Time management is indispensable, at a time when more is being asked of us. Employees who manage their time well get more done in a day. By planning well and dividing their time between important tasks, work pressure is prevented.
Strangely enough, high work pressure and fatigue among employees are not caused by what has already been done. It is precisely the thoughts of what still needs to happen that cause this feeling. Organizing time properly helps to oversee the work. What a sense of control. And as long as everything is under control, everything will be fine. Therefore, teach your employees how to use their time efficiently. For more productivity and less stress.
Also look at Learning goals for employees to reduce absenteeism
Time management reduces the workload
The department is busy. There is a lot of work to do and not enough colleagues. Perhaps there are sick people or even colleagues at home with a burnout. The colleagues who are present receive much more work at their desks. The overview gradually disappears and the work accumulates. The workload increases, because the work can no longer be kept up. This is not due to the tasks themselves, they can handle them well. But she cannot solve the problem of too much work.
The personal work style plays a major role in this. People who can look critically at the work and can choose the most important tasks from it experience less work pressure. Colleagues who let everything come their way and only see a growing pile of work quickly fail. Not all tasks that come to your desk are equally important. As soon as an employee sees this, he can start dividing the work. Important tasks first, issues that can wait later. This way the to-do list becomes a lot shorter and easier to oversee for that moment.
And then we have to watch out for the time robbers, who unnoticed determine a large part of the day. By tackling these time robbers we suddenly have time left over. It is therefore important to teach employees how to use their time properly. Feel free to give them the following tips and insights to learn how to use their time better.
Read also Burnout, is it a fashion phenomenon?
Time robbers you have to manage
Everyone has their own way of working. And as long as that goes well, that’s fine. But as soon as we start to experience a lack of time, something has to change. We are often the cause of this lack of time ourselves. We subconsciously surrender to large time robbers who will determine our day at a given moment.
For example, how often do you check your e-mail? Do you watch every time a report arrives? This takes a lot of time. Just like endless meetings without a clear agenda or predetermined end time. A messy workplace can also cost you an unnecessary amount of time, where would you have left that form …
Lack of planning makes for a chaotic working day. Just pick up some tasks and find out at the end of the day that the most important work has not yet been done. That causes stress. Probably overtime is worked, while that would not have been necessary.
Consequences of poor time management
Time is our greatest friend, and sometimes our greatest enemy. If working time is poorly classified, the work pressure will increase noticeably. There is too much to do and not enough time to get everything done. Employees get the feeling that they are unable to perform important tasks. This lack of control causes stress. Feeling that you have not arrived at work every day feels unsatisfactory. Work is frayed, hoping to get everything done. Colleagues get irritated and blame others. Conflicts arise more easily with a tense working atmosphere.
If this stress persists for a long time due to a high workload, employees will start reporting sick. They feel less useful in their work because they cannot finish it. Involvement is declining. The workload and negative feelings can ultimately lead to burnout. Excessive perfectionism, in particular, creates a lot of work pressure. Employees who want to have everything arranged down to the last detail are always short of time. Just tackling and handling ad hoc activities ensures that the most important things are left behind.
With good time management, you ensure that you are in charge of time, not the other way around.
Time management is a learning goal. There are more learning goals that help an employee become healthier. You can find this here:
Learning objectives for employees to reduce absenteeism
How does time management work?
With time management you take charge of your own work. To steer things in the right direction and go home with a good feeling at the end of the day, plan the work. You can do this in the morning before you start. But this is also possible at the end of the working day so that you can get started immediately the next morning.
Set priorities. Which tasks are the most important and require immediate attention. Which tasks are less important but you also have to take on. Make agreements with yourself, how long you can spend on this, and stick to it. Make sure you finish something every day. Nothing feels so good when things cross off your to-do list.
Time for yourself works more effectively
Are there tasks that require your undivided attention? Schedule time in which you can work undisturbed. Perhaps there is a flexible workspace at the office where you can withdraw. Without a phone and colleagues who disturb you, you will have the task done faster and there is less chance of errors. Even a simple question like “Coffee?” breaks your concentration. Every diversion costs you time. You are taken out of your concentration and you have to regain it. This can cost you half an hour extra in an hour’s work. The sin of course.
