Peak Performers by Tiffany Uman

How to master time management

January 22, 2024

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Your time is the most important resource in your career, and yet, it is often taken for granted.

So many of us believe that we always have more time. That there is always tomorrow if we do not get to it today. Or we decide to put something off assuming the future is a given.

When you really think about it, that is quite a privileged mindset.

Seizing the now and being in control of your time is where your focus must remain.

The ability to manage your time efficiently is not just a skill, but a superpower.

As you strive for excellence in every area of life, understanding and implementing effective time management techniques is crucial for staying at the top of your game.

The lines between work and personal life have become more blurred over these past few years, making it even more important to manage your time wisely.

In fact, it is the ability to effectively allocate and utilize time that sets top 1% performers apart.

Consider the concept of achieving more with less time.

For example, most job postings will indicate the preferred number of years of experience (i.e. time). When in reality, the most important metric is actually the impact made within a period of time, not the amount of time itself.

Time alone is not a guaranteed key to success as having more time does not automatically mean better results, accomplishments or execution.

Rather, it is about what you choose to do with your time and how it benefits your career trajectory that truly matters.

"Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can't afford to lose ." - Thomas Edison

Peak performers understand that time is the most valuable resource they have. It is finite, non-renewable, and once spent, it can never be regained.

This realization underscores the essence of mastering time management in your career.

Here's how.

Mistakes getting in the way of your time management.

In your professional growth journey, effective time management stands as one of the most critical skills for success.

However, it is also an area where too many professionals, regardless of their experience or industry, stumble.

The complexity of modern work environments, coupled with the constant influx of information and demands, can lead to critical mistakes in how time is managed.

Here are 5 core mistakes you want to avoid:

→ Failing to prioritize effectively: This often happens when you focus on tasks that are urgent but not truly important towards your development priorities or what will move the needle in the business. Putting out fires constantly at work is one of the biggest distractions when it comes to prioritization. This misalignment results in spending too much time on low-impact activities while high-impact tasks neglect the needed attention.

→ Not saying NO enough: This is where you struggle with declining requests or opportunities, leading to an overloaded schedule. Saying yes to everything will dilute focus and spread yourself too thin. Not to mention, it runs the risk of keeping you in your roles longer because you become so invaluable by taking on everything.

→ Underestimating task duration: A common pitfall is the misjudgment of how long tasks will take, known as the planning fallacy. This is when you underestimate the time required for a task, leading to overpacked schedules and missed deadlines. This mistake stems from optimism bias and a failure to account for potential interruptions or complications.

→ Neglecting breaks and personal time: In the pursuit of productivity, you may frequently skip breaks and encroach on your personal time. Or perhaps your to-do list is so long that it never feels like there is enough time in the day to get it done, so you push through without the needed pauses your body and mental health require of you. This approach often leads to burnout and reduced overall efficiency.

→ Ineffective delegation: The reluctance to delegate tasks is a recipe for disaster. Whether due to a lack of trust in others' abilities or a desire to maintain control, failure to delegate can lead to an overwhelming workload and missed opportunities for team development. This will also negatively impact your ability to focus your time on more strategic areas of your work which, in turn, slows down your progression.

3 best practices to master your time management.

1/ Prioritize ruthlessly

The prioritization of your tasks, projects and goals is the foundation for effective time management, and an approach that allows for sustainable control of your time.

Specifically, this involves distinguishing between what is urgent and what is important at any given time, a concept popularized by Dwight D. Eisenhower's decision matrix.

The key is to focus on tasks that significantly contribute to your long-term goals and objectives.

Ruthless prioritization ensures that your energy and efforts yield the maximum impact in your professional journey. You must work smarter, not longer.

Here are 3 action steps that will move you in the right direction.

→ Implement the Eisenhower box: Each week, categorize your tasks into 4 boxes - important and urgent, important but not urgent, not important but urgent, and not important and not urgent. Focus primarily on the first 2 categories.

→ Set your daily top 3: Each morning, identify the top 3 tasks that will have the most significant impact on your goals and the objectives you are being evaluated against in your role. Make these tasks your primary focus for the day.

→ Review and audit weekly: At the end of each week, review your overall task completion and adjust your priorities for the next week. This regular reflection ensures alignment with your long-term objectives.

Pro tip: Create yourself a Google sheet that includes the following 3 columns: Task, Time, %.

In the first column, indicate the task you performed. In the second column, indicate the amount of time in the week that you dedicated to that task. The % column will then calculate the weighting of that task amongst your other weekly tasks out of 100%.

Once completed, colour code your tasks based on the 4 categories outlined in the Eisenhower matrix. You will then have a visual representation of how you allocated your time that week and determine if the weightings need to be adjusted to better align with your goals, individual objectives and development priorities.

You can even use this as a tool with your boss when discussing workload adjustments and propose your ideal breakdown versus your current reality.

2/ Intentional time blocking

This is an extremely powerful technique to leverage, transforming your calendar into a tool for deliberate and focused work.

