Just this year, the American Psychological Association reported that in a survey, there are 20% of the adult population that appear to fail at time management.
This is quite alarming because we know that there is a huge number of people who are learning to cope with this type of issue since time immemorial. Until now, there are still many of them who fall behind.
During the pandemic, many people still continued with their tasks, with the majority doing it remotely. With all the distractions at home, how were they able to cope up? What is their level of productivity?
These questions are, at times, hard to answer.
Are time tracking tools that effective?
It is a fact that there may be small children running around the house and noises from the neighbours can create distractions. What about the sleeping patterns of these remote workers? Speak about errands and other chores that have to be performed daily.
These are just among the concerns of remote workers.
Companies use tracking devices and this can help them a lot in tracking the productivity of their workers. With time and activity tracking devices in place, businesses can be assured of good time management.
However, there are some business owners that don’t really implement these tools because it takes away creativity from people who are tasked with writing, for example.
What is time management?
In essence, time management is the ability to optimize work or activities in a way to make one’s self productive. Nevertheless, others may have another meaning for this but this is the simplest way to put it.
Is time management applicable to all? Not exactly.
Different personalities have different styles in managing time. Some people work fast to finish their tasks using a short period of time. On the other hand, some would work at the last minute but can still beat deadlines.
Aside from that, business operations also differ from each other. Tasks also differ from company to company and by position levels.
How do people track their time?
It is true that only a handful of people use time management systems and around 82% don’t use any. If there are no such tools, a to-do list may be at hand. There are workers who use email inboxes to track their deadlines although it has a lesser percentage than those who depend on lists.
Older workers have diaries, corkboards, or a white board to remind them of deadlines. But what can you say about the 25% who only select what they see as priorities at a particular time? This means that there is a huge difference in how people think.
Take the case of college students who have hectic schedules but still find time to go to pubs for a couple of shots. Some can even last until the wee hours of the morning. How’s that for starters?
Study shows that 90% of the college population procrastinate. Added to that, 25% of such population leans toward chronic procrastinators, who would eventually drop out from college. That’s a huge number there and parents will be worried looking at what their kids have become.
It’s the same thing with time procrastinators who are fond of gambling. Next time they notice it, they have been spending several hours looking at Canadian-friendly no-account casino options.
Signs that you fail at time management
You fail at time management if you constantly fall behind deadlines. It is the same thing if you don’t know how to refuse a task with a short deadline. Many freelancers succumb to missing deadlines because they want to earn more.
Another problem is when deadlines are almost simultaneous and there is no way but to miss them altogether. Having just a little time to rest is another concern because being burned out at work is real! If a worker accepts more than one job, that’s a clear burn out episode!
Takeaways
Being honest about what you have on your plate is a good thing. That way, you will not be expected to do extra tasks just because you have to beat the clock. Cramming does not produce good results all the time. It will ruin the quality of output.
If you know how to prioritize the urgency of every task, your time management skills will work in your favour. It is the sanest thing to do especially if you are working remotely and want to embrace the freedom of working anywhere you want while keeping your job.