The process of scheduling and regulating the amount of time to devote to particular tasks is called time management. Whenever we hear this strategy, we often associate it with productivity and success. The long-term benefits of time management bring us more opportunities, more free time, and help us focus on our work. Time management also gives us a sense of responsibility, leads us to have better output, and strengthens our reputation.
However, like any other strategy, time management also has its ineffectiveness especially when we are not adaptable to our given situation. Change is constant and problems or obstacles can arise despite careful planning. If we are unable to mend our methods, we might not find creative solutions to our challenges. To avoid this, the first step is to be familiar with the limitations of goal setting. From facing obstacles to the inability to say “no” to a project, here are some of the pros and cons or effective and ineffective methods of time management:
Effective Use of Time Management
Time Management Helps You Focus on a Task
Have you experienced being bombarded with so many tasks at work to the point where you do not know where to start? Starting from the most to the least urgent assignment, time management helps you overcome this problem by allotting a specific time in your day to finish a task. For example, writing a blog entails intense and constant focus. Therefore, you may choose to set three hours in your schedule to finish the task. This will help you finish a project effectively and on time.
Time Management Gives You Time for Relaxation and Leisure
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In the pros and cons of time management, people often mistake that the strategy takes away our time for relaxation and leisure since it is usually associated with productivity. As much as the point is valid, that is also the opposite of the case. Since the strategy helps you block time for specific projects, it can also help you allot time for personal tasks. An example of this is not working during your lunchtime. Since it is scheduled to help replenish your lost energy from work, you must respect the time to focus on yourself. In the end, setting time for rest will increase your productivity and avoid burnout.
Time Management Gives You Confidence and a Good Reputation at Work
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Some professionals assume that the most successful people are the ones who can fight big battles at work. But in reality, many of the most effective professionals are the ones who often win small. One example of a little achievement is submitting a task on time. We must take note of the deadline and allow time for us to finish the project. In the long run, following such a strategy will help us build confidence and a good reputation at work.
Ineffective Use of Time Management
Time Management Makes You Say “Yes” in the Workplace but “No” to Your Friends and Family
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One of the signs that you are utilizing time management ineffectively is when you accept too many projects to the point that it affects your personal life and it becomes difficult to say “yes” to your family and friends. For example, have you experienced taking in too many clients to the point where their requests exceed your efforts? One of the biggest downside of this strategy in the workplace is that we expect ourselves to be robots. We tend to accept too many projects because we think we can manage them. In reality, there is no way to add more time But there is no doubt that it can be managed better. Thus, we need to learn to carefully plan and prepare our tasks to prevent such issues. If not, this leads to our second issue:
Time Management Brings Out Stress and Fatigue
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You’ll know that your time management strategy is failing when you mismanage projects. If you do not keep track of the tasks coming in then it will most definitely cause stress and fatigue no matter how much you make time for them. Have you ever experienced always saying “yes” to your boss whenever he hands you a task without weighing it on your part? Always remember that not all assignments are equal. Some get accomplished in one click of a button while others take several hours. An example of the former is writing and sending a short email while the latter is writing a blog.
Time Management Turns Into an Obstacle Itself
Have you ever noticed that no matter how much we try to plan, problems arise? The strategy inevitably meets obstacles. It can also become a barrier if we still stick to them knowing it is going to fail. For example, you have an event that you and your team spent months organizing. But you learned that some speakers can’t attend at the last minute. Instead of sticking to the original plan and supposed schedule, you turned the event into a “Networking Speed Dating Bonanza” where you encourage participants to exchange contacts with each other. In the end, we need to remember that instead of thinking about what to do next, we must focus on the steps before doing our actual work. That way, we can troubleshoot obstacles before things get out of hand.
At the end of the day you must not rely on one single strategy to attain success at work. You must also carefully plan and prepare before taking the first step in your activities. If you can do this effectively, surely you will win your daily battles at work.
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