How to juggle time and tasks efficiently

OK so we would all love to have more minutes in the hour, more hours in the day, more days in the week … am I right? BUT we can’t!! There are so many productivity pains … procrastination, unrealistic deadlines, unwanted distractions that steal valuable time, and lack of organisation to name a few. We are all pulled in different directions and there never seem to be enough hours in the day to get it all done. However we CAN use the time that we have in a better way so that it feels like we have more minutes/hours/days … really. 

Time management is a skill and dealing with multiple tasks can be overwhelming, so it is really useful to learn how to take control of your workload and effective strategies to maximise the working hours in your day!

So here are some tips to help you on your way to juggling your time and tasks efficiently …

1. Have a positive Mindset regarding your To Do list

Whether you have a small business of your own or work in a larger corporate environment a positive mindset to the tasks in hand will make a huge difference. If you (and your colleagues) continually think and say you have too much to do then you will never get things done. 

Instead view all the tasks as a hamper of delights and be positive about how you will tackle them. (Note: I am not condoning overworking as I am a strong believer in a healthy work–life balance).

2. Have a plan of action

Creating a plan of action (yes we all love a list!) will focus your mind on the tasks ahead, start the problem-solving ball rolling and help remove negativity to your workload as things will be much clearer and achievable. 

In this plan you can highlight the most urgent tasks so that you can prioritise them. To prioritise effectively, you need to recognise what is important, as well as see the difference between urgent and important. (Urgent tasks being the ones that would have a major negative impact if they don’t get done).

3. Keep your clients/colleagues informed

Whether you are a freelancer with clients or working with colleagues, it is important to keep them informed about how tasks are proceeding … especially if they have tight deadlines, are part of a longer term project etc. If you are struggling with a task or have questions, don’t ignore them … ask questions when you need to and prove that you are resourceful and use your initiative when you can as this may help others with their tasks too. Also, when you are given a task, ask for a deadline … and don’t accept ASAP … a date is needed!

4. Learn to say ‘No’

Seriously … if you are already juggling enough then it is better to be upfront and honest and say ‘No’ than to struggle on and not do a good job. You will know when to draw the line. So don’t always say ‘Of course’ … take time to think about what a new task requires. Oh and remember it doesn’t have to be a straight ‘No’, you can also provide an alternative solution … this is a double-whammy as it increases your reputation as a thoughtful and reliable problem-solver!!

5. Acknowledge your juggling capacity

We all have to multi-task but if we have too much on we just end up chasing our tails and getting nothing significant completed. Some people like to juggle a few tasks at a time while others prefer to focus and complete one task at a time … sometimes we have to pick and choose our jobs accordingly! 

There are other things to consider: we all have more productive times of the day, we all have priorities outside of work that can’t be ignored, and we all have our limits … work out everything that is best for you and fit your work into the format that is most productive, get the tasks done that you know you can and schedule the rest for the next day if that works.

Being aware of your most productive times of the day means you can plan to do your most complex tasks at that time. Whatever time that is for you, morning or afternoon, structure your daily tasks so that you have the simpler more mundane tasks (we all have them!) when you are less productive.

6. Focus

Focus … this takes practice  … but it is important to really focus on one task, give it your full attention. Even if you have multiple projects on the go, you can only really work on one at a time. So, be efficient with your time and really focus on that one task then move on to the next. 

If your mind wanders or a brilliant idea/solution comes into your mind that relates to something else, then just make a quick note and it will be there when you are ready for it. Also turn off notifications so that you aren’t distracted by them and don’t go checking emails when they arrive in your inbox.

7. Have reassessment time

Include times in your day to reassess you work load/To Do list. It is important to be flexible: sometimes new tasks arrive that are urgent and sometimes other things just get in the way and you can’t get every task completed. Then just reassess: think about what has to be done and what can be left, then re-focus on that. It is also worth considering whether tasks can be delegated … it is all to do with prioritisation. Just remember to focus on what really needs to be done that day. 

Here is a way to look at things when priorities change: when you stop work on your current task think of it like pressing the pause button, move on to your new priority task, focus on that until it is done, then transition back to your original task by pressing the play button!

8. Tick things off ✓ and 👏

No matter how small a task is, tick it off on your list, acknowledge your achievement and celebrate completion … I don’t mean with bubbly but just savour the moment. Try and complete something every day; get to your desk, focus on the task, stick with it, complete it and don’t move on to the next task without appreciating what you have achieved (small or large) … feel good about it. 

Having a list with ticks on it is very encouraging … believe me … it is good to feel good about your accomplishments.

It is all about working smarter … not frantically trying to juggling everything and getting nowhere but being productive and focusing your energy where it is needed.

If this has helped check out my previous ‘musing’ … it’s a poem about pausing!

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Cornerstone pa services is here to help YOU and your business. Do get in touch if you have admin tasks to outsource and give yourself more time to focus on other aspects of your business. No task is ever too small or too tedious.