So find a place where you can work undisturbed, switch off your cell phone and ask a colleague to pick up your desk phone while you are away. Of course, you can also do this the other way around.
Read also: Employees at the right place with internal mobility
Time is not infinite
There are a limited number of hours in a working day. How well you can plan the work, this will no longer be the case. Learning to say no in an assertive way is part of time management. You simply cannot pick everything up. Do colleagues shift work towards you rather easily? Learn to say no. Or be very clear that you don’t have time for it now, but you can pick it up later.
That way it’s clear to everyone what they can expect from you. And you get no crooked faces why work is not being done.
Tidying up gives you more time
No time to tidy up? A desk full of piles of paper takes your time. You always lose everything. It is unclear and you are distracted by it. Because you always see what is still waiting for you. That doesn’t work relaxed.
Make sure you have a tidy desk that only contains what you are working on at that time.
Just doing nothing takes no time
It may sound silly but doing nothing for 5 minutes will save you time. After staring at a screen for hours, you are no longer as clear and productive as at the start of the working day.
A moment of relaxation, really doing nothing makes your head clear again. New ideas are taking place and the task that you just got stuck on now rolls out of your hands without any problems.
Start with the most difficult task
Procrastination is also a cause of lack of time. Troubling or tedious tasks before you postpone do not work. They just keep lying down and you keep hitting it.
Therefore tackle the most difficult tasks first. By starting this at the moment that you are clear and productive, for example, the first in the morning, you have done the task faster. And it gives you a better feeling the rest of the day. You have already done that!
Make your schedule visual
Use a diary, planning board or something else visual to make your planning. Planning in your head is fun but also quickly reversed. And your head is full of things you don’t want to think about during your work.
Clearly plan your schedule and stick to it. Use your head to think.
Use your time as efficiently as possible
Organizing your day efficiently is getting used to. But once you have experienced the benefits, you do not want anything else. You suddenly notice that a lot more work comes from your hands. That is motivating. View the work in front of you every day. Not everything requires your immediate attention. It is tempting to do short, easy jobs first. It looks like you’ve done a lot. In between, you check your e-mail a few times. And so the day flies by.
It is already halfway through the afternoon when you arrive at an important job, which actually or must be today. You now notice that this job requires quite a lot of time and attention. Will you still get that today?
Situations of this kind and the associated stress are easy to prevent. View all activities in advance. Take out what is really urgent and must be finished today. Get this ready to start. Then view what is also urgent but does not require immediate attention. See if it is possible to delegate this or decide to spend a short time on it. Then come the non-urgent tasks. You plan this and grab it when you have the time. Finally, there are always tasks that are not important and not urgent. Often these things resolve themselves. Set them aside and see in a week if you still have to do something with it, or if it can go away.
Now that you know what your priority is, you start this task. As soon as it is finished, take the less urgent task and spend the time you had devised for this. Keep a close eye on those limits and make sure that you do not stay busy too long. Use the time remaining for non-urgent matters. Fill the holes with this.
Take care of time robbers
You now have your tasks neatly planned and ready at your desk. That is going well. But there are always extra tasks that you can’t predict. Really time-consuming, if you deal with it incorrectly.
For example, your e-mail and telephone are two of them. These come in all day long, irregular and at times that you are not waiting for. But you can also deal with this differently here.
Also read: From goal-oriented to process-oriented
Look less at your e-mail
Emails really do not need to be answered immediately. By responding directly to every message throughout the day, others also expect you to always do so. But this is not necessary, and it is also terribly time-consuming.
View your e-mail a few times a day, at set times. Also, make a decision about this immediately.
- Reply to the message and/or put it on your to-do list
- Delegate the message if it does not belong to your work
- Delete the message if you do not need to do anything within
- Create a box where you put other e-mails, with which you may want to do something with.
This way you keep the inbox clean and well-arranged.
Do not send an email for everything yourself. You can discuss complicated messages in particular in person. Walk to the colleague or call the customer you want to consult with.
That saves a lot of up and down mailing and you can do something with the information immediately. Send a summary of the conversation by e-mail if necessary, so that you can both find back what has been discussed.
