How to improve your time management

With 13 years of corporate project management under my belt, managing my time is a hot topic for me!

Some of the things that I would suggest considering if you are delving into your own time management is to think about what your current strategies are, and importantly how effective they are. Then have a think about how you currently spend your days; do you have an awareness of where your time goes? Also, how do you feel when it comes to time management?

I say this a lot, but getting clear on your personal values is huge. This will be important when it comes to prioritising activities or tasks.

I really rate having a calendar of some form…whether that be electronic (I use Google) or a paper version. And once you've decided which you will use, you need to actually use it!

Time blocking has been an effective way for me to manage my calendar. I also use the recurring function in my electronic calendar to schedule in the activities that I do regularly (school pick ups, kids extra-curricular classes etc). Be mindful of how long things actually take. For instance, a 60 minute gym class actually requires me to block out 2.5 hours of time - 30 min to drive to the gym, the class itself, 30 min to drive home and 30 min to shower & dress afterwards.

You can also schedule repeating tasks that take up headspace… the annual car MOT & service, insurance renewal dates, and regular health check-ups etc. Again, think about when these are best scheduled… for example, for my campervan service I put the reminder in my calendar around a month before it's due to give me time to call the garage and get it booked in (I use this family run garage in East Kilbride, and would highly recommend).

Be realistic with what you can achieve in a day; it's better to over estimate how long things will take to give you a bit of a buffer or wiggle room.

One way that I can very easily lose hours of my time is on my mobile phone. Think about managing your screen-time… even if it's just bringing an awareness to it in the first instance. How much time are you actually spending on your phone each day, and is it adding value to your day and/or bringing you joy?

Lastly, be your own CEO. Take time each week to reflect and plan.