5 Hacks for Better Time Management

Fortunately, if you’re looking to improve your time management skills this year, you’re in luck: we’re ringing in 2024 with five simple yet effective tips for streamlining your schedule and boosting productivity, without the added stress.

According to psychologists, our brains aren’t wired to focus on multiple things at once, and splitting your focus too much leads to lower productivity rates in the workplace. But as a manager, you and your team are bound to have numerous overlapping tasks. Rather than giving one task your undivided attention, you may bounce between tasks with limited focus and not actually complete any of them.

Action item: Start each day by making a priority list of what you need to do and what can be delegated to others on your team. Designate a specific amount of time for each task to hold each project owner accountable. 

Then, use a task management app to assign tasks to your employees with clear deadlines. You can even break down tasks into steps and include important documents like checklists, forms, images, and videos so everyone has all the necessary information.

Sticking to a schedule is the cornerstone of time management and allows you and your team to allocate time efficiently so every task, shift, and job receives the attention it needs. 

By organizing the workload and ensuring that you have enough employees staffed to get everything done, you can maximize productivity, ensure the workplace runs smoothly, and help your team maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

Action item: Use an employee scheduling app to streamline the entire scheduling process. Employees can submit their availability and scheduling preferences directly, and you can create digital schedules with a clear overview of the shifts and roles that need to be filled for any given day. 

Losing time at work is like throwing money out the window. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to know how you and your team spend your time. That way, you can set realistic deadlines and expectations and create schedules that maximize the workday. It will also help identify areas for efficiency improvements. 

Action item: A digital time clock is the best way for nondesk employees to track how much time they spend on tasks and jobs. No matter where they’re working, they can easily clock in and out of work and even switch between jobs right from their mobile devices. 

Look for an app that will automatically process how much time everyone spends working and create timesheets for managerial review. You can then adjust schedules if needed and ensure that everyone is aligned with team goals and deadlines.  

Most of us tend to complete the easy, simple tasks first because, well, they’re easier. It’s more satisfying to cross multiple items off your list rather than just one.

However, time management experts would argue that it’s actually more efficient to do the bigger, more daunting tasks first. The reasoning behind this is that not only does it ensure you have enough time to get the tasks done by the deadline, but you also avoid working under pressure. 

Action item: When creating priority lists, put the more difficult tasks towards the top and look for digital tools that can help you complete them more efficiently. 

For example, if payroll is difficult for you because you aren’t the best with numbers, put this task at the top of your list and look into payroll software with features that address your major pain points. In this case, you would want payroll software that creates digital timesheets and calculates everyone’s hours automatically so you don’t have to worry about doing this manually. 

If you find yourself missing deadlines or forgetting to do basic tasks, you may need to spend some time organizing your workload. Doing so helps prioritize tasks, reduces time wasted on searching for information, and minimizes distractions. 
Action item: Maintain clear and updated to-do lists and use digital tools for scheduling, document storage, and task management. These apps enhance productivity by organizing multiple aspects of business management and automating some of the processes. You may also want to categorize emails into folders and set specific time blocks for different projects.

Connecteam is Your Go-To Time Management Solution 

Connecteam’s all-in-one employee management app comes with multiple features and automations that make time management much more efficient. With Connecteam, you can:

• Create schedules with ease: Connecteam’s employee scheduler is intuitive and easy to use. Employees can submit their availability directly in the app, allowing you to create schedules with a complete overview of who’s available when. The app also alerts you of any scheduling errors or conflicts so you can quickly correct them.
• Track employee time and hours: The employee time clock makes it easy to track everyone’s working hours and how much time workers spend on specific projects. The app also automatically calculates total hours and records them onto timesheets. It will even alert you when an employee hits overtime.
• Create lists and checklists with ease: Make task priority lists and and checklists right in the app to keep yourself organized and on track.
• Assign one-time and recurring tasks: Ensure you and your team stay aligned by assigning and delegating tasks directly through the app with attached notes, checklists, reports, images, and even videos. That way, employees know exactly what needs to be done and are automatically notified.
• Communicate with your team through multiple channels: Reduce the time you spend on lengthy back-and-forth texts and emails. Connecteam has built-in employee chat to reach staff directly for work-related matters, and an employee newsfeed to reach everyone at once with important updates and announcements.

These are just a few of the time-saving features Connecteam has to offer, but the app also comes with HR features, document storage, an employee knowledge base, PTO management, and more!

All in Good Time

As you integrate these time management hacks into your workday, remember that the goal is to work smarter, not harder. Embrace these strategies to not only enhance your productivity but also to find that sweet spot of professional efficiency and personal well-being.