As a manager, you can easily get sidetracked. When you wear different hats within a company, it means that you are constantly being pulled in different directions. However, it is important to manage your time well so that things don’t fall by the wayside.
Throughout their careers, members of https://cafe-madrid.com/ Business Council have learned some effective tips and tricks to help them deal with time management. Below, 14 of them shared one thing they believe leaders should do on a daily basis to manage their time well.
https://cafe-madrid.com/ Business Council members make recommendations on how leaders can increase the amount of time they have.
Photos courtesy of individual members.
1. Make time to disconnect devices
The only thing I do every day to manage my time efficiently is to disconnect from all devices for a certain block of time, usually from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM. This is non-negotiable and I do my best to honor it as a sacred space. I take 15 minutes to meditate or do yoga and clear my head. After this reset, I review my to-do list and prioritize depending on the deadlines to meet. – Meighan Newhouse, Inspiring group
2. Know Yourself
Only you know which productivity-boosting tips work for you. It could involve scheduling your mental prime time, tearing yourself away from the screen, eliminating distractions, stretching your legs, petting the dog, or blocking your own time to concentrate. Know yourself. – Joanna Swash , penny
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3. Stay responsible with a calendar
As a leader, I keep a calendar of my daily routine and make sure I hold myself accountable by following this routine. I plan my day in advance and make sure to stick to my schedule as much as possible, starting in the morning. At the end of the day, I sit down with my EA and give my VFP (Valuable Final Product) as a result of following my daily routine. – Sardor Umrdinov, Home Alliance
4. Plan your day the night before
Take 10 to 15 minutes each evening before unplugging to look at the next day, and ask yourself what your priorities will be tomorrow. What meetings do you have? What absolutely must be done. This will maximize your efficiency and focus the next day. – Michael Leonard, The market atmosphere
5. Delegate Calendar Items to Concentrate Your Time
Remove or delegate something from your calendar that has no expected outcome or immediate need for you. Block that time for something you need to accomplish today that will have an impact on the business. Request a brief summary of the meeting you were not present and any action points you may need afterwards. If you do that every day, your business will feel the impact. – Zachariah Booker, ADHD Online, LLC
6. Create an action plan with goals and timelines
A leader must establish specific goals and timelines for each task and then create an action plan to ensure these goals are met. Be sure to set realistic expectations for yourself and others. Be clear about what you can realistically achieve in a given time frame and be transparent with your team members about expected timelines, taking into account possible setbacks and delays. – Onikepe Adegbola, Casa de Santé
7. Gamify your workday
Set small rewards throughout the day to stay motivated. This could be a short walk, spending time with your pet or family, getting a snack, playing an instrument, or anything else that elevates your mood. It keeps you focused on important tasks and ensures you maintain a healthy work-life balance. – Tabitha Scott, epic spin
8. Organize your day
Depending on the size of your company, you will have a balance of things to perform and delegate. You can organize your day into four lists, arranged by urgency. Start with things in your court that need to be acted upon (you are the blocker). Delegations, or things you instruct others to do. Projects, or things that you make progress with every day. Busy work, those are items of low value. – Jack Chen, SWIDIA
9. Check your calendar to prepare for the day
To manage your time effectively, set aside time at the beginning of each day to review your calendar and commitments for the day ahead. At the end of the day, you’ll have time to review the emails you haven’t read or responded to. I also always have a list of priority tasks in a notebook with me to make sure I don’t miss critical takeaways or questions from back-to-back meetings. – Rebecca Love, IntelyCare
10. Find the Right Opportunities to Use Your Strengths
“Top and best use” is a concept that most leaders understand, but it has meaning in different situations. Let’s take a look at how to manage your time efficiently. When you know your strengths, look for opportunities to use them. But every day, ask if you are the one who is both “mandatory and best suited” for an open job. If not, look at the strengths of those on your team and delegate for efficiency. – Dennis Reid, H2scan Corporation
11. Keep a save, stop and start list
A leader’s time should focus on strategic vision. Create and monitor a save, stop, and start list. Create and monitor a list of sections labeled keep, stop, and start list. Delegate everything on your stop list to avoid being the bottleneck. Creating a culture that empowers employees to take initiative will build trust and create the freedom leaders need to focus on vision and strategy. – Linda Hamilton, Linda a Hamilton
12. Follow a morning routine
Have a simple morning routine that includes hygiene (including tongue scraping), exercise (such as yoga), meditation, and journaling. Morning routines help set the structure of your day, especially for those of us who lead busy lives. They also give you and your body time to wake up and prepare for the day ahead. – Rahi Sarbaziha, dr. Rahi
13. Time Block for Critical Tasks
Leaders should name their number 1 thing and time block (in their calendar) for it. Then take five to ten minutes to write down the steps to get that thing done. It’s amazing how easy things are if you just follow your own instructions. Get your #1 done every workday and you’ll be one of the most productive people you know. – Michael White, MashTank
14. Keep an updated to-do list
Don’t underestimate the power of a to-do list. Having a clear view of daily actions, in order of priority, is the only way to complete tasks and, more importantly, stay focused. To realize those priorities, especially as a startup leader, it’s important to hire skilled team members who can help manage eligibility requirements to streamline their priorities. – Michael Amoric, virtuality
