Easy Time Management Tips from an Expert Procrastinator

Why are articles about time management tips rampant?

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles devoted to ending procrastination.

Procrastination is a toxic friendship that you keep even though you know you’d be better off without it.

Admit it:

You’ve read your fair share of these types of posts.

Don’t worry — so have I!

After all, it’s pretty common to want to waste less time at work, home, school, etc.

And with the world on lockdown, you’re probably making do in a makeshift home office.

Some are understandably psyched about the opportunity to test the viability of working remotely on such a large scale.

After all, it’s no secret that remote work leads to better work-life balance, happier employees, and plenty of other benefits.

But if you’re a chronic procrastinator, this change can be bad news for your productivity.

As a master procrastinator myself, I know how easy it is to give in to time wasters.

But even so, I’ve made the most out of working from home full time.

Setting time for yourself and work is tricky.

24 hours in a day isn’t enough to finish everything.

But, with practical time management skills, you can end each day satisfied with your accomplishments.

So if you’re one of many new remote workers, a student, or just want to make the most of your day, try these tried-and-true time management tips for procrastinators.

The Pomodoro Technique

If you’re ready to kick procrastination to the curb and reclaim your day, you need to try the Pomodoro Technique.

This simple method has been the gold standard of time management tips since 1985.

You’ll love it because it lets you spend your time on focused work and still scratch the itch to waste time.

So, how does the Pomodoro Technique work?

• Pick a single task and make that your primary goal.
• Set a 25-minute time limit and work on the task at hand without any distractions.
• Take a five-minute break and look over your progress toward the end of the interval.
• Once your break is over, work for another 25-minute block, then take another short 5-minute break.
• Repeat this cycle four times, then rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

There’s a reason why people still use this method 35 years later.

Give it a try yourself, and see how it goes!

Rip Off the Band-Aid and Knock Out Boring Tasks First

What is procrastination, but putting off things you don’t want to do?

It’s also a habit.

And like any habit, it’s also something we can break.

Of course, breaking a habit is easier said than done, and procrastination is no exception.

It’s one of those things where you just have to grit your teeth and do the things you don’t want to do.

So here’s your time management tip:

Start with the thing you want to do the least — whether they’re tedious, difficult, or time-consuming — and just do it.

It’ll do a couple of things for you:

• You won’t have the thought of the task weighing you down when you work on other things during the day.
• You’ll feel amazing completing something you usually put off until the last minute.

The endorphins you receive fuel motivation.

So if you’re feeling unmotivated, knock out the lamest task on your To-Do list and fuel up so you can power through the rest.

Stop Multitasking

They say the Devil is the great deceiver, but actually, it’s multitasking.

You might be great at balancing two, three, or even more important tasks, but are you really?

Sure, it seems like two birds stoned at once is a good idea.

But actually, it’s one of the slyest ways to stifle your productivity — and you don’t even know you’re doing it.

Here’s how multitasking kills productivity:

• Continuously switching between tasks makes the brain run circles and dramatically impairs your performance.
• This constant shifting stops you from focusing 100% on anything, effectively blocking you from entering the flow state and resulting in lower quality work.
• When your focus is split between multiple tasks, it can take twice the amount of time to finish anything.

You might take this time management tip with a grain of salt.

But I promise you’re better off concentrating on one thing at a time.

It’ll save you a lot of energy, and even more time.

Write It Down

Taking notes is one of the most common time management tips out there, but there’s a reason for it!

Consider this:

Every day, Americans get slapped in the face with five times more information than their 1986 counterparts.

That’s the equivalent of:

• 174 newspapers
• 100,000 words
• 34 gigabytes

And that’s just from a 2011 study.

Information overload is a thing, and it can severely impact your ability to function as well as you’d like in work, school, or daily life.

One way you can deal with this flood of stimuli is by writing things down.

You don’t have to keep a planner — although I highly recommend doing so if you want to improve your time management skills.

Also, don’t take notes on your phone.

Why?

While it sounds old-fashioned, studies show that physically writing something is more effective at committing it to memory.

Get Your Beauty Rest

I cannot overstate the importance of getting a good night’s rest — and getting enough of it.

You know that sleep is crucial for recharging your mind and ensuring you’re ready to take on the next day.

And yet:

• 1 in 10 Americans prioritizes sleep over fitness, job, interests, and social life.
• 36.5% get fewer than 7 hours of sleep, which is recommended by the CDC.
• Those who self-report their health as excellent get 23 minutes more sleep than those who report their health as good.

For most of us, it’s easy to put rest on the back burner.

After all, there’s so much going on and so many things to worry about!

But still, sleep is one of the most critical time management tips out there, even if it’s not the most obvious one.

Here’s how sleep helps you have more productive days and get a grip on managing your time:

• Overcome distractions more easily
• Relieves feelings of burnout
• Improves decision-making skills
• Promotes memory retention and recall
• Make fewer mistakes, have better accuracy, and faster response times

If you’re working from home, this may be your chance to finally sleep on the job!

Seize Your Day with These Time Management Tips

Everyone’s different, but we all appreciate the feeling of a productive day.

So if you’re working from home, or just want to be better about using your time in everyday life, do yourself a favor, and try out these time management tips.

If you’re interested in what else I have to say, visit the Blog.

And while you’re at it, check out some Art as well!