10 Critical Time Management Skills Your Team Needs

People have a complicated relationship with time. Itâs on their side. It isnât on their side. Thatâs true in business, too. Investing time wisely may mean speeding up for productivity or slowing down for strategic thinking. Its shifting nature makes good time management skills essential.
What are time management skills?
Time management skills enable people to adjust seamlessly to the rhythms of the business. Time management skills examples can be put into categories that include prioritisation, setting boundaries, eliminating procrastination, understanding the needs of others and more. The trick is to adopt what works best and stick with it.
10 examples of time management skills worth exploring
1. Embrace ruthless prioritisationÂ
Not all work is created equal. When there is more than one task at hand, the soft skills to prioritise important tasks based on business needs is crucial. That can be tough for people who prefer to finish one project before starting on another. It can also be a stretch for those who feel they lack autonomy. Companies that explain whatâs needed and why, then get out of the way to allow people to get it done, tend to produce employees who control their time and prioritise effectively. Â
2. Adopt a tool that can help
Time management skills arenât innate for everyone. Task management tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix are a godsend for people who arenât good at time management. They help project managers and staff sort tasks according to urgency and offer strategies for dealing with each task properly. The Eisenhower Matrix uses an urgency/importance quadrant approach: do first, schedule, delegate and donât do. The app also features timers, email triggers, open task identifiers and cloud sync options for multiple devices. For those not technically inclined, diligent use of a personalised to-do list can ensure urgent tasks are completed, while keeping procrastination and stress at bay.
3. Know when good enough is good enough
The phrase âperfect is the enemy of the goodâ is still around for a reason. Perfectionism can lead to low productivity, missed deadlines, micromanagement, lack of innovation, time lost to stress-related health issues and a host of other unwanted outcomes. When peopleâs lives depend on accuracy, thatâs one thing. When a marketing campaign lacks a few assets, thatâs another. Consider it a red flag when people mention perfectionism as a skill on resumes, cover letters or job interviews. What hiring managers are really looking for is someone who knows when precision is necessary, and when it isnât.Â
4. See the big picture
Choosing what to focus on is easier when you understand what the company is aiming for. Public companies that report earnings quarterly understand the impact that has on their business. They structure their sales and investor relations processes accordingly. The sales team may become obsessed with closing deals by a certain date. The accounting teamâs focus may shift entirely a few weeks before the analyst call. The C-suite may limit travel. This principle applies to every aspect of the business. Itâs important that people know how their role contributes to the companyâs immediate and long-term success so they can adjust where they invest their time.Â
5. Be confident enough to ask for help
People are hard-wired to protect themselves from looking foolish, especially in front of those responsible for their paycheck. That fear may be good for mental self-preservation, but it can slow progress. Companies that encourage teamwork, embrace a fail-fast mindset and value personal development fare better than those that donât. When people know they can reach out without getting ridiculed, they will. When theyâre comfortable trying new ways to get things done, they will. When theyâre encouraged to learn something new, they will. And where thereâs a will, thereâs a way.
6. Honour the need to concentrate
In spite of research that points to the negative consequences of open floor plans, they remain all the rage in many offices. Bosses like them because they lend themselves to a romantic notion of collaboration (though not actual collaboration), and because they make it easier to see what everyoneâs doing. Similarly, email and other online tools enable instant communication. By their very nature, though, they assume that the needs of the person knocking on the door are more important than whatever youâre doing. The research is clear. Interruptions increase stress, lower productivity, break peopleâs concentration at critical moments and make it difficult to meet deadlines. If you have an office, take advantage of the door. If not, stay focused by putting on headphones or retiring to a private space. People will interrupt only as often as you let them.
7. Create space for a breather
Itâs okay to take a break from time to time. Itâs also necessary. Unlike the interruptions we just talked about, self-determined breaks are reinvigorating. When deadlines loom, inserting moments to think, destress or connect with coworkers at different times of day can refocus the mind. Even jumping spiders see their performance decline when they focus too long on a single task. Excessive workloads is the #2 cause of employee stress, according to the American Psychological Associationâs (APA) 2021 Work and Well-being Survey. Learning to push back respectfully when the work gets out of hand can go a long way toward a more satisfying and fruitful day.  Â
8. Donât be a slave to meetings
The amount of time spent on meetings is a big one, isnât it? When you can buy a coffee mug that states, âI survived another meeting that should have been an email,â you know itâs an issue. People asking for a meeting should be clear about its purpose. Those invited have a right to decline when theyâre not. Meeting organisers should also have an agenda to alert people to anything that needs to be done beforehand and stay on track. Above all, be respectful. Thereâs no excuse for double-and triple-booking peopleâs calendars. They may deem your meeting the most important and attend no matter how annoyed they are. They also might not, and you miss out on valuable input. As for those on the receiving end, calendar management is essential to maintaining control of your time. Donât feel guilty about blocking your calendar to get things done.Â
9. Align work with natural energy flows
Some people are ready to take on the world first thing in the morning. For them, activities that require mental heavy lifting are best done in the early hours. Others arenât ready to tackle complex projects until later in the day and are better served by answering emails, getting organised or working on low-level tasks. Not all work lends itself to this level of self-determination. When it does, take advantage of it. Be mindful of others, too. Collaboration is most effective when everyoneâs operating at peak performance.
