Many of us could do with help in managing our time more efficiently. The rise of the internet has expedited the rate at which business is being done and we have yet to catch up to that pace. Time management needs to be taken as seriously as sales, marketing, management and leadership. So, here are five underrated ways to save time at work:

1. Plan Your Day, Month and Year





You don't have to stick to this plan too religiously but creating a plan will help you get more organized. It's more like a checklist and a reminder in case something slips your mind. Plus, you won't be wasting time trying to decide what to do next. Planning also helps you avoid setting up two appointments at the same time or cramming a lot of tasks in one day.



2. Prioritize Important Tasks





Do all your important tasks first but not necessarily the urgent tasks. Important tasks, such as planning, marketing, skills development and training, should take priority over menial urgent tasks, such as signing cheques.



3. Focus On Your Strengths





Don't try to do everything yourself except for what only you can do. Try to delegate all other tasks and don't micromanage your staff. Provide constructive feedback and training instead of spoon-feeding your employees. Start by identifying what you are really good at and delegate the rest. You will be surprised at how much time you can save by only playing on your core strengths. Its a win-win situation for everyone because you will be saving time and your employees get autonomy.



4. Rush Through Unimportant Tasks





This may be hard to do if you are a perfectionist but don't waste time on unimportant tasks when you could be using that time to do something more important. The world today operates at a lightning speed and it's not practical to do everything yourself.



5. Set Deadlines





When you are working on a task, set a time by which you should aim to finish the task. It's not efficient to leave an open amount of time to get something done. You will be surprised to see how much faster you will finish tasks when you are under a little time pressure. This also applies to the time you enter and leave your office. Tell yourself that you will leave on time and it will motivate you to get everything done more efficiently so that you can have the entire evening to enjoy some leisure time.



If you are looking for diary or time management software to help you schedule the tasks for you and your staff then try the Diary Management Software fromabsolutely free.