Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, you can’t seem to manage your time as well as others? If you’ve experienced this, know you’re not the only one who has. While traditional time management techniques can work for some, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to managing your time best. Different types of people need different time management tricks—which is why we put together a list of time management strategies based on your personality type.
Whether you are a student adjusting to remote work or someone trying to land your dream job, using time management strategies is key to stay on top of your work. In a time where so many people are working remotely, staying motivated is the key to success.
But how can you stay motivated? For people with short attention spans, some time management techniques don’t work well. That’s why there’s the Pomodoro technique, in which you work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. You do this four times before taking a longer break. This time management technique is an example that works great for exploratory and chameleon personality types—but it’s worth giving it a shot to see how you respond.
If you are an outgoing and social person, the Eat That Frog technique might be the secret to your time management success. With this technique, you start your day with the tasks you like least, so you can finish off with what you enjoy the most. The Eat That Frog technique is great to “bite the bullet”—so if you wouldn’t consider yourself the most disciplined, this is a smart way to ensure you stay on top of your work without suffering at the end of the day.
More introverted “auditor” personality types can benefit from the Eisenhower principle, in which you put your tasks into 4 groups: important, urgent, not urgent, and not important, and schedule your day according to this. For organized people, this is a great way to divide up your to-do list even further to maximize productivity during the day.
For those who would consider themselves a helpful or contributor personality type, it can be hard to stay focused since you would stop what you are doing to go help others at the drop of a hat. The task-batch method is great for this personality type because you are able to schedule similar tasks together to avoid too much multitasking—where you somehow manage to get nothing done. For this method, using productivity apps is a great way to keep yourself on track.
If you’re unsure of your personality type, there are some popular methods, like the Myers-Briggs test which can help you determine what your personality type is. Whether you are putting together your resume for job applications or starting your first year of remote learning, understanding how to manage your time is key to succeeding.