Tackling Burnout: Enhancing Time Management
In week two of our Preventing Burnout Series, we're focusing on improving time management.
According to the American Psychological Association, 43% of Americans report that stress keeps them awake at night, often due to poor time management.
We have a limited number of hours each day and days each week to accomplish our tasks. How can we make the most of our work time to feel accomplished without infringing on family and personal time? Last week, we emphasized setting healthy work boundaries. Our goal is to have dedicated work time and dedicated personal time. This can be achieved by honing your time management skills.
Break Tasks Down Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a project? The numerous components can seem daunting if not broken down into manageable chunks. Create a checklist or project plan for all tasks related to a specific goal. Then, establish timelines for each task to keep yourself on track.
Prioritize Tasks Identify the key drivers of your output. Keep the overarching goal in mind when outlining all necessary tasks. Setting daily or weekly goals and checking them off will give you a sense of accomplishment and help you track your progress effectively.
Give Yourself Grace You might not complete all tasks in a day or week, and that's okay. Track what distracted you from your tasks and acknowledge that it was part of your day or week. Move the tasks you didn't complete to next week's agenda.
Minimize Distractions Employees spend an average of 2 hours and 53 minutes per day on non-work-related internet activities while at work. Be mindful of your non-work technology consumption during the workday.
Handle Work-Related Interruptions Work-related issues will arise. If getting completely off track derails you, designate specific times in your day to check emails and messages. Document all efforts towards resolving escalations. It's important to record your accomplishments to reflect on the great work you're doing.
Find What Works Best for You Tips and tricks are only helpful if they align with your working style and personality. If you're a visual learner, blocking off times in your schedule and maintaining to-do lists can be very effective.
Stick to It Once you choose a method to stay on track and make your work time more efficient, stick to it. A study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic, though this can range from 18 to 254 days depending on the individual and behavior.
Time management is not an easy skill to master. It requires discipline, trial and error, and patience. Keep your overarching goal in mind, whether it’s improving your work-life balance or achieving a business milestone. Investing in improving this skill will pay off both literally and figuratively.