Keep in mind that anyone who e-mails a lot can also expect a lot of e-mails back. So beware of adding a lot of people in the CC. If everyone has an opinion about your message, you might get 10 responses to one message, which you all want to answer.
Also read: The Consequences of Stress for Companies
Turn off distracting sounds
Distraction is your greatest enemy if you are focused. Even though you think you can ignore them, your brain unknowingly responds to every pop-up and every ping that comes in. Your productivity flies backwards.
Therefore, switch off all sounds, including from your mobile, and possibly close your mailbox. You have set times when you want to read the e-mail, so in between, you don’t have to know if something comes in.
You can also check your social media when you have finished working, that does not always have to happen in between. Just checking your messages will get you out of your workflow. And social media is built to entertain you as long as possible. Before you know it you will scroll much longer than you thought. Simply a waste of your time.
Also read: Companies, common problems
Short meetings are much more efficient
Is there a long and long meeting? Not every meeting is necessary for all employees. Are endless topics discussed, which means that a meeting takes hours? Divide this up and organize meetings per topic.
Firstly, it is clearer for employees at which meeting their presence is needed. The rest can continue to work, which is much more productive. Secondly, meetings can be much more efficient if the subject is clear.
Also, make sure that it is clear in advance how long the meeting will last. In a limited time, you get to the core faster, without elaborating on peripheral issues that really don’t matter.
Also read Employee with Stress. How to Solve as a Manager?
Waiting times are not lost time
Waiting time often feels like lost time. But you don’t have to. There is always a pile of ‘readable’ material. Take some of this with you. Ideal for public transport, if you have to wait for an appointment or meeting.
In this way, you fill in the ‘lost time’ in a useful way and you finally read that professional literature or that business report that has been waiting for you for a while.
Also read: Stress prevention
Limit your time with long-winded colleagues
Very nice of those colleagues with long stories. But not if you have just started an important task. You don’t want to be rude and wait for the end of their story, but it will take a while.
You better tell quietly that you enjoyed catching up again, but now you really have to get back to work.
Do you have a door? Close it, that often helps against colleagues who abuse your open door policy. No door? Then put on headphones. Now you can at least pretend that you do not hear the talkative colleague and continue working.
Focus on one thing at a time
Multitasking feels like you’re doing a lot, but you actually do a lot of things a bit. Important and complex issues require your full attention to complete it well. In addition, continuous switching between different activities is not good for your productivity. You lose time and energy with it.
It is much more efficient to focus your full attention on what you are doing. You work faster and better on this task. You do not lose time switching and concentrating again.
Read also: Personal effectiveness of employees is an important part of time management
Time management for healthy employees
Time management ensures healthy and happy employees. Because being productive for a day gives a good feeling. By effectively allocating time, more work is done without employees feeling more work pressure.
Precisely because of clearly defined tasks and times, more peace will come. Too much stress is reduced as a result. Everyone knows what is expected of him or her and when this should be done.
Prevent employees from experiencing too much stress and head for burnout. Make their workplace fun again!
Also read: Sustainable employment
Who Are We?
Milltain supports, with a team of experienced trainers, organizations in the prevention of stress and the (re) finding of work happiness in the workplace. Our training courses are aimed at managers within companies. A burnout quickly costs the organization € 70,000.
In addition to financial suffering, human suffering is great. Not only for the employee but also for close colleagues who have to deal with the blows. Before you know it you are in a negative vicious circle.
Related information
Have you already read these articles:
I am sure this paragraph has touched all the internet users, its really really pleasant piece of writing
on building up new weblog.
Simply wish to say your article is as astonishing.
The clearness to your post is simply cool and that i can assume you are a professional in this subject.
Fine together with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to stay updated with imminent post.
Thank you a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
Wonderful blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News.
Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Appreciate it
I do not even know the way I ended up here, however I assumed this
submit used to be good. I do not recognize who you’re but certainly you’re going to a well-known blogger for those who aren’t already.
Cheers!
This is a topic that is near to my heart…
Take care! Exactly where are your contact details though?
Great weblog here! Additionally your web site loads up very fast!
What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link in your host?
I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy.
I have read this post and if I could I want
to suggest you few interesting things or tips. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to
this article. I wish to read even more things about it!