10. Set clear work/life boundaries
The pandemic opened the door to a more fluid workday. It also showed people the limitations of an âalways onâ mindset. 71% of people who responded to the AMA survey reported feeling stressed out at work. Theyâre three times as likely to seek employment elsewhere. It just doesnât make sense to ignore the very real need for personal time to recharge, reset and get things done. Effective time management is about honouring oneâs priorities away from work, too.
How professional digital coaching can improve time management skills
When companies help people manage their time better, stress goes down and engagement goes up. Professional digital coaching is an effective way to do so. It enables organisations to offer their entire workforce access to experts who work with them individually to develop time management skills. 80% of those weâve coached say theyâve learned new competencies useful for their profession. 70% report improved work performance.Â
FAQ
At CoachHub, we believe in the power of aligning individual growth with organisational objectives. Our dedicated coaches work closely with coachees to ensure that their growth plans are directly linked to your company's overarching goals. This includes addressing specific leadership development needs within different departments or teams, and recognising that each area may have unique challenges and requirements.
To achieve this alignment, we collaborate closely with our clients and their senior leaders, taking the time to understand their organisation's specific challenges, objectives, and organisational culture well. By gaining deep insights into your company's dynamics, we can tailor coaching plans that address the specific needs of different teams and individuals.
Our approach is highly customised and adaptable. We recognise that each coachee has unique requirements, and we leverage our expertise to develop coaching plans that are relevant and effective for all participants, regardless of their role or level within the organisation. Whether it's helping to develop leaders, retain talent, improve leadership skills of middle management, or support C-suite executives, our coaching programs are designed to cater to diverse needs and ensure maximum impact.
By aligning growth plans with your company's objectives, we create a cohesive approach that enhances overall organisational success. Our coaches help coachees identify areas for improvement, set meaningful goals, and develop actionable strategies to bridge the gap between their current competencies and the desired leadership abilities. This alignment not only facilitates personal and professional growth but also contributes to the long-term success of your organisation.
With CoachHub, you can be confident that our coaching programs are tailored to address the specific leadership development efforts within your organisation. By collaborating closely with our clients, we ensure that our coaching plans are relevant, effective, and aligned with your company's objectives, driving growth and excellence across all departments and levels.
At CoachHub, we understand the importance of scalability when it comes to your leadership development program. That's why our programs are thoughtfully designed to accommodate a large number of participants simultaneously, ensuring that organisations of all sizes can benefit from our services. Whether you have a small team or a global workforce, our coaching platform is equipped to handle the scale.
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By leveraging the power of technology, our scalable coaching programs break down barriers and provide accessible coaching solutions to organisations and individuals around the globe. Whether it's a small team or a multinational corporation, our platform ensures that every participant can benefit from high-quality coaching, anytime and anywhere.
Absolutely! CoachHub's leadership development program is designed to seamlessly integrate with your existing talent development and performance management initiatives. We understand that every company has its own unique needs and goals, and that's why our coaching sessions are completely tailored to meet those requirements. Whether you're looking to strengthen leadership skills, foster personal growth, or achieve organisational success, our program aligns perfectly with your company's specific objectives.
By customising our coaching sessions, we ensure that each individual receives the guidance and support they need to thrive. We take the time to understand their strengths, challenges, and aspirations, and then craft a coaching experience that caters to their personal growth journey. This way, we can provide targeted development opportunities that directly contribute to their success within your organisation.
When you integrate our program with your leadership development efforts and performance management initiatives, you create a powerful synergy. Our tailored approach complements and reinforces your existing efforts, allowing you to build a comprehensive framework for maximising the potential of your workforce. Together, we can create an environment where employees are motivated, empowered, and equipped with the skills they need to excel.
So, rest assured that with CoachHub's leadership development program, you can easily integrate coaching into your existing initiatives and achieve remarkable results that align with your company's requirements.