Top 20 Best Time Management Techniques in 2022

Hurry and stress are the main enemies of modern man. But there are people who completely excluded them from their lives. And time management helped them in this. After all, it is not without reason that it is called the art of “not rushing anywhere and being in time everywhere”. The best time management techniques of 2022 will be discussed in the article.

Time management: what is it in simple words

Everyone dreams of using the time allotted to him with maximum efficiency. But most often he lives in a time pressure mode and constantly seeks resources in order to be in time for everything and everywhere. Therefore, time management techniques are in great demand in the 21st century.

The definition of time management has several variations. But the following option is most often used: time management is the ability to organize time to solve tasks with the most efficient use of available resources.

Time management is a scientific approach to time management. Thanks to him, a person can work less than usual, and at the same time do much more.

Important! The idea of ​​a wise allocation of resources is far from new. It was first voiced by the Roman philosopher Seneca, who proposed to keep track of time and divide it into useful, useless and bad.

The principles of effective time management existed in theory until the last quarter of the 20th century. And only during this period they became in demand in the business environment, taking shape in a full-fledged direction. Gradually, the technology became widespread. They are used not only at work, but also:

• in personal life;
• during the organization of an important event, including family;
• to complete current tasks.

Therefore, we can say that time management is useful to all people who daily solve a complex of diverse tasks in different segments.

It allows you to select important things from the general flow and complete them in accordance with the deadlines, eliminating delays, stress and other problems.

Time Management Fundamentals: 7 Principles of Time Management

Any technique is based on a number of basic principles. Their observance requires a certain level of self-control. But after 1-2 months, correct and effective time planning will become a habit and will no longer require strong-willed efforts.

Plan your activities

The basis for the competent distribution of time resources is planning. It doesn't matter if it's for a day, a week or a month.

When drawing up a plan, you need to consider several nuances:

• allow time for possible force majeure;
• do not keep points in mind, but write on paper or type on a computer;
• Divide complex and large tasks into several small ones.

Important! Scientists have proven that human productivity grows by 25-30% with a detailed action plan. This rule is relevant for any segment.

Formulate the desired result into specific goals and objectives

The ultimate goal of the activity should not be generalized - the path to it consists of smaller tasks. The breakdown of the general into the particular is done at the initial stage of planning. Intermediate goals must meet the following parameters:

• concreteness - this increases the chances of achieving them;
• measurability - this approach allows you to choose the right solutions;
• reachability - the time interval allotted for this may be different;
• relevance - each intermediate task brings the final goal closer;
• limited - the time frame stimulates the implementation of the task.

 Consistent execution of tasks always gives a positive result.

Fix your action plan

It is advisable to fix the stages of the plan visually in the form of tables or diagrams. It is more convenient if it reflects:

• terms;
• duration of each stage;
• work sequence.

This will allow you to keep the entire project under control or introduce new employees into it who will be able to orient themselves with current affairs in the shortest possible time.

Prioritize

Determining the end goal and dividing it into small tasks is important work. But for 90% of people, it is not as difficult as keeping the intended course in the current routine. And here a clear division of daily tasks into categories will help.

You can do this in different ways:

• Letter marking . Items of the daily plan are assigned a letter designation, where "A" - the most important things. They need to be done first in the morning, the rest as they decrease in importance.
• Eisenhower Matrix. It consists of four categories: important and urgent tasks (done immediately here and now), important and not urgent (give the highest performance), urgent and not important (delegated to others as much as possible), not important and not very urgent (removed from list).
• The last marking option is very common. With the correct distribution of the time resource, a person will always be in the second category, which will allow him to successfully and systematically move towards his goals.

Important! Time managers claim that any person gets 80% of the result with only 20% of the applied efforts. Therefore, its main task is to determine this resource state and use it.

Focus on the essentials

Numerous things, worries and entertainments daily distract from the main goal, which ultimately “eat up” up to 80% of free time. But it could be put to good use!

So there are two important things to learn:

• delegate - everything that is distracting and can be redirected for execution by others should be delegated;
• Saying “no” to unscheduled breaks, idle chatter, social media scouring, and TV watching.

Only this approach saves time and energy resources for doing important things.

Analyze your experience and create your own time management rules

Each person moves towards the goal at their own pace. The speed of advancement is influenced by personal characteristics, life circumstances, social status and other factors. Therefore, it is important to periodically analyze the path traveled on a number of points:

• degree of deepening into intermediate tasks;
• periods of greatest productivity;
• situations that led to the loss of resources;
• compliance with the rules.

The information received will make it possible to optimize actions and create your own individual rules for the successful completion of tasks.

