The most important first step is to write a proper list. It may seem obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people keep their to-do lists in their head or write themselves reminders on scraps of paper, or on the back of their hand. 

 

You need to see all your action points in one place. Getting those thoughts down on paper will help you to prioritise and organise your work – and it’s a great feeling to cross tasks off as you get through them. 

 

There are all sorts of online tools and apps that make list writing and project planning a breeze - Trello, Asana, Remember the Milk, MyLifeOrganised, Wunderlist, and Workflowy to name just a few. But good old fashioned paper lists are just as effective if you use them properly! 

When everything feels like it needs doing all at once, a list can feel pretty overwhelming. It’s very tempting to go straight to the top of the pile and work your way down, with no real plan about what needs doing first. So, you can end up focusing on tasks which could wait, while higher priorities get missed. And the actions at the bottom of the list have a nasty habit of staying there. 

 

So, breaking your list down is really important. It’s where you can get creative with coloured pens if you like! Here are just a few options to help you sort your list into a sensible order: 

• Categorise each task as important/not important and urgent/not urgent. Plan to do the tasks which are urgent and important first. Be ruthless about what you mean by important – it shouldn’t be about who is shouting loudest for your time, but about where the biggest business benefits are (ensuring you meet agreed deadlines of course) 

 

• You could try the ABC method, which involves ranking tasks ABC in order of priority, then A1 A2 A3 etc. 

 

• Some people prefer to use a mind map rather than a linear list, as it allows you to create subcategories easily and group similar actions together 

So, now you have a clear picture of what needs doing and where you need to focus your attention, it’s time to get started. 

 

Setting time limits is a really good way to ensure you spend focused time on a particular task and avoid distractions such as social media and emails. The Pomodoro Technique is a popular method which involves setting a timer for 25-minute bursts. Each session, or Pomodoro, is followed by a 5-minute break before starting again. After four pomodoros, take a half-hour break and repeat until the task is done. 

 

As well as keeping a close eye on the time, and ensuring I focus on the most important tasks first, I try to make sure I complete at least one ‘big’ thing and one ‘small’ thing from my list each day. Some of those smaller, quicker jobs can end up falling down the list because you think you’ll be able to squeeze them in between other tasks – but that often means you run out of time and they don’t get done. Equally, starting the day with something you don’t want to do can be a good way to get a tedious or tricky job out of the way, so you can move on to something more enjoyable. 

Most people think they will be able to fit more into the day than is actually achievable, which can make you feel like you are always failing. Be realistic about how much time each activity takes, and make sure you programme in enough time for things like review, approval, amendments, discussions etc. 

 

If you are struggling to achieve everything that needs to be done, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Delegate tasks if you can or consider outsourcing parts of your business which would free up your time to concentrate on the aspects where you can add the most value. You may need to bring in specific expertise for particularly complex, specialist or technical projects – don’t waste time trying to get up to speed on a subject if it’s not the best use of your expertise. 

There are many other ways to ensure you are getting the most out of your working day, but hopefully, these tips will help get you started. It takes a bit of practice to ensure you don’t fall back into bad habits but stick with it because you’ll get better the more you do. And by ensuring you work more productively, you can free up more time to focus on other things – like walking the dog, going to the gym or taking a holiday. Whatever floats your boat. 

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’d love to hear your time management tips. Please drop me an email at amy@corporateassist.co.uk