Are you a project manager who is aspiring to be the best in the biz? You need to master these secret ways to make your workflows more efficient. Using our tricky time management tools will boost your productivity, and also, help you work both faster, and smarter.
But, what are these mysterious methods, and why do they work so well? Stay with us as we uncover the top time-saving techniques to make your project management job that much easier.
1. Time Blocking for Better Efficiency: Make Every Moment Count
Perhaps the most common, and arguably the most effective, form of time management is learning how to ‘block’ out your time. Try scheduling specific moments to complete certain tasks. For example, you may decide to dedicate up to two hours to focus solely on clearing out your email inbox. Dedicating a certain time to that task – as though it is an appointment – will ensure that you prioritise it, and get it done.
Of course, as a project manager, you may already have used the time-blocking method while studying to complete your qualification. Students of an online Diploma of Project Management, for example, will likely have found this particular method especially useful when studying remotely.
2. Power Hour-ing: Finding Your Focus
Ah, the hour of power! Also often referred to as ‘scary hour’, this is where you sit down and tackle as many of your urgent tasks as you can within – you guessed it – just one hour. It means you are quite literally powering through your workload, with no other distractions.
When using this method, switching off your email notifications, redirecting your phone calls, or even, placing your phone onto ‘do not disturb’ mode can be enormously effective. The idea is to create a tunnel-vision-like focus during this time. This can enable you to – for want of a better term – ‘smash’ things out and finally get on top of your procrastination. Of course, this is quite an extreme method, and it doesn’t work for everyone.
3. Time Hacking Tools: Use those Productivity Apps
Another great way to improve your time management as a project manager is to make use of productivity apps. Some of the best time-hacking programs and software you can utilise are:
Asana
For project managers, Asana can be an effective tool in managing your team’s workflow. It has the functionality to be able to assign tasks and due dates, as well as oversee the progress of internal projects.
Monday
Monday is another workflow management program. It follows a somewhat less linear visual format than Asana, however, and is also somewhat more focused on team collaboration.
Hive
As well as being a project management and task delegation tool, Hive also enables team members to communicate with each other from within the program’s built-in chat function. It also allows users to create digital to-do lists.
Structured
More of a time-blocking tool, Structured is a productivity app that allows users to schedule activities for certain times of the day. It is particularly useful for users who want to manage their own workloads, or even students who like to book specific moments to complete their university coursework.
4. Planning to Succeed: Identify and List Your Priorities
Next, don’t discount the importance of creating a humble to-do list! Listing your tasks in order of priority can help you make sense of it all in your head. Doing this also helps you have a better idea of the tasks at hand, and enables you to visualise your workload. In addition to this, listing your tasks breaks down the mountain of work ahead of you into clear, simple steps. The most satisfying part? You get to tick off your to-do list after you have completed each task.
5. Setting the Scene: Create Your Perfect Workspace
Lastly, while it’s not strictly a time management technique, setting up a pleasant workspace can assist you to be more productive. Set the scene with ambient lighting, a comfortable desk and chair, and most importantly, get rid of clutter! Attempting to work in a cluttered, messy space will never elicit the best results. As such, by creating a peaceful, zen space that is conducive to being productive, you can time-block or power-hour to your heart’s content.