Plan your vacation

In pursuit of success and achievement of goals, it is strictly forbidden to forget about rest. It usually seems that the exclusion from your life of weekends, vacations and communication with loved ones is temporary and will not do much harm. But this leads to a gradual decrease in psychophysiological capabilities. And the person can no longer work effectively.

Important! Therefore, rest is considered the most important point of the overall plan. To tolerate or ignore it is fraught with huge health problems.

10 myths about time management

Here skeptics like to refer to the lack of tools to actually change the flow of time. Yes, that is right. But only time management is not about fantasy at all. It is about competent self-management in the context of time.

No. 2. This does not work!

Favorite argument of those who tried one thing and did not get a result. But if you make an analysis, the reason for the failure will become clear. And in 97% of cases it consists in:

• insufficient motivation;
• wrong goal setting;
• inability to separate the important from the secondary .

Which means you have to try again.

Number 3. You have to work harder and harder

Not at all. Time management techniques are created just in order to get more results in a shorter time interval . This means that a person will be able to save resources and energy for loved ones or a hobby.

No. 4. It's boring, there is no place for spontaneity and creativity in time management

You don't have to plan every moment. It is enough to prioritize and cut off all distractions at the right time.

No. 5. This is only for those who are constantly late.

Actual tardiness has nothing to do with achieving goals. Therefore, time management is necessary for everyone who is looking for the most effective ways to solve problems. And this is 95% of the world's population.

No. 6 This is an invention of the West - it is not suitable for Russia

The history of time management is clearly marked in the West. But this does not mean at all that it did not exist in Russia. It's just that none of the theorists managed to bring the technique to official fixation.

No. 7. You can't be successful without time management

It is wrong to tie success to any technique. But any successful person understands that the basis of his achievements is the correct use of time and the ability to prioritize.

No. 8. Time management saves time

It is practically impossible to save time. But learning to do everything on time and in such a way that there is a resource for the family, hobbies and recreation is quite realistic. And from this point of view, time management is the best tool.

No. 9. It is useless to fight procrastination

Procrastination is a psychological feature that needs to be corrected. If a procrastinator turns to a psychologist for help, then in 99% of cases he will offer to use time management techniques.

No. 10. There are universal techniques that suit everyone

No, it's not. Specialists have developed a lot of techniques, so everyone can find their own. The main thing is not to stop and try.

TOP 25 Best Time Management Techniques

All existing methods can be divided into three impressive groups:

• setting priorities;
• planning;
• organization of work and leisure .

Each includes several effective tools, which are discussed in detail below.

Time management and prioritization

In the age of information technology, it is difficult for a person to focus on anything. He is constantly faced with external stimuli, which at times reduce his productivity. The techniques collected in this section help to isolate the paramount and not be distracted by third-party tasks.

1. ABVGD technique

One of the easiest ways to prioritize. It consists in assigning one of the letters of the alphabet to each task.

Important! Ideally, all cases should fit into categories from "A" to "D". But if there are sometimes more of them - it's okay. But when the list of daily tasks regularly goes beyond "D", then it's time to analyze your schedule and optimize it.

The most important tasks are indicated by the letter "A" - they are completed first. The rest of the letters are assigned in descending order of importance.

2. Rule “1-3-5”

This technique is ideal for people who are constantly faced with blockages at work. The rule that allows you to do only nine things a day will help to cope with the problem:

• 1 - big and important;
• 3 - medium in volume and significance;
• 5 - small.

The technique is suitable as a permanent or temporary, when you have to work in time trouble.

3. Eisenhower Matrix

The most popular technique that makes it possible to work effectively constantly, and not from time to time. It implies assigning to all cases scheduled for the day their status:

• important and urgent - they cannot be postponed, as this is fraught with serious problems
• important and not urgent - give the opportunity to work in the resource and take up most of the working time;
• urgent and not important - calmly shifted to the shoulders of others;
•  not important and not very urgent - it is recommended to cross them out of the plan.

Such a matrix contributes to the successful structuring of existing tasks.

4. Rule of three

The simplest technique is to highlight the three most important tasks for the day. While they are in the execution stage, other tasks are excluded by themselves. This approach allows you not to get bogged down in a routine.

5. Pareto's Law

An effective rule that says:

• 20% of efforts give 80% of results;
• the remaining 80% of efforts lead to 20% of results.

Therefore, it remains only to focus all the important things in the most productive period for yourself.

6. Auto focus

All people are different and what is easy for some, others do not succeed even after titanic efforts. The latter applies to creative people who have difficulty prioritizing.

