Summary

The article outlines three common time management mistakes and provides strategies to overcome them for increased productivity.

Abstract

The article "These Time Management Mistakes Are Costing You a Lot" discusses the prevalence of time management issues, citing that 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators according to the American Psychological Association. It emphasizes the importance of not letting an unproductive morning dictate the rest of the day, the necessity of using a calendar to schedule tasks, and the application of Parkinson's Law to prevent tasks from expanding beyond their allotted time. The author shares personal experiences and suggests dividing the day into four sections to recover from a slow start, using a calendar to keep track of activities, and creating artificial deadlines to manage time more effectively. These tips are presented as practical solutions that have improved the author's performance and can help others enhance their productivity.

Opinions

The author believes that perfectionism can lead to an unproductive day if the morning is not as planned, suggesting that the day should be segmented to allow for recovery and productivity in later parts.
There is a strong endorsement for using calendars, specifically Google Calendar, over to-do lists, as calendars allow for better visualization and management of tasks over time.
The article conveys the opinion that Parkinson's Law is underutilized, and that by setting tighter deadlines, individuals can complete tasks more efficiently and avoid wasting time.
The author implies that adopting these time management strategies can lead to immediate and significant improvements in productivity, suggesting a direct correlation between these practices and enhanced performance.
A Kindle e-book on productivity secrets is promoted, indicating the author's belief in the value of further reading and learning on the topic to boost personal and professional effectiveness.

These Time Management Mistakes Are Costing You a Lot

Resolve them to be more productive

Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies. Especially when it boils down to getting things done and completing different tasks.

Time management is one area where most of us fail. In my case, I have occasionally missed a deadline or had to cancel a meeting due to my inability to manage time.

You might be in the same boat. The American Psychological Association already reports that 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators.

This means we need an urgent solution to time management.

Here are 3 tips that have really changed my performance over the last few months.

#1 Letting an unproductive morning turn into an unproductive day

Sometimes, we are harsh to ourselves. We strive to be perfectionists. If our mornings don’t work out perfectly, the rest of our day is ruined.

To apply this tip, consider your day to be made up of four sections:

5 a.m.–9 a.m. —early morning
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. —late morning
2 p.m. to 7 p.m. — afternoon
7 p.m. onwards — night

With this method, if one of your sections fails, then you can separate it and try again in the upcoming quarter.

If you had scheduled to work in the early morning but slept a bit too much, pick up in the late morning and afternoon.

#2 Failure to put your activities in a calendar

A calendar is mightier than a to-do list. In fact, Google reports that it has over 500 million calendar users as of 2021. People have discovered the importance of blocking out their activities on a calendar.

I observe that when I fail to use a calendar, I get overwhelmed with tasks I had already forgotten about the next day.

Learn to use a calendar. Block out tasks for entire days and weeks and later evaluate how well you performed.

Fisher from Lifewire says;

Google Calendar may not be the flashiest option available, but it’s free (most of it), simple to use, reliable, and worth a try.

#3 Failure to use Parkison’s Law

Parkison’s law tells us that work expands to fill the time given to complete it. However, many still don't leverage this insight. As a result, you may end up completing a task that would require only a few hours in an entire day.

Become a better time manager.

Create artificial deadlines.
Announce what you are working on publicly.
Add a penalty if you don’t finish by a given time.

Try out these tips to improve your time management, and you will observe instant results. You will become more productive and achieve better results.

Our Kindle e-book on the peak secrets of productivity is already out and helping many to enhance their work and personal lives. Get it today and learn the secrets that will boost your performance at work.