What are some common time management mistakes and how can you avoid them?

I love SMART goals, in a commercial team I think these are key for growth. Holding yourself accountable and being accountable to clients/team is an important discipline

One of the biggest time-management mistakes is over-relying on the To-Do list and under-investing in your calendar app. Once you use your preferred method of identifying and ranking priorities, don't try to move all the way to action straight from your prioritized To-Do list. This leaves out the crucial step of MAKING TIME for your priorities. On a daily and/or weekly basis, identify your top priorities and program time into your day/week to address them. Block time (take your best guess at the required duration) in your calendar and label the entry as the priority task. Then stick to it. This calendaring step helps keep urgent but less important tasks from crowding out what's matters most to you.

I prioritize & achieve tasks by focusing on long-term goals. I break these goals into achievable tasks with set deadlines, ensuring success. Key strategies include: -Allocating Specific Time Slots: For instance, dedicating 10 minutes every 2 hours for a post like this. -Batching Similar Tasks for Efficiency: Combining activities such as analyzing pipeline data & demand generation. -Continuous Learning: Pursuing new certifications and learning new tools to stay current. -Structured Meetings with Clear Agenda: Ensuring meetings are efficient and responsibilities are clear. -Utilizing Productivity Tools: Employing tools for time management and data gathering. This disciplined approach ensures I achieve my goals despite the demands of my role.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: Lack of goals can result in wasted time and effort. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Set SMART goals for a clear path and effective task prioritisation. Regularly review and adjust your goals to ensure meaningful objectives. This optimises your time usage.

The biggest mistake in time management is to not prioritize the task, sometimes people take easy tasks first, just to work in their comfort zone and ignore the important task. In the end, important tasks are ignored and then no words are left rather than complaining about time.

Eat that frog - if you haven't read the I would highly recommend that you do. It is too easy to do the things you love and put off the harder less exciting stuff for another day.

I had a coach in my last job who taught us to work with a default diary, this has reminded me of that and how I should reintroduce set times for tasks, I have slipped into a habit of being far more reactive to need

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: Not planning your time can lead to inefficiency and missed deadlines. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Use tools like calendars, to-do lists, or project management apps to plan your day, week, or month. Allocate time for each task based on its priority and urgency. Regularly review and adjust your plan to accommodate changes. This ensures you stay on track and make the most of your time.

My number one managing distractions hack is wearing my sound canceling headset. Second is listening to a sound track that puts my brain into an optimal creative state (theta with enough beta to not fall asleep). Third is getting up early while it's still dark outside and turning on only my desk light and computer... this removes visual distractions. And lastly is setting my pomodoro timer.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: Not evaluating results can lead to repeated mistakes and hinder progress. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Regularly review your outcomes against your goals. Identify areas of success and areas for improvement. Use this feedback to refine your strategies and make better use of your time. This promotes continuous learning and improvement.

Some of the areas not included in the article are: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Delaying tasks can cause stress. Overcome by breaking tasks into parts. 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: It can lower productivity. Focus on one task at a time. 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲: Overworking can cause burnout. Take regular breaks. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Doing everything yourself can be overwhelming. Delegate when possible. 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: Use time management apps for efficiency.