The key to this technique is prioritising your task list beforehand.
Time blocking is another time management technique that has been used by many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs.
How Time Blocking Works:
- Creating a set amount of time for a task.
- Starting the task/project immediately after the allocated time has passed without any breaks between tasks/projects.
- This allows you to focus on one task at a time while still allowing your body some rest periods.
5. Pickle Jar Theory
A pickle jar theory is an approach to time management that emphasises tasks and responsibilities in a set order.
Jeremy Wright created this theory in 2002 with the idea that time is a finite space with limits.
It’s also known as the "bucket of pebbles theory" or the "jar of life theory." In a nutshell, the analogy of the pickle jar uses the jar to represent your usual day and the sand, pebbles, and rocks to represent routine tasks.
How Pickle Jar Theory works:
- The sand: it can represent phone calls, texts, emails, social media, etc.
- The pebbles: represent the task that can be delegated to another person or day.
- The rocks: the most important task of the day.
Further, other sources increase by including water, which stands for one's private life. You can put a variety of duties and activities in the jar. But, we must stick to a set schedule and order for each task.
Wrapping Up
Time management techniques can help reduce stress and help you achieve project goals.
By finding the time you need to do the right things, and reducing the amount of time you spend on projects that don't matter.
Further, you can use Pomodoro, Kanban, Eat the Frog, Pickle Jar Theory, and Time Blocking strategies to keep your projects moving forward at a healthy pace.
Apply these best management techniques to your next project to experience great results. Then, use project management tools to support your project at hand.
