In this age of working from home, productivity and time management have become key concepts for daily life. The new challenge for professionals is the tug of war between responsibilities that come from sharing your work and personal space. While working from home has its advantages, maintaining productivity and managing time effectively is the key to success.
Multitasking is not the answer
We are not born with time management skills and it’s a skill that is hardly taught in schools. No matter what you believe about time management or how you structure your day, managing your time properly is crucial to your success. Like everything else in the modern digital age, there’s an app for that! Time management apps use various methods to help you get more free hours in your day.
Using time management apps help you stay organized
We may not be able to physically put more hours in our days but we can put more life into our hours by freeing up our cluttered minds with the help of effective time management tools. Time management apps help you spend less time on what you have to do and more time dedicated to what you want to do. Some of the methods used by time management apps are: focused breathing, physical activity breaks, blocking distractions and using calendars.
One app I have found to be quite helpful is FocusBear. This app was designed by someone with ADHD for people who have difficulty focusing for long periods of time. It’s mascot is a cute cartoon bear with a simple interface that helps you set goals, manage breaks and establish routines.
It will even set up blocks to certain apps and websites so they will not distract you during focused periods of time. You can set it up to use across all of your devices. Focus Bear tracks your progress and shows you insightful metrics to allow you to gauge your productivity. If you are new to time management, or have struggled with it for a long time, Focus Bear is a great tool to help you make better use of your time.
Planning ahead
Planning ahead is a great way to save time and stress. One way I plan ahead for my busy life is by laying out my children’s clothes for the week. This way, every morning I don’t have to wait as my son picks out a mismatched outfit. Rather, he knows to go to his closet and put on the next outfit in his organizer. I also use a meal plan to schedule what I will cook for dinner. This allows me the awareness to prep any ingredients or stop at the store and pick something up that I might need.
Time blocking
Time blocking through use of a calendar is another way to get more free hours in your day. Using a calendar to block out your day and decide when you will devote time to your tasks helps you to stick to it as if it was a doctor’s appointment. You can even tell yourself that if you cancel with less than 24 hours notice you will be charged a fee! Additionally, planning time to relax or take a productivity break is important as well. You will come back refreshed and easily make up the one-three minute break with better energy instead of slugging along all day.
Establishing Routines
Another way you will get more hours in your day is to establish routines. Your morning routine, for example, can help you accomplish what you need to get done easily as you will be able to predict the amount of time you need for the tasks you complete daily.
In conclusion, making the most of your time is the best way to achieve a work/life balance. There are dozens of myths about time management but there are also several useful strategies and tools you can use to be more productive and have more time for your most enjoyable activities. If learning about time management and productivity sounds like something that will just take up MORE of your time, I suggest using an app like Focus Bear to get started. Focus Bear takes the work out of time management with its easy set up and tracking tools. Get more life in your hours and more free time in your day! Go to Focusbear.io today!
