50 Time Management Hacks

I don’t know about you, but when school starts back, it is usually a prime opportunity for me to get all my ducks in a row again after the summer irregularity.  If you happen to be the same way, then here are 50 time management hacks to help us BOTH get a good start to the new school year.  Pick and choose what might work best for you!

50 Time Management Hacks

1. Make a list of goals–what do you want to accomplish and by when?
2. Make a list of your current commitments and analyze them.  Which are necessary?  Which are not?  Which do you enjoy?  Which do you not?  Are there any commitments you can eliminate?
3. Prioritize your tasks (high=needs to be done today, medium=needs to be done this week, low=needs to be done sometime).
4. Set a dollar value on your time.  If you are not sure if your time is worth it, place a price tag on it.  Sometimes you can distinguish the important stuff from the fluff really quick when you know how much it could “cost” you.
5. Create a time budget.  Intentional by Grace provides a good example of this.  Block your time according to priorities.
6. Plan 2-3 hours buffer time every day.  You need breaks.  You may receive an unexpected phone call, have to stand longer in a grocery line than expected, or get caught in a traffic jam.  Life happens.  Don’t overbook yourself so you can be prepared to go with the flow.
7. Group tasks to create blocks of uninterrupted time.  For instