The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
When you work from home or are self-employed, you are responsible for your own success. You must utilize your time to stay on track and focused on the task at hand.
Thankfully, with the numerous social media management tools, organizational apps, and old-fashioned to-do lists, managing your time and tasks shouldn’t be difficult. Nevertheless, many of us still struggle.
Discover why time management is absolutely necessary while working from home and how you can improve your skills!
Why is Time Management Important
There are many reasons that time management is crucial in a person’s life. Your ability to control your time makes you a good employee, an unstressed individual, and a well-balanced person.
Many assume that time management skills only come in handy when paying the bills or turning in an assignment. However, there is a sincere correlation between time management and mental health.
Someone who does not worry about time management and simply procrastinates daily is someone who is often stressed and on edge. When you do not manage your time, you are often forced to work in a stressful environment. This can cause feelings of anxiety, panic, and even depression. Without time management, life will feel much harder.
Why is Time Management Necessary While Working From Home
Time management is necessary for every aspect of your life; however, it is especially necessary while working from home. If you are working from home, you are in charge of what gets accomplished during the day. You do not have a boss or nosy coworker walking by your desk asking if you finished last week’s assignments.
If you do not have time management skills while working from home, many tasks will be completed behind schedule or in some cases, they will go unfinished. Not only is this bad for the company, but it can also affect your job security.
By not completing tasks on time, you could be reprimanded or even terminated. Having time management skills is a sign of a good work ethic. Many bosses and coworkers will appreciate having someone with these skills on their team.
Beneficial Time Management Skills
Learn to Prioritize
One of the most beneficial skills to have while managing your time is learning how to properly prioritize. If we were to do whatever we wanted and whenever we wanted, many things would go undone. Prioritization is vital because it allows us to accomplish the most consequential tasks. Consider writing down everything you need to achieve. After writing everything down, begin attacking most time-sensitive items. For example, it is much more important to send your coworkers an informative email than it is to place your online order for flowers. Prioritizing will help you stay on task throughout the day.
Remove Distractions
Another reason many people have a hard time managing their time is because of the distractions around them. For example, it will be much harder to accomplish your tasks if you have your television on in the same room. It is easy to get distracted, especially when we don’t want to do the work. This is why it is pertinent that you remove all distractions. Think about leaving your phone in another room, turning off the television, and sitting in a place where your family doesn’t gather. Removing distractions can help you focus and stay on track!
Learn to Delegate
If you are in a position of leadership, you probably have the power to delegate! It would be foolish not to take advantage of this. Too many times, people try to juggle more tasks than they can handle. Even the most organized person cannot complete all their duties if they do not have the time. When you delegate items to your team, you free up your own time. This gives you more time to accomplish imperative tasks on your to-do list. If you are afraid of delegating, try passing on smaller, less essential tasks. You can also ask other team members to help you keep tabs on the things you delegate.
Determine Your “Why?”
Another reason people cannot manage their time well is that they do not have a reason to manage their time! Goals are extremely valuable for people who work from home. Whether you are self-employed or working under a company, goals can help you manage your time and tasks better. Start by determining the why behind your work. Some people need to manage their time better because they want to spend more time with their family. Others may want to become better because they wish to accomplish more and receive a promotion. When you determine why you want to manage your time, you will feel more encouraged and motivated to execute this feat!
Avoid Burnout at All Cost
People who cannot manage their time well are often at the mercy of their burnout. When someone experiences burnout at work, it may be because they are overwhelmed with the tasks in their life. A burnout can discourage you and make you feel lethargic and stressed. It is important to avoid burnout because it will ruin your time management skills. You can avoid it by giving yourself small breaks and rewards throughout your day and week. While this may sound counterintuitive, many people find that they can stay on track better if they take a few minutes out of their day for a reset.
Find An Accountability Partner
Sometimes all we need to do to stay on time and track is to have a buddy around. Do you have a coworker or friend in your life that cares about you and your success? Enlist their help! You can ask them to help you manage your time and work life better. This could mean that they send you reminder texts on busy days or maybe you could meet somewhere to tackle work together. When you are around other people with a good work ethic, you are more likely to feel motivated to work. Talk to someone close to you about working together to improve your time management skills!