With more people working remotely than ever before. It can be difficult to find the right time management principles and tools that work for you and your team.
Managing time is essential to maintaining a healthy work-life balance and you cannot ignore the emotional stress that is often piled on us due to “never enough time” to complete all your tasks.
If you feel like you’re always behind schedule, you’re not alone. Time management is a challenge for every project or team leader, especially those who are working remotely.
With the right tools and techniques, you can manage your time more effectively and finally get ahead of schedule. Whether you are working remotely or in an office, there are many time management principles and tools that project leaders like you need to know in order to be successful.
In this blog post, you will learn about seven time-saving principles that will help you get the most out of your day!
What are the 7 time management principles?
As a project leader, you likely have a lot on your plate. In addition to managing your own time, you’re responsible for keeping your team on track and ensuring that deadlines are met.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to brush up on your time management skills. Use the following seven time management principles to help you get organized and get the most out of your team.
1. Make a plan.
The first step to effective time management is making a plan. When you know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by, you can allocate your time more efficiently. Trying to wing it will only lead to frustration and wasted time.
2. Set SMART goals.
In order for your plan to be effective, your goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). This will help you stay on track and avoid getting bogged down in details that don’t matter.
3. Identify success criteria.
Before starting a task, it’s important to know what success looks like. This will help you prioritize your time and ensure that you’re working on the most important things first.
4. Prioritize.
Once you’ve identified your success criteria, it’s time to prioritize your tasks. Not everything on your list is going to be equally important, so start with the things that will have the biggest impact and work your way down from there.
5. Manage distractions.
There’s no denying that distractions are everywhere—but that doesn’t mean you have to let them derail your productivity. When possible, close the door or put on headphones to minimize distractions from colleagues or family members.
And when you’re dealing with electronic distractions like email or social media, set some ground rules for yourself and stick to them.
6. Focus on one thing at a time.
Multitasking might seem like an efficient way to get things done, but in reality, it’s just a recipe for disaster. When you try to do multiple things at once, you end up doing all of them poorly (or not at all).
So instead of trying to do everything at once, focus on one thing at a time and give it your full attention until it’s done. Only then should you move on to the next item on your list.
7 . Reassess your plan.
As the saying goes, “The best-laid plans often go awry.” There’s no such thing as a perfect plan, so don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed.
If something isn’t working out the way you’d hoped, don’t hesitate to change course. The key is to be flexible and always be willing to learn from your mistakes.
You can use these seven principles to take control of your time, increase your output, and get the most out of your team.
Obviously, not every project team will be the same and you may find that some of these principles and techniques work better for some teams than others.
The most important thing is to find what works best for you and your team and stick with it. After all, time is precious—it’s best not to waste it.
What are the Top 15 Time Management Tools and Software?
Managing time is not an easy task, for a project manager, whether you’re experienced or new to directing projects..
Whenever you find yourself in a difficult situation where you’re struggling with meeting deadlines, consistently running late, or skipping your lunch break to finish a project, then it is high time to start looking for some effective time management software tools or apps.
Luckily, there are a number of time management tools available to help you make the most of your time. From project management apps to habit-tracking resources, there are many tools that can help you make the most of your time and get things done more effectively.
Preparing a backup plan to implement, when the time comes, can help you overcome any roadblocks on your project journey and achievement. I have included below a list of 15 time management tools and software for you to consider.
1. actiTIME
This time management tracking software allows you to track billable and non-billable hours, create projects, set deadlines, and generate various reports. actiTIME also offers a free forever plan for teams of up to 5 users.
2. RescueTime
This app runs in the background of your computer or phone and tracks the amount of time you spend on each website or application. It tracks the time you spend on different activities and provides detailed reports on your productivity. It then produces a detailed report that shows you where you are wasting time so that you can make necessary changes.
3. Evernote
Evernote is an all-in-one tool that can be used for everything from taking notes and creating to-do lists to brainstorming new ideas and collaborating with teammates. It is a popular note-taking app that helps you organize your thoughts and ideas so you can access them quickly and easily.
4. Toggl
Toggl is a simple but effective time tracker that allows you to log billable and non-billable hours, set reminders, and generate various reports. The tool allows you to track how much time you spend on different tasks so you can identify areas where you might be able to save time.
5. ProofHub
ProofHub is an online project management software that helps you keep track of all your tasks, communicate with team members, and stay organized. It tracks all the different aspects and status of your projects in one place so you can stay organized and on track.
6. Focus Booster
Focus Booster is an app based on the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks down work into 25-minute intervals followed by 5-minute breaks. It helps you focus on one task at a time for short bursts of time.
7. Replicon
Replicon is a comprehensive time management solution that helps businesses track employee time, attendance, and vacation days, and identify areas where improvements can be made.
8. Weekdone
Weekdone is a simple yet effective tool that helps managers keep track of their team’s progress and identify areas where they need improvement.
9. Infinity
Infinity is an AI-powered assistant that helps sales teams manage their leads, calls, emails, and tasks more efficiently. This tool allows businesses to manage their projects, clients, and employees in one place for improved efficiency.
10. Clockify
Clockify is a free time tracking app that allows you to log billable and non-billable hours, set reminders, and generate various reports. It also allows users to track the time they spend on different tasks so they can get a better understanding of where their time is being spent.
11. Remember The Milk
Remember The Milk is an online task manager that helps you keep track of your to-dos, set reminders, and collaborate with others on projects. This popular task-tracking app helps users manage their tasks and deadlines more effectively so they can stay on top of everything they need to do.
12. Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace where you can take notes, create to-do lists, collaborate with teammates, and more.
This all-in-one workspace app allows users to create notes, documents, project plans, and more in one place for improved productivity levels.
13. Flow
Flow is an online project management tool that helps teams manage their tasks, communicate with each other, and stay organized. This tool helps businesses manage their projects, deadlines, and team members more effectively so they can get things done more efficiently.
14 Epinwin :
This tool provides users with a flexible way to manage their projects by allowing them to create custom workflows that fit their specific needs.
15 Scoro :
This comprehensive business management tool provides users with a platform to manage their projects, finances, team members, and clients all in one place.
Wrap Up
These are just some of the many great time management tools available to help you stay productive. By taking advantage of these tools, you can free up more time in your day to focus on the things that matter most to you.
The type of work being done as well as the company culture can play key roles in how successful any given person or team may be when using certain time management software or apps.
Different personality types will also prefer different approaches when it comes down to optimizing efficiency whilst working.
With so many options available on the market today though there really are no excuses for not trying out at least a few of these fantastic tools in order to improve productivity in 2022!
In the past, time management was an issue that only affected those who worked in an office setting. However, with the rise of remote workforces, time management has become a critical skill for all result-driven project leaders.
This can be a great thing for employees, who have the freedom to work from anywhere, and for employers, who can save on office space. However, managing a remote team can be a challenge.
These time management principles and tools will help you get your work done on time and meet all your deadlines.