Effective time management is essential for any highly productive work environment, especially when working remotely.
Luckily, there are several time management activities you can practice to help optimize your team’s efficiency.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best strategies for developing better time management skills at an organizational level and provide tips on implementing them into your own personal daily routine.
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Try it free for 14 daysSet daily goals and objectives
Each person needs to establish or outline the goals they need to accomplish for the day, whether that’s completing a project or meeting a deadline. If needed, have each team member set daily milestones and encourage them to provide daily updates.
These daily goals help everyone stay focused and motivated and ensure the team works towards a common goal, while ensuring that everyone is contributing to the project as a whole.
Regular check-ins and communication help keep everyone on track and ensure that the day’s objectives are met. Setting daily goals and objectives enables teams to improve their productivity, boosts their morale, and fosters a sense of accomplishment at the conclusion of each day.
Create task lists
Keeping track of tasks and assignments is a crucial aspect of successful teamwork. To make it easier for your team members to stay organized, consider creating a comprehensive shared task list. This way, everyone can see what needs to be done and who is responsible for each task.
Whether you use a digital tool or a whiteboard, keep the task list somewhere easily accessible for all team members. This ensures everyone stays on track while promoting accountability and transparency. By working together and keeping each other informed, your team can succeed regardless of the project’s size.
Break big projects down into smaller tasks
Big projects can be daunting. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure of where to begin. To address this, break them down into smaller tasks to make them more manageable and easier to stay focused on. Group small tasks together into milestones on a project timeline, so you can see how far you’ve progressed and how those smaller tasks contribute to the whole.
By tackling one small task at a time, you can avoid feeling strained or burnt out. What’s more, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and gain momentum with each subtask you complete. And before you know it, you’ve taken a huge chunk out of the project.
Use online tools
Okay, using online tools isn’t exactly a time management “activity.” But as remote work becomes more prevalent, having the right digital and async tools to stay efficient with your time is crucial.
Whether you’re planning from a high level or working on complex tasks with multiple collaborators, online tools can help bridge the distance and keep everyone on the same page.
There are several types of tools that make it easy to stay on top of work and give you more control over your time.
- Video conferencing: Zoom, Google Meet, and Slack Huddles
- Workforce management: Hubstaff, Salesforce, and Scoop
- Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord
- Collaboration and project management: Hubstaff Tasks, Google Drive, and Asana
- Accounting: QuickBooks, Zoho, and Xero
Many online tools automate a lot of administrative tasks, giving you more time for more valuable projects. What will really save you time is having software integrations that allow different platforms to sync data with each other. Be sure your software solutions all talk to each other, which will prevent copy and pasting lots of data and user error.
Block off time to focus on work
“When working remotely, it’s essential to have great time-management skills. And as a manager, you need to be a great role model when it comes to managing your time. Use project management tools to set up and monitor tasks. Have weekly catch-ups with individual team members and avoid lengthy meetings that disrupt productivity.” – Joanna Zambas, Content & SEO Manager at CareerAddict
In today’s fast-paced world, focusing on your work is becoming increasingly difficult. With notifications and distractions popping up left and right, it’s no wonder people feel like they’re constantly juggling a million things at once. This is where time blocking comes in.
By setting designated times for work sessions, you can eliminate distractions, including social media, emails, and phone calls. This way, you can avoid context switching and devote your full attention to the task at hand.
Stay organized with project management software
Any project manager knows that keeping a team organized and on track is hard work. That’s where project management software comes in. With project management software, you can easily allocate tasks, set deadlines, and track progress all in one place.
This not only helps you stay on top of your team’s workload, but it also increases transparency and communication within the organization. Invest in project management software like Hubstaff Tasks to help streamline your operations and improve your productivity.
Conclusion
From setting daily goals to staying organized with project management software, it’s important to practice time management activities to keep everyone on the same page and continuously make progress.
Set clear expectations for all your team members and plan for work in as far advance as possible. Hold everyone accountable for their time while practicing transparency to encourage trust and teamwork in the workplace.
Finally, make sure to use tools that have stress-tested features and are compatible with your team’s workflows. Complementing your time management practices with reliable software tools goes a long way; before you know it, you’ll be hitting new levels of productivity.
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