Unlocking Success: Your Proven Blueprint to Crush Your To-Do List in the New Year!
Check off your to-do list and make 2024 your most productive year yet.
I have a fantasy: Time Management leads me to the blissful land where tasks get done, stress is gone and we all spend time doing the things we love. Distractions disappear, all while still moving forward with long-term projects, and handling the flood of emails and last-minute demands.
In my dreams! Reality isn’t quite that organized, but I’m resolved to build all these following practical time management tips and tricks into my life to help improve my productivity, organize my work, and meet my goals in 2024.
To-Do Lists
This first tip is simple and surprisingly effective. When I get to the office, I take a few minutes to organize my day and update my to-do list. Starting with my three most important tasks. Adding three quick and easy tasks at the top of the list that I can check off right away is essential to me - there’s nothing more satisfying than crossing off an item on my list!
Your Calendar is Your Friend
Working around already scheduled meetings, I block time in my calendar to accomplish my To-Do items. Add upcoming deadlines, then create reminders for everything. I break down the tasks into chunks, setting an hour for task A, an hour for task B, time for lunch and so on. Keep it simple and let your technology work for you.
I designate a couple of times a day to check emails and make phone calls. And most importantly, I allow time to talk to the Guildstreet team and our clients.
Timelines Timelines Timelines
Starting a new project can be daunting. Planning out project milestones into bite-sized tasks and charting each task with a specific deadline saves me hours and keeps me organized. And seeing progress along the project Gantt chart is empowering and cool.
Delegate
No matter how productive I am, how efficient I can be, I know that it’s important to delegate. The Guildstreet team are amazing and we each have their own set of skills that complement each other. I bet your team is equally complementary. And hiring contracted service companies is super helpful. Entrepreneurs need accountants and marketers to help them be efficient.
Project Management Apps AND AI
Technology is on our side! Apps such as Asana and Trello are helpful tools. They allow me to assign timelines and specific tasks to team members and will send reminder emails as deadlines approach, making it easier for me to stay on plan. Both platforms have free options and are easy to use.
AI! There are now so many AI applications that can speed up all sorts of mundane tasks and enhance everything that we do. I block time in my calendar to experiment with AI and learn. Stay tuned!
Clear your Workspace
This is important. According to Psychology Today, “...researchers at Princeton University found that clutter can actually make it more difficult to focus on a particular task. A clear workspace clears my mind and allows me to focus.
Take a Break
Then I try to remember to give myself time to refresh and reset. Getting up, walking around, breathing deep all help to get me back to my work with a fresh set of eyes and a clear mind. Implementing this part of the plan is going to take some work!
There we are – my New Year’s resolution is to use all these techniques to improve my time management skills, make the most of my time, and be more effective…in no time at all. How about you? Can Guildstreet help?