The autofocus technique will definitely help them. Its algorithm is simple:

• take a blank sheet of paper;
• write all the cases on him in the order in which they come to mind;
• view the list and mark the most priority tasks;
• after their completion, do the things to which the soul lies.

If you use the autofocus technique daily, your work efficiency will increase by 45% without psychological stress.

Important! Don't beat yourself up if you can't do something. Such tasks are carried over to the next day and then, without stress, are brought to the end in order of priority.

Planning in time management

Some individuals manage to prioritize without problems, but they cannot draw up a competent plan. Such people should focus on planning techniques. The methods described below are accessible and understandable to everyone.

7. List of all cases

The technique of long-term planning helps not to "drown" in everyday affairs and tasks. It consists in writing out all the tasks on a piece of paper. Then, gradually, tasks for the day, week, month, six months are selected from the list.

When new cases appear, they are also first entered into the general list and only after the analysis of importance do they move to the desired section of the plan.

8. Accounting for biological rhythms

The internal biological clock does not depend on how much and in what rhythm a person works. Up to 98% of people practically break themselves, adjusting to the existing work schedule. But the effectiveness of many remains questionable.

You can increase productivity by observing your well-being and highlighting the following periods:

• peak performance;
• decline in activity;
• an emerging need for rest and food.

In the future, the performance of tasks should be correlated with the identified features of the functioning of the body.

9. Keep a diary

Do not keep tasks for the day in your head. Visibility in this segment acts as a stimulant. Therefore, it is important to keep a diary with a plan for the day or make a table in a convenient format on the Internet.

10. Formula 10-3-2-1-0

This technique is inherently the basis for the formation of healthy habits that will allow you to work productively, while saving the body's resources. According to the formula, you need to plan your day so that the following rules are strictly followed:

• 10 hours of sleep is a mandatory norm, regardless of the workload during the day;
• 3 hours before bedtime, the body must be rid of food and alcohol;
• 2 hours before going to bed, postpone all work matters;
• an hour before bedtime, remove all gadgets from the room (phone, computer, tablet);
• 0 - the number of times that you can move the morning alarm to a later time.

The formula is an optimal balance of work and rest.

11. The right tools

Often people underestimate technical innovations, but they can seriously simplify life. Especially if procrastination interferes with being effective. So it is worth looking for assistants in various applications and programs.

At the moment, there is a lot of software on the network that will help you competently plan and act within the framework of the list.

12. Technique "Timekeeping"

This technique is analytical in nature. But it is extremely necessary for those who do not have time for anything and realize this fact only by the end of the working day. The analysis takes at least 3-4 weeks and is done as follows:

• every hour write down on a piece of paper everything done during this period;
• indicate not only the case, but also the time spent on it;
• skip minitasks for 3 minutes or less . A month later, it will be possible to recreate a real picture, reflecting the distribution of time during the day. This will allow you to highlight the most productive periods and adjust the workflow so that temporary losses become minimal.

13. Gantt Chart

The technique is relevant for those who:

• prefers visualization;
• handles graphics well.

You can create a chart in Excel:

• tasks fit into one scale;
• the second time to complete them.

Techniques for organizing work and leisure

For many people, the segment of alternating work and leisure sags. Such individuals first work for wear and tear, and then cannot recover in any way, procrastinating. Or they are constantly distracted from completing tasks, not even allowing themselves five minutes to reboot.

The described techniques will help them debug the alternation of periods of tension and relaxation, which invariably increases productivity.

14. Pomodoro Technique

A good option, on the basis of which a lot of applications have been developed. The technique consists in establishing the cycle of work and rest:

• set an alarm clock for a quarter of an hour, during which one task is performed without distraction to extraneous stimuli;
• allow yourself to rest for five minutes;
• then another 25 minutes of fruitful work follow.

After four cycles, a half-hour break is made.

15. Salami Method

One of the most common ways designed to relieve physical and psychological stress when performing a complex and voluminous task. He suggests dividing the task into small parts and “eating”, that is, performing it in stages.

16. Eat a frog

No one is ready to eat frogs, because they are nasty and do not look appetizing at all. Also with complex tasks - they want to be postponed for later and a little more for later. As a result, internal tension and dissatisfaction are created during the day, which do not allow productive work.

The technique involves doing the unpleasant thing first in the morning and only then proceeding to the current simpler tasks.

17. Staged cases and division of working time into blocks

Scientists have proven that when switching to a new task, the body needs about 15 minutes to fully immerse. Therefore, it is recommended to do things in stages - first one thing, then another. Dispersal reduces efficiency by 37%.

