Free Time Management Tools

Boost your time management skills with these free time management tools. If you are looking for time management templates, time management advice, or time management tips you are in the right place.

Focusing on what you have to do is tough in any organization.

But keeping up with email and information overload can be dizzying! The potential for distractions is increasing at an alarming rate.

Do you work hard, but just can't seem to get stuff done?

Are you frazzled at the end of the day?

You are not alone!

We are often asked to drop everything to get something done!

...only to have the requester question what happened to what we dropped!

Time management tools allow you to systematically manage your competing tasks, info-glut, and shifting priorities.

It does this by developing a time management system that validates and prioritizes the tasks as they come in and scheduling them in your planner or time management software program.

BUT no size fits all.

Choosing the right time management tools are an individual process!

That's why personal time management is about trying out different time management tools and see what gadgets or planners work for you.

If you feel pressured by a lack of time, or just feel that you could do better, then these time management tools may be beneficial for you.

Choosing the right software tool

Software and technology have often be seen as the productivity savior - able to shave off countless hours from tasks.

Whatever industry - architecture, finance, or publishing; technology and software have both been touted as a productivity boon.

However, when we don't use these time management tools right, it can drag down our productivity!

While time management software can reduce email overload and maintain our to do lists - the name of the game is not storage but rather being able to get the information under our noses when we need it.

This means we need to be able to develop search criteria that checks our hard-drives, emails, project planners; blackberry or iPhones, - without switching between programs.

The potential for distraction is huge!

One widely cited study stating that interruptions and distractions consume over 25% of the average worker's day.

To harness your focus and get things done, there are many things you can do. These range from:

• batching like tasks together for action (e.g. phone calls),
• following email etiquette to save time, and
• learning time management skills that put you ahead of the curve.

Is the pressure putting off planning?

With today's deadline and your boss breathing down your neck wanting yesterday's report, when can I find time to plan!

While you are probably well aware that "failing to plan is planning to fail" - you just can't seem to find the time to plan.

But this is one reason why planning is essential - so that you can ensure you get your top priorities done!

Does the very idea of career goal setting or setting personal goals may make you uneasy? - we remember too easily how January's resolutions thawed by February.

But setting goals is critical. Without goals it is difficult to have objectives or to prioritize your actions.

We may set goals such as "To get a higher salary" or "To improve my career" but these are general and not time-bound. If you really want to set goals then these steps on how to set goals will connect your vision to practical steps.

Goals cascade to objectives and then to priorities!

Executives earn great reputations articulating a vision. They then set objectives that follow the SMART goals principle

SMART goals map your objectives that are specific, measurable, action-based, realistic, and time bound.

You are then able to assign resources and plan results.

For personal goals such as career or health, this goal setting plan can be useful.

You have a horizon and objectives and this allows you to develop a prioritizing system.

Prioritizing allows you to order tasks and validate new tasks based on your current obligations and objectives.

Any new tasks that are wanting to be bumped up in priority need to validated against your mapped out objectives.

While there are many prioritizing systems, personally I find that the Pareto principle works and is effective.

The Pareto principle proposes that 20% of tasks yield 80% of results. Make sure that you are on the right side of the 80 20 rule!

Taming email and instant messaging

In a study of over 500,000 PC-user hours, Rescue Time (a time management software company) found that 44% of time was spent instant messaging, on email, or social networking on sites like Facebook.

This is a large chunk of time, but it wasn't just one chunk of time!

Employees accessed email over 50 times a day and instant messenger 77 times a day.

These interruptions do more than distract, they actually undermine our attention, increase stress and reduce productivity.

A Microsoft Study suggests that it takes a worker 15 minutes to refocus after an interruption.

Without spelling it out - distractions cost you time, productivity, and money.

One avenue to improve your time management is to reduce distractions and schedule your time .

A time management planner allows you to schedule your critical "must do" tasks.

Half the effort in improving your time management skills is to ensure that you spend your prime time on those 20% of tasks that give me 80% of results. By being on the right side of the 80 20 rule you boost your effectiveness and get the important things done.

In your time management planner ensure that you have scheduled time throughout the day to do those urgent tasks that crop up and may need almost immediate attention.

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