We have all been gifted 24 hours in a day, yet people like Einstein, M.K. Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates never complained about the paucity of time. They were able to accomplish huge tasks of global importance within the same time allotted to mortals like us. This is because apart from their leadership skills they had attained mastery over time by revering/valuing it.

Even in the workplace, there are people who excel at time management whereas others while it away. No prizes for guessing who gets promoted and who is laid off!

Here are a few time management hacks to see you sail through office life and get the attention of your bosses. They will also enhance your image in front of your peers, not to mention help get your job done promptly and efficiently!

Get your clothes ready the night before. This prevents the mad rush at home in the morning. Wake up early. It sets the tone for the rest of the day and helps you to accomplish more. Spend 20–30 minutes planning your day first thing in the morning in the office. Don’t keep a to-do-list in your head. Write it down. Make this to-do list in the order of urgency and go on to complete it. Delineate a time limit to complete a task. Get the little things done immediately – this sets the tempo for the day’s productivity. However, if an important and difficult project crops up, tackle it first. Accomplish large projects by breaking them into smaller tasks. Avoid multitasking. You may think you are attending to 10 things at once but actually, you are leaving all tasks in different stages of completion. Declutter and organize your desk and files . A clean workspace makes for clear and sharp thinking. Learn to say no when others infringe on your work time and try to dump other projects on you which can hamper your own personal deadlines. Set boundaries on accessibility while you are working on a project with deadlines. Make it clear that you are not to be disturbed when working. Do something fruitful while waiting for clients (read a book which imparts knowledge or listen to motivational clips) Know thy software. If you work on a particular software, know the rudiments for free by going to youtube.com and looking up tutorials for it. Knowing the basics of a software prevents you from being dependent on other people’s time and makes you faster and self-sufficient. Learn keyboard shortcuts as they will save you time. Use Google calendar for email reminders. Automate repetitive tasks. If there are the same customer queries about how to order a product via email etc., make a standard ‘reply ‘ template and save it. Email it every time a request comes. Eliminate distractions like constant pings from WhatsApp (keep it on mute), frequently checking your FB or email accounts. Delegate a particular time for this during a slack hour. Take a short power nap after lunch to rejuvenate yourself . It provides a burst of alertness and you wouldn’t need artificial stimulants like coffee to pep you up. If something can be done 80% as well by someone else, delegate it to that person. Learn to make use of other people’s talent. Unsubscribe from useless emails. The time spent on deleting them every time will be saved. Check out life hacks from youtube.com to get work done faster at the office or at home. They will simplify your life and give you time to do more. Inculcate the habit of reading – be it print books, e-books or Kindle subscriptions. The experiences of people from the corporate world and their biographies will help you zero in on the practical life-habits they subscribe to and will help you better yourself.

We hope these time-saving hacks help you work efficiently at your workplace. Go on – try them and help build that new and confident you! Be the best employee of your office…ever!!!

You may also be interested in the following Time Management Books:

The Concise Time Management and Personal Development

Management Briefs: Time Matters

Making the Most of Your Time

Successful Time Management, 3/e

Personal Time Management

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Sangeeta Datta is a member of the marketing department of Viva Books and modestly strives to ace the race against time!

Also, check out our blog The Dos and Don’ts of Effective Communication

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