{"id":34428,"date":"2021-05-18T16:24:31","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T16:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging-mondaycomblog.kinsta.cloud\/?post_type=productivity&p=34428"},"modified":"2021-06-13T14:57:42","modified_gmt":"2021-06-13T14:57:42","slug":"time-management-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monday.com\/blog\/productivity\/time-management-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"5 time management strategies to retake control of your workday and lower stress"},"content":{"rendered":"

Time is a mystical substance. When you don\u2019t need it, you seem to have too much of it, and it drags out forever.<\/p>\n

When you need more time, hours pass in the blink of an eye as you feel the cold stare of a pressing deadline on your back.<\/p>\n

But it doesn\u2019t have to be that way. With better time management, you can avoid the last-minute rush of \u201ccrunch time,\u201d lower your stress levels, and deliver higher-quality work.<\/p>\n

In this article, we highlight 5 time management strategies that can help you regain control of the hours in your day.<\/p>\n

Why time management strategies are so important<\/h2>\n

A workload that feels unmanageable is one of the leading causes of stress in the workplace, and it can quickly lead to burnout.<\/p>\n

If you feel like you have enough time in the day to handle all your work-related tasks, you\u2019re 70%<\/a>\u00a0less likely to experience any form of burnout.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the kicker, almost half of all Americans feel like they don\u2019t have enough time in the day to get things done.<\/p>\n

\"Time<\/p>\n

(Image Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n

When almost half of all workers are overwhelmed, it may seem like we\u2019re all just too busy. Maybe management is just weighing us down with too much work.<\/p>\n

Not so fast. Some employees report spending over 2 hours<\/a>\u00a0a day at work on distractions. So it\u2019s not always the workload that\u2019s the issue, but rather how we end up spending our time.<\/p>\n

If you want to get more done in a day, you need to utilize your time better. It\u2019s that simple.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s move on to 5 ways you can trim the fat and turn your daily schedule into a lean, mean productivity machine (while reducing stress).<\/p>\n

Get started with monday.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Strategy 1. Eliminate workplace distractions<\/h2>\n

One oft-overlooked strategy is to go out of your way to eliminate distractions.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just scheduling that\u2019s the problem. In 2021, we have to deal with vibrating, pinging attention leechers all the time.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not saying smartphones and social media sites are inherently evil<\/em>, but they\u2019re designed to give you dopamine hits to keep you coming back all day despite your best efforts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Your attention is money. Spend it accordingly.<\/p>\n

Instead of trying to rely on willpower, use site and app blocking applications like BlockSite, and turn off notifications.<\/p>\n

Reducing workplace distraction leads to a whole range of benefits, including increased productivity, better work quality, and worker engagement and happiness.<\/p>\n

\"Benefits<\/p>\n

(Image Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n

But personal distractions aren\u2019t the only problem. A noisy office, inconsiderate colleagues, and poorly managed meetings are other issues.<\/p>\n

Even an out-of-control Slack channel or email thread can make it hard to get work done.<\/p>\n

With monday.com, you can get a real-time overview of your tasks and projects at any given moment without having to message or ask someone to take you up to speed.<\/p>\n

Just give your team workflow board a quick look, and you can see if anything has changed.<\/p>\n

\"Team<\/p>\n

Of course, we\u2019re not saying you should never talk to anyone, but when you\u2019re in the zone, it feels great to move from one item to the next without distractions.<\/p>\n

Strategy 2. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize, cut, or delegate<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve already cut distractions, waste 0 minutes every day, and you still feel time-crunched.<\/p>\n

You might feel like you have too much to do because you have, in fact, taken on too many tasks. Woah, mind-blowing stuff, am I right? But hear us out.<\/p>\n

When smaller tasks pop up, it\u2019s easy to add them to your task list. You\u2019ll get to it eventually, you tell yourself.<\/p>\n

But over time it builds up until there\u2019s no end left in sight. It happens to the best of us.<\/p>\n

Instead, use the Eisenhower Matrix\u00a0to cut, prioritize, or delegate tasks and give yourself the time and space to do work that matters.<\/p>\n

Create a simple graph with four quadrants based on urgency and importance.<\/p>\n