Five Practical Time Management Tips!

In today's fast-paced world, mastering the art of time management has become more crucial than ever. Finding a balance can often feel daunting with countless demands on our time, from professional commitments to personal obligations. Effective time management is not just about being busy; it's about being productive and efficient. Although I am not an expert on time management, I often get asked how I manage to lead a well-balanced life, making time for work, industry-related associations, family, fitness, and personal hobbies. Here are the top five tips I have picked up along the way that currently help me stay on top. I hope at least one of these adds value to you too:

1. Keep your phone on Silent: I always keep my phone on silent mode, with only vibration alerts for calls. All other notifications, like messages, emails, and WhatsApp, are turned off since they are often non-urgent. You can add select family members, friends, or work associates as “favourites” to ensure you don’t miss important calls. Additionally, I’ve archived 99% of WhatsApp groups and only check them on weekends
2. Make & share your monthly schedule: On the first working day of each month, I plan my entire month’s schedule, including travel itineraries and key events, and share a summary with my family and key work members. Adding it to a shared personal and work calendar ensures everyone knows your availability in advance. This proactive approach helps pre-plan travels, appointments, and other commitments with less friction, allowing you to control your time instead of the other way around
3. Stick to the same routine: Yes, though it sounds boring, it has numerous time management and health benefits associated with it. For example, I stick to the same diet and sleep routine regardless of whether it’s a weekday or weekend and regardless of travel. Sticking to the same diet, fitness and sleep routine keeps you healthy and productive no matter where or when
4. Communicate your preferences: I openly communicate my dislike for unscheduled calls or meetings to team members, colleagues, customers, and friends, encouraging them to schedule interactions in advance. For example, most of my team members and customers don’t call me after 5:30 PM because they know I’ll be at the gym and spending time with my family afterwards. This clear communication helps everyone respect my time (a big thank you to them!)
5. Resist the urge to dive all in: We often feel the urge to respond to every communication immediately. However, as someone once said, if you have ten issues on your plate, give it time, and nine will resolve themselves, leaving you to focus on the one that truly matters (pro-tip: I especially avoid using emails as a tool for a chat. When required, just pick up the phone and call!)

These practical tips have helped me maintain a well-balanced life, and I hope they bring value to yours too. Time management is a continuous journey, and finding what works best for you is key to Shooting to the Top!

[ Let me know your favourite time-management hack in the comments below ]