This is a great tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere.
Simple but very accurate info… Many thanks for sharing
this one. A must read article!
Discovering new and growing brands online is a great way to remain together with fashion trends. Best sellers 2023 products for women
Wonderful work! That is the kind of information that are
meant to be shared around the internet. Disgrace on Google for now not positioning this publish higher!
Come on over and consult with my web site . Thanks =)
I’m now not certain where you’re getting your information, however good
topic. I needs to spend a while finding out much more
or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic info I used to
be looking for this information for my mission.
My spouse and I stumbled over here coming from a different web page and thought I should check things
out. I like what I see so i am just following you.
Look forward to looking into your web page again.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By
the way, how could we communicate?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts
and I will be waiting for your further post thank you once again.
We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
Your web site offered us with valuable information to work on.
You have done an impressive job and our whole community will
be thankful to you.
If some one wishes expert view regarding blogging and
site-building then i advise him/her to visit this web site, Keep up the good work.
Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4
year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She
put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab
inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go
back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Saved as a favorite, I really like your blog!
I have read so many articles or reviews
regarding the blogger lovers but this article is truly a good paragraph, keep it up.
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This article posted at this web site is genuinely good.
I get pleasure from, cause I discovered just what I used to
be looking for. You have ended my four day lengthy hunt!
God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
When I initially commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. Is there an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers!
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme
of this site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot
of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between usability
and visual appearance. I must say that you’ve done a awesome job with
this. Also, the blog loads very quick for me on Firefox.
Excellent Blog!
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme.
Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz respond as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from.
thank you
I am truly glad to glance at this web site posts which contains plenty of valuable facts, thanks for providing such
information.
May I simply say what a relief to uncover somebody that genuinely knows
what they’re talking about on the web. You definitely know how to bring
a problem to light and make it important. More and more people have to check
this out and understand this side of the story. I
can’t believe you’re not more popular because you certainly possess the gift.
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the pictures on this blog loading?
I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s
the blog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
You ought to be a part of a contest for one of the most useful blogs on the internet.
I most certainly will highly recommend this site!
It is truly a great and useful piece of info. I’m happy that you just shared this helpful info with us.
Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
This paragraph is actually a pleasant one it helps new the
web visitors, who are wishing in favor of blogging.
We’re a gaggle of volunteers and opening a brand new
scheme in our community. Your website offered us with useful information to work on. You’ve done an impressive
task and our whole neighborhood can be grateful to you.
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am not sure
whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my
problem. You’re wonderful! Thanks!
excellent points altogether, you just received a emblem new reader.
What could you recommend in regards to your put up that you just
made a few days ago? Any positive?
Hello, the whole thing is going sound here and ofcourse every one is
sharing facts, that’s genuinely good, keep up writing.
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you could do with a few pics to drive
the message home a bit, but instead of that,
this is magnificent blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.
I know this web page presents quality depending articles and other stuff,
is there any other website which offers these kinds of stuff in quality?
Attractive element of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and
in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact loved account your
blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing on your augment or even I success you get right of entry to persistently rapidly.
Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing a few months of hard work due to
no backup. Do you have any solutions to stop hackers?
Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed!
Very useful info specifically the final section 🙂 I
take care of such information much. I used to be seeking this particular info
for a very lengthy time. Thank you and best
of luck.
obviously like your web-site but you have to test the spelling
on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I
find it very troublesome to tell the reality however I’ll certainly come again again.
Hello, I log on to your blog daily. Your story-telling style is awesome,
keep it up!
I am not sure where you’re getting your information, but
great topic. I needs to spend some time learning
much more or understanding more. Thanks
for magnificent info I was looking for this info for my mission.
Hi, I read your blog regularly. Your humoristic style is awesome, keep it up!
Great beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog web site?
The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had
been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and
now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove me from that service?
Bless you!
Wow, this post is fastidious, my younger sister is analyzing these things, therefore I am going to convey her.
Keep on working, great job!
Hey I am so delighted I found your site, I really found you by error, while
I was researching on Askjeeve for something else, Anyhow
I am here now and would just like to say thanks for a remarkable post and a all round interesting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time
to look over it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I
will be back to read more, Please do keep up the superb work.
