Productivity vs. Time: The Best Time Management Strategy for Busy Professionals

Do you feel like you never have enough time in the day? Are you constantly feeling rushed and stressed out? If so, you’re not alone. A lot of people feel this way, especially busy professionals. It can be tough to manage your time effectively when there are so many things vying for your attention. In this blog post, we will discuss the productivity vs. time debate and provide some tips on how to best manage your time!

What is Productivity?

Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of a worker; it is calculated by dividing the number of units produced by the number of hours worked. In other words, it’s a way to quantify how much work you’re getting done in a given amount of time. Of course, that’s in a factory or manufacturing kind of setting, and the amount of work you can do in a set amount of time depends on your role.

However, typically speaking, the more work you can get done in a shorter amount of time (as long as you’re retaining an acceptable level of quality), the more productive you are.

Of course, you should see how productivity and time are two different things already coming to mind. For example, you could set a task that currently takes you two hours and try to complete it in one hour, meaning you ‘gain’ an hour you can spend on other tasks.

However, if you’re picking up your phone a lot during these work sessions and you’re not really focused, then you’re not really productive because you’re not getting a lot done.

What is Time Management?

Time management is the process of planning and organizing your time in such a way that you’re able to make the most efficient use of it. This includes things like setting deadlines, prioritizing tasks, and creating schedules.

“With good time management skills, you should be able to get more done in a shorter amount of time, without sacrificing quality. This is why it’s important for busy professionals to learn these skills if they want to increase their productivity and reduce stress levels,” explains Sam Nikson, a business writer at Brit Student and Next Coursework.

It’s also worth mentioning that time management isn’t just about being productive — you should also be able to spend more of your free time doing fun activities with family or friends, which will improve your quality of life.

Assessing How You Spend Your Time

When it comes to the best time management strategy, it’s important to start by figuring out how you’re actually spending your time. This can be done in a number of ways, but one of the most effective is to keep track of what you do for a week.

At the end of the week, take a look at your notes and see where you’re spending the majority of your time. Are there any activities that you could cut back on or delegate to someone else? This is a great way to figure out what tasks you should prioritize and which ones can wait.

Another thing that may help with this process is creating some sort of schedule. A calendar or planner can be helpful here if you have enough space to write down all the various things that you need to do each day. The key thing here is to be realistic about how much time you have and schedule things accordingly.

Highlight Distractions

It’s also important to be aware of the distractions that can pull you away from your work. This could be anything from social media to a colleague stopping by your desk for a chat.

“If possible, try to find ways to minimize these distractions. For example, if you know that you get easily distracted by Facebook, then delete the app from your phone, or turn off the notifications so you don’t get tempted to check in every few minutes,” shares Nick Harris, a social media writer at 1 Day 2 write and Write my X.

Also, try to set designated times for taking breaks and chatting with co-workers. That way you’ll know when it’s time for work and when it’s not!

Get Organised (Highlight Priorities)

If possible, start each day by planning out what you need to do. This could be a list of tasks or just a rough idea of what you want to achieve.

This will help ensure that you’re not wasting time by figuring out what to do next, and it also helps to highlight your priorities so you know which tasks are the most important.

Having a plan for each day also means that you’re less likely to procrastinate, as you’ll know what’s expected of you.

Use Technology Wisely

Technology can be a great tool for time management, but only if you use it wisely. For example, there are several tools out there that can help automate specific tasks, such as scheduling meetings and sending emails.

When it comes to email, though, try not to get carried away by checking your inbox every few minutes. If this is something you struggle with, then consider downloading an app like Freedom or Pause, which will block access for a set period (say 20 minutes) when you need it most!

Summary

In summary, as a busy professional, you don’t really want to focus on just productivity or time as just one strategy, but rather you’ll want to balance your focus on both, making changes here and there that can really help you both better your time management skills and increase your productivity, ensuring you’re working at a level you can be peaceful with.

Michael Dehoyos is a writer and productivity coach at Thesis writing service and Dissertation writing services. He helps businesses and individuals make the most of their time and contributes to numerous sites and publications. Also, he is a writer at Origin Writings.