Improve Your Time Management

Staying on task and being your best productive self 100% of the time can be a struggle, especially when it seems like you simply don't have enough time to do it all. If you're feeling overwhelmed with what appears to be endless tasks and appointments, consider some of these tips for upping your time management game.

Map out your goals.

Have trouble figuring out where to start? Make a literal list—on paper, on your phone or otherwise—of all the things you'd like to accomplish. From there, rank them based on what's considered most high priority and make your way down the list. If it helps, give yourself pretend deadlines so you can have a visual goal of when to accomplish these tasks by.

Don't wait to plan.

Get ahead of the game and ponder how long a task may take you. Then, give yourself even more time than you think you need. Roadblocks will inevitably arise—sometimes when you least expect it—so having an extra buffer built into your timeline is wise. Your future self will thank you!

Consider trying the "Pomodoro Technique."

This popular productivity technique entails using a timer to take a five-minute break after about 25 minutes of hard, focused work. Working in this way will offer your brain the little breaks it needs to work longer and smarter. Learn more about the technique here.

Be decisive.

The longer you put off making a decision, the longer it's going to sit there unresolved. If you're informed enough to move forward and make a choice, simply put: Don't wait. Just go for it!

Enlist the power of apps.

Consider any weaknesses you have or areas you'd like to improve upon, and explore what apps exist to help put your productivity game into overdrive. Want to see how much time you spend on a specific task or client? Consider using an app like Harvest to time track. Don't have the strongest grammar? Install an app like Grammarly to be an online writing assistant. Technology is your friend! Might as well use it to your advantage.

Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.