This design is spectacular! You certainly know how to keep a reader amused.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost
moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job.
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that,
how you presented it. Too cool!
Hi there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I’ll definitely digg it
and personally suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this website.
My programmer is trying to convince me to move to .net
from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses.
But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress
on a number of websites for about a year and am nervous about switching to another platform.
I have heard great things about blogengine.net.
Is there a way I can import all my wordpress posts into
it? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!
You should be a part of a contest for one of the greatest blogs online.
I will recommend this blog!
If some one wishes expert view regarding blogging after that i propose
him/her to pay a visit this web site, Keep up the pleasant work.
Remarkable things here. I am very satisfied to look
your article. Thanks so much and I am taking a look forward to contact you.
Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
When some one searches for his required thing, therefore he/she wants to be available that in detail, therefore that thing is maintained over here.
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and
was wondering what all is required to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog
like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web savvy
so I’m not 100% certain. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice whilst you amend your site, how
could i subscribe for a weblog site? The account aided me a appropriate deal.
I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your
broadcast offered shiny clear concept
In fact when someone doesn’t understand afterward its up to other visitors that they will assist, so here it
occurs.
With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of
plagorism or copyright violation? My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of
it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any ways to help prevent content
from being ripped off? I’d truly appreciate it.
Great delivery. Great arguments. Keep up the good spirit.
This design is steller! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog
(well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really enjoyed
what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
Too cool!
I think this is one of the most important info for me.
And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The
web site style is perfect, the articles is really excellent : D.
Good job, cheers
Truly when someone doesn’t know then its up to other users that they will help, so here
it takes place.
I really like reading a post that will make people think.
Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
I constantly spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s articles or reviews every day along with a cup of coffee.
Thanks to my father who shared with me about this webpage, this web site is really awesome.
It’s amazing to pay a visit this website and reading
the views of all mates regarding this piece of writing, while I am also keen of getting
know-how.
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles.
I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly.
I’m quite certain I will learn many new stuff right here!
Best of luck for the next!
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with SEO?
I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results.
If you know of any please share. Thanks!
Hi there mates, its great paragraph on the topic of educationand entirely explained, keep
it up all the time.
Link exchange is nothing else however it is only placing the other person’s weblog link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do similar in support of you.
Howdy! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for your great information you have here on this post. I am coming back to your site for more soon.
Hurrah! At last I got a web site from where I can actually obtain valuable data concerning my
study and knowledge.
Spot on with this write-up, I absolutely believe that this site needs much
more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read more, thanks for the advice!
Useful info. Lucky me I found your website by chance, and I am surprised why this twist of fate did not came about
earlier! I bookmarked it.
Great article.
For most up-to-date information you have to visit world wide web and on web
I found this web page as a best website for latest updates.
Having read this I believed it was rather informative.
I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this short
article together. I once again find myself personally spending way too much time both
reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
That is very fascinating, You are a very professional blogger.
I’ve joined your feed and look forward to searching for more of your excellent post.
Also, I have shared your website in my social networks
Hello! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering
if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one?
Thanks a lot!
Very good post. I’m dealing with a few of these issues as well..
I every time spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s articles or reviews every day along with
a mug of coffee.
I really like it whenever people come together and share views.
Great website, stick with it!
Excellent article. Keep posting such kind of information on your site.
Im really impressed by your site.
Hello there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I’ll certainly digg it and in my view suggest to
my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited
from this web site.
Have you ever considered creating an e-book or guest authoring on other websites?
I have a blog based on the same ideas you discuss and would really like
to have you share some stories/information. I know my subscribers would appreciate
your work. If you’re even remotely interested,
feel free to send me an e-mail.
Greate article. Keep posting such kind of info on your blog.
Im really impressed by your blog.
Hi there, You have performed an incredible job. I’ll certainly digg it and in my
view recommend to my friends. I’m confident they’ll be
benefited from this website.
Hello! This post could not be written any better!
Reading this post reminds me of my old room
mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will
forward this article to him. Fairly certain he will have a good
read. Thanks for sharing!
Asking questions are in fact nice thing if you are not understanding anything completely, but this article provides nice understanding yet.