Strategies, techniques, and tools to manage your time
“You can’t save time to use it another day.”
Time is a valuable and limited resource. It’s a resource we cannot increase, nor can we recover it once it’s gone. That’s why it’s so important to manage it properly, as it is essential for achieving your goals.
Differences between strategies, techniques, and tools
Strategy, technique, and tool are concepts related to the planning and execution of a project or task, but they have significant differences:
Strategy: Refers to a general plan established to achieve a specific goal. Strategy involves the choice of resources, activity planning, and definition of objectives. The strategy focuses on the “what” and the “why” of an action.
Technique: Refers to a specific methodology or a series of steps to achieve a goal within the overall strategy. These can be specialized skills, proven practices, or creative approaches used to solve a problem or achieve a specific objective. Techniques focus on the “how” of an action.
Tool: Refers to an instrument, resource, or software used to facilitate the implementation of the strategy and execution of techniques. Tools can be physical or digital, and can help with organization, management, communication, or data analysis. Tools focus on the “with what” of an action.
In summary, the strategy is the general and long-term planning, the technique is the specific methodology to achieve a goal, and the tool is the instrument or resource used to facilitate the execution of the strategy and technique. All these concepts are interrelated and important to effectively achieve a goal.
With the concepts clarified, let’s now talk about some strategies, techniques, and tools that will help you better manage your time.
Strategies for managing your time
Below, I list some strategies that will help you achieve the goal of better managing your time. They are designed to help you identify your priorities, properly determine what to do with the time you have, and find ways to use that time efficiently.
It’s important that before applying a technique or using a tool, you have a clear strategy. Strategy is the fundamental base. It’s what allows you to clearly organize the tasks and objectives to which you will dedicate your time. Since time is limited, this strategic part is vital to define what’s important and what you will allocate this valuable resource to. If you don’t have that clear, no technique or tool—automated or not—will help you reach your goals.
Identify your priorities: Prioritize your tasks according to their importance and urgency. Identify which tasks are most important and focus on those first.
Set clear goals and objectives: Define specific goals and set realistic deadlines to achieve them. This will help you stay focused and avoid distractions.
Create an action plan: Plan your day or week in advance. Create a task list and organize them according to priority. That way you can ensure you're making efficient use of your time.
Eliminate distractions: Identify what distracts you and try to eliminate or minimize it. Turn off your cellphone or notifications on your computer to avoid unnecessary interruptions.
Learn to delegate: If you have too many tasks, delegate some to others. This will allow you to focus on the most important tasks and increase your efficiency.
Take breaks: Resting and disconnecting from time to time is important to maintain concentration and increase productivity. Make sure to take regular breaks and engage in activities that relax you.
Techniques for managing your time
There are many techniques designed to make better use of time. Below are some of the most used in the business and entrepreneurial world.
Pomodoro Technique
It was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. It involves working in 25-minute blocks, followed by short 5-minute breaks.
Each of these 25-minute blocks is called a “pomodoro” because Cirillo used a small kitchen timer shaped like a tomato (in Italian, “pomodoro”) to measure the 25 minutes of work. So, each 25-minute segment was called a pomodoro.
After four pomodoros, you take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. During each pomodoro, you should focus on a single task and avoid distractions.
Time blocking technique
This involves dividing your day into time blocks and assigning specific tasks to each. The idea is to plan in advance how you’re going to use your available time based on your priorities and goals.
You should assign each task a specific time block in the day. Take into account the time needed to complete each task and assign realistic blocks to avoid overload and stress.
Once you've assigned your main tasks, you can assign additional blocks for less important tasks or those that arise during the day. You should always schedule time for breaks and downtime to avoid burnout and lack of motivation.
Time blocking also gives you a clear view of what was accomplished by the end of the day and what still needs to be done.
Adjustments can be made throughout the day, but always maintaining focus on the most important tasks and, above all, maintaining discipline to follow the established plan.
The GTD technique (Getting Things Done)
It’s a personal productivity method created by David Allen. GTD is a systematic methodology used to organize and manage workflow. It’s based on five basic steps:
Capture: Record all tasks and responsibilities.
Clarify: Review all tasks and responsibilities to identify the necessary actions for each. Set priorities and delegate or postpone tasks as appropriate.
Organize: Organize all tasks and responsibilities into appropriate categories and place them in an easily accessible system.
Reflect: Regularly review and update all tasks and responsibilities to ensure that priorities and goals are being met.
Engage: Take action on tasks and responsibilities according to their priority and context.
Eisenhower Matrix
It’s a time and productivity management technique used to prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. It was created by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who said, “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.” It consists of a 2×2 matrix that classifies tasks based on their importance and urgency. The four quadrants are as follows:
Important and Urgent: Tasks that must be done immediately, such as a crisis or an imminent deadline. The required action here is DO.
Important but not Urgent: Important tasks that do not have an immediate deadline, such as long-term planning and skill development. The required action here is SCHEDULE.
Urgent but not Important: Tasks that require immediate attention but are not important in the long term, such as interruptions and phone calls. The required action here is DELEGATE.
Neither Important nor Urgent: Tasks that are neither important nor urgent, such as distractions and leisure. The required action here is ELIMINATE.
Tools for managing your time
Finally, I want to share some time management tools that can help you be more productive. The usefulness of these tools lies in their ability to support you with visual elements or reminders. Remember that the tool itself—whether technological and modern or traditional—does not replace your prior strategic work.
Calendars: Using calendars allows you to clearly visualize actions over specific timeframes. Depending on your preferences, you can use physical or digital calendars. Single- or multi-page. With or without color. The options today are immense. You’ll surely find one that suits your style. You can also use digital calendars like Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, etc., to schedule your tasks and meetings. Personally, I use Google Calendar, but I also keep a physical planner and an app on my phone called Structured.
Task lists: There are many options for task lists. From a sheet of paper, a notebook, a planner, to apps like Evernote, Todoist, Asana, or Trello to create to-do lists and set reminders. You can find in my resources a version I created to help manage task lists.
Time tracking apps: Apps like RescueTime and Toggl can help you monitor how you're using your time on your computer or smartphone and optimize your working time.
Automation: You can automate certain tasks using tools like IFTTT or Zapier, which can save you time on repetitive work.
The choice of tools will depend on your specific needs and the type of work you do. What’s important is to find tools that help you be more efficient in your work and allow you to manage your time effectively, while also matching your style and personality.
Don’t forget: time is a valuable and limited resource. Look for the strategies, techniques, and tools that help you make the best possible use of your time—for the benefit of your business and your personal life.