It is equally important to competently complete different tasks. The workflow consists of tasks that can be grouped into blocks. For example:

• calling;
• analysis of correspondence;
• visiting objects;
• drawing up reports.

This approach will allow you not to jump from one thing to another, but to do everything blockwise. This increases concentration and efficiency.

18. Delegation

The higher the cost of the time of a particular individual, the more expedient it is to delegate various tasks to others. You need to do this in order to free up resources for the important and urgent.

19. "Found Time"

A very effective technique that allows you to do much more than usual at the same time. It is as follows:

• make a list of 20-25 things that usually do not have time;
• perform several tasks from the list as soon as the “window” appears.

The list will need to be updated regularly.

20. At least 10 minutes

The technique is used, rather, in order not to forget about personal growth and find a resource for yourself. According to experts, it is enough to allocate no more than ten minutes a day for your favorite, but constantly postponed activity - to read an interesting book, listen to a webinar, study a foreign language or perform a set of exercises.

21. Make important appointments in the morning

Completing important tasks immediately relieves the day psychologically and makes it possible to accomplish much more than planned.

22. Work is the best way to get started

Labor productivity is influenced by many factors, so sometimes, with all the desire, efficiency remains at zero. During such periods, it is recommended to postpone complex tasks and slowly do small, insignificant tasks.

23. Learn to say “no”

You should not take on new responsibilities without completing the old ones. But many forget about it, taking on back-breaking work. In this case, saying “no” in time will relieve stress, fear of not being on time and problems.

24. Set Deadlines for Everything

Even the most insignificant task must have its own deadline. This is important in order not to surround yourself with numerous unfinished tasks.

25. Immersion in work

If there are a lot of tasks that have accumulated and it is impossible to cope with them, since they require a lot of time, it is advisable to allocate several days entirely for them. During this period, it is forbidden to be distracted by other problems and goals.

Time management exercises for students

Having moved into the category of students, former students are faced with a lot of free time and self-training. And then a huge surprise awaits them - they can’t prepare for classes because of the constant distraction to extraneous matters.

Effective time management for pupils and students consists of three exercises:

• Elimination of all distractions . Everyone has their own, so initially you need to determine what distracts you from studying the most. And then write out on a piece of paper with options for neutralizing the problem.
• Competent organization of the workspace . Clutter around leads to clutter in the head. And it becomes a funnel, "stealing" time. Therefore, it is important to create a comfortable space for yourself.
• Five step plan . It includes: an extract of all obligations and cases, dividing them into three categories of urgency, breaking down voluminous tasks into smaller ones, immediate execution of priority tasks, adjusting the list with the transition of tasks from one category to another.

Corporate Time Management Techniques

The corporate principles of time management are as follows:

• visibility
• the ability to measure the final result with real parameters;
• systematization of processes;
• simple planning;
• immediate adjustments to plans;
• goal vision;
• prioritization;
• investment in the future;
• action in the moment, even if it is not in the plan;
• delegation and performance verification;
• striving for more results in less time;
• productivity is a key marker of the whole process. ## Popular books and trainings on time management and personal effectiveness

In order to feel the essence of time management, special books and trainings will not be superfluous. The best selection is below:

•  "Organization of time" (Gleb Arkhangelsky);
•  "Time Drive" (Brian Tracy);
• "Tomato Time Management" (Stafan Nöteberg);
• "Hard time management" (Dan Kennedy);
• "Maximum Concentration" (Lucy Paladino).        

Overview of Time Management Applications

You should not refuse technical innovations, learning to manage time. Successful people willingly use them and consider them one of the best inventions of mankind.

An overview of the most interesting options is given in the list:

• clear . The application was created about 10 years ago and is a virtual notebook in which you can record things and cross out what you have done.
• 1-3-5 List. The application works according to the type of technique "1-3-5". It sorts cases by importance, highlighting one primary task, three medium and five minor ones.
• RescueTime . An interesting option with which you can make a full analysis of the time spent per day. Moreover, the program is able to send warnings, noting unplanned time consumption.
• Trello . The software has been available for about 10 years. It is suitable for those who prefer to visualize tasks as vividly as possible. The app looks like a giant whiteboard with to-do cards in order of importance. Once completed, the remaining tasks automatically move from one category to another.
• Loop - Habit Tracker . The most functional software helps not only to manage time competently, but also to develop good habits for a long time.
• [email protected] is an unusual application that, based on the results of preliminary testing, selects the best musical accompaniment for a particular job.

Time management is a whole complex of technologies and techniques that can completely change a person’s life, freeing up much-needed time for activities that are not related to work.