Forums

Hello,

Asking for your opinions if what App perfectly works for you in dealing with Time Management. I badly need one so I can prioritize all my work tasks and achieve my goals faster. 

I've heard about Asana and Harvest though, didn't bother to give it a try since I want to hear first from you, guys. 

Hope to read your feedbacks. Thank you.

H Cleall's picture
Licensee Badge

Hello, I suspect I may disappoint you as I don't use an 'App' as such. 'Learning' time management for me has taken time and effort. And I've tried to keep it simple. I use Outlook in the following way:

1. Make sure all my meetings are in the calendar with 15 minute reminders

2. Schedule half an hour to prepare for every meeting at least one day before, sometimes two (you don't always need this long)

3. List all your regular tasks and see what you can delegate or stop doing and put remainder as recurring in your diary

4. Do the same for one off tasks

Note: When adding tasks estimate the time and add 25%. Eventually you will work out what takes how long

5. Only fill half to two thirds of your diary like this. Allow leeway for the unexpected

6. If you don't complete a task reschedule

7. Focus and discipline - put away unnecessary items, distractions and close programs you're not using

As a back up I use a very old school Filofax. I know its duplication but if I lose power I can still work on something.

If I need to really focus on something I will put my out of office on for a couple of hours and let my boss and my team colleagues know.

Every day I review what I have planned fro the day. Every night I review what I did and what is planned for tomorrow. Then tweak if I need to respond/react to something.

The MT podcasts also have some great simple ideas - probably where I got most of mine ;)

 

Hope this helps.

jrb3's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

I have no clue where you think you're "falling short", or why.  That's an issue for a mentor or coach to handle, not some random (even though well-meaning) Internet stranger like me.

What helped me was applying what I'd learned in evaluating algorithms and systems to help resolve problems I had in non-programming contexts.  For instance, from queueing theory:  one thing at a time;  from programming, priority queue;  from mathematics, work methodically and think, starting from first principles when you must.

Look at "The One Thing" by Gary Keller, as a very recent expression I found helpful, and more accessible than materials of generations past that I'm aware of.

Jollymom's picture

Hello guys,

Thanks for your feedback.

I tried using filofax also but, not effective for me since I still miss things. I'll consider your suggestion about checking more podcast to gather more ideas how to handle time effectively. Also, will check the "The One Thing" by Gary Keller. Though, I've read that to achieve extraordinary results, you can't follow the ordinary path. How can you apply it in your work because I guess it doesn't fit all?

 

 

Breanna_Ileen's picture

It just simply means of not following the same routine, always. You have to explore too until you find out what really works for you. Are you into multi tasking or not?  In what time of the day are you most productive? The bottom is you  have to know first the factors around you that is making you slow when it comes to meeting your deadlines. Try the assess and eliminate method. 

Jollymom's picture

Most of the time, I'm into multi tasking due that I'm handling various accounts which requires different management skills. I already started listening to podcast and been applying what I learned for a week now and things are running smoothly. Uhmm can you suggest more podcast focusing on time management and multi tasking? As to app, I encountered Todoist but,still exploring it. Will appreciate if you can recommend one based on your personal experience. Thanks!

 

Andriana.Ellis's picture

Hey,

Great suggestions!

I was also looking for a time management tool. Thanks for the share!

harish kishore's picture

Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact. 

Different people need different time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written list.