By allocating specific blocks of time to different tasks or activities, you create a structure that fosters deep concentration and minimizes distractions. This method turns your intentions into a tangible schedule, helping you to manage your time more effectively.

It also helps you manage expectations amongst colleagues, your boss and other stakeholders you collaborate with.

For example, you can use your time blocks as reminders for your external partners as to when you will be most available to respond to their queries. You can also use this technique to reinforce your boundaries around when you are "on" and when you are "off" the clock.

Here are 4 tactics to support you in implementing time blocking effectively:

→ Allocate dedicated blocks for deep work: Schedule uninterrupted blocks of time for high-priority tasks or those that require more brain power. These blocks should be free from meetings, calls, and emails. You will also want to communicate these time blocks to your team and boss so they respect that instead of impeding on those critical moments in the day.

→ Incorporate buffer blocks: Include short blocks between scheduled tasks to allow for breaks, unforeseen delays, or task overrun. It is ideal to manage your time in a way that works towards worst-case time allotment versus best-case. For instance, if you believe a task will realistically take you 2 hours to complete, stick with 2 hours in your time blocking. Do not try to shortcut this to 1 hour. If you end up finishing sooner, this will serve as bonus time you get back in your day. Otherwise, you run the risk of disappointing yourself and your boss by being overly ambitious in your time blocking.

→ Assign time for emails and meetings: Rather than constantly checking emails or having impromptu meetings, allocate specific times for these activities to avoid disrupting your focus during deep work blocks. Do not be shy on pushing back on meetings that interfere with the priorities you have established for the week. As well, set and manage expectations with other stakeholders around your email response time to avoid conflict or frustration.

→ Review and adjust: At the end of each day, review your time blocks and adjust them for the next day based on your productivity and any unfinished tasks. You can also pre-plan for your upcoming week in a similar fashion.

3/ Delegate more

Understanding when and how to delegate tasks is crucial.

It is easy to take much pride in your work and believe that you can do it better yourself.

You must remember that delegation is not just about offloading work. It is about maximizing team efficiency and focusing your efforts where they are most needed.

Effective delegation involves identifying tasks that others can handle and entrusting your team or peers with these responsibilities. This strategy not only helps manage your time better but also fosters a collaborative and empowered environment.

Here are 4 steps you can take to facilitate more frequent delegation:

→ Identify which tasks to delegate: Regularly review your task list and ask yourself "which tasks can only I perform?". These are the ones that you should ideally maintain and those that do not fit into that bucket will start your list of tasks to delegate out. This is where you will consider tasks that do not require your specific expertise or that can serve as development opportunities for others in their respective roles.

→ Choose the right person: Delegate tasks to team members whose skills, motivations and career goals align with the task's requirements. This ensures a higher likelihood of successful completion and support. This may be an area in which you need to involve your boss to get their approval for your delegation plan. Use your discretion here.

→ Provide clear instructions and feedback: When delegating to others, give clear instructions and define expectations. Be available for guidance and provide constructive feedback to encourage learning and growth. This will help those individuals to feel supported by you while you can focus your time on more strategic focuses of your work.

→ Empower others through autonomy: Allow team members autonomy in how they complete delegated tasks. Do not delegate only to then micro-manage as it defeats the purpose of delegation. The trust you demonstrate in others will build their confidence and skills in doing what needs to be done.

Pro tip: In order to delegate most effectively and free up more of your time, make the benefit for the other party crystal clear in why you require them to take on this task. Explain how it ties into their strengths, core areas of expertise or their advancement goals. This will help gain the needed buy-in where you will face little to no resistance in your delegation efforts.

How will you master your time management?

Mastering your time is not an overnight shift. Give yourself grace and patience as you implement these improvements. Ruthless prioritization, intentional time blocking, and delegation are not just tools but rather, the keys to remaining in control of your time and how you choose to optimize it towards your goals and objectives.

You've got this!

This week's mission is aimed at further cementing the strategies above on mastering your time management. The below reflections are designed for you to become more protective of your time and move you towards targeted action so you get the most out of each and every day.

1/ Implement a priority matrix:

This week, create your own Eisenhower box and categorize your work tasks into 4 quadrants: important & urgent, important & not urgent, not important & urgent, and not important & not urgent.
Focus on completing at least 2 tasks from the important & urgent quadrant by midweek.
From here, create a Google sheet to track and review how your time was allocated throughout the week based on your priorities. Adjust where needed moving forward.

2/ Practice time blocking:

Schedule time blocks for your most important tasks. Dedicate specific hours each day for deep, focused work without interruptions.
Include at least one buffer block daily for unexpected tasks or overruns, ensuring your schedule remains flexible and adaptable.

3/ Delegate a task:

Identify 1 task that you can delegate to a team member. Choose a task that aligns with their skills and offers them a growth opportunity.
Provide clear instructions and set expectations for the delegated task. Offer support, but allow autonomy for the individual to complete the task in their own way.

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