Work with Time, Not against It

Practice 10 Time-Saving Techniques

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. – Benjamin Franklin

Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. – Harvey MacKay

You know what they say, time is money. So if you can learn to better use your time, you’ll increase your bottom line. So how do you go about practicing better time management in order to log more billable hours, making your workday more productive? We’ve gathered ten time-saving techniques that should help.

1. Practice delayed gratification
Often we perform the most appealing tasks first. The problem with this approach is that it often causes the dread for those less-appealing tasks to build, tempting you to delay them even longer and waste more time in the long run. Approach the more consuming tasks at the beginning of your day when you have the most energy; the rest of your day will prove to be more enjoyable (and productive!).

2. Prioritize
At the beginning of each day determine which tasks are most important and timely. That way you ensure that you’re not only productive but responsible, completing those jobs that need your attention first.

3. Make a To-Do List
Using the list of priorities from above, create a To-Do list. You can fill in your list with other less crucial, but still necessary tasks (like running errands or returning phone calls).

4. Plan ahead
While it’s important to plan your daily schedule you should also look ahead and see how you can plan for future projects. For example, as tax season approaches are there things you can do now to prepare, making that crunch time easier and less stressful? As you use down time to manage future tasks you’ll find that you’ll complete them more quickly, giving you even more time for other duties and activities.

5. Organize
Taking the time to organize your office, your files and your supplies will help you work more efficiently. That time you spend organizing now will pay off in the long run because you’ll avoid wasting time later trying to find those things you need.

6. Group like tasks together
You can save time by completing similar tasks at the same time. For example, return phones call all at once, catch up on all your email, or send all your faxes together. You’ll be focused on the task at hand and can maximize that time it takes to open your email, search for phone numbers, and operate the fax machine.

7. Power shop
As with number six, when you run your errands all at the same time (and buy supplies in bulk) you’ll save a significant amount of time.

8. Avoid unnecessary meetings
Countless hours could be saved in avoiding unnecessary meetings. Evaluate all appointments currently on your calendar and ask whether or not you could eliminate any by corresponding over the phone or via email. Some people spend hours at meetings designed to gather information or answer a series of questions that could easily be addressed through some other, more time-efficient means.

9. Get it right the first time
Do a job right the first time. It may take longer, but it will ensure the quality of your work and eliminate the need to revise your work or redo it altogether.

10. Take a break
You can’t imagine how much time you save in taking reasonable and necessary breaks. Working hard for days on end without interruption or that occasional vacation will eventually take its toll, either through job burnout or illness, costing you in productivity later.

Everyone can improve their time management, and thankfully, it takes little time to implement any of these ten time-saving techniques. Try applying just one a day to see the difference it makes. Imagine all the hours you can save in one month of utilizing these time-saving tips.

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