The Pitfalls of Trying to Save Time or Manage Time

Ways to save time or methods to manage time seem to be the hot topic on many self-help courses. There are also numerous devices claiming to be “time management apps” or “time-saving devices. All of these tools, courses, and apps are popular because we all need more time on our hands.

Of course, all of us want to be more productive and get more done in the day. But is it really true that you can save or manage time? What is really required to get more done in the day and use the time we have better?

In this article, you will learn about the pitfalls of saving time or managing time. You will find out about self-managing tips to be more productive at work and home.

Can you really manage time?

All of us have 24 hours in a day. As the minutes and seconds tick away, they’re gone for good. There is no way to get them back, reuse them, or even save them for another day. So, it’s just as impossible to manage time as it is to manage the sunset or some other aspect of nature. As the saying goes: “time stops for no one”.

When we talk about needing to save time or manage time, we are usually talking about managing activities we do in our time. Rather than save time, we need to use time better to get more done or use time more effectively.

Obviously, there are many benefits to learning how to use time better and more effectively. When you get more done, you have the feeling that you’ve got more time to spare

4 Ways how to use time wisely

If you need to save some time or manage time better, here are four ways that can help you use your time better.

1. Set goals

Having goals is the nr. 1 way to use the hours in the day better. Goals can give you a focus both in the short-term and in the long-term. Without specific goals, you might find that you end up wasting a lot of time in the day. Or, days, weeks, months, and even years pass and you still haven’t achieved what you wanted to.

For goals to “give” you more time, they need to be SMART goals. This acronym stands for goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Goals that adhere to the SMART principles help give your motivation, clarity, and also a greater chance of reaching your goals.

2. Set priorities

To utilize the time you have each day better, then priorities are a must. Of course, goals help you to see what some of your priorities should be. However, your priorities should categorise your tasks into the order of importance. Here are the four categories you need:

• Important and urgent—These are tasks that are your top priority and require most of your energy.
• Important, not urgent—Essential tasks that can get done at a later time.
• Urgent and not important—Tasks that you can’t foresee coming up that are urgent to the person requesting them, but not important to you.
• Not urgent and not important—Put these tasks off and only get round to them if you have got spare time.

3. Learn how to say no

Once you have learned how to set goals and priorities, learning how to say no will be so much easier. In fact, you will be surprised at how much time you can free up by saying no.

Please read this article if you need help with learning when and how to say no at work.

4. Get rid of distractions

If you want to use time better, then it’s essential to eliminate factors that steal your time. Distractions seem to be all around us—instant notifications on your phone, a colleague asking for some advice, or a phone call when you're busy. One 2018 study found that distractions can impact on productivity, lower quality, and destroy morale.

Shutting the door, turning off notifications, and not taking work home with you are all ways to get rid of time-stealing distractions.

Saving time, managing time, or using time?

Of course, talking about trying to save time is the same as wanting to use time more efficiently. If you set goals, get your priorities set, learn how to say no, and get rid of distractions, you may find that you have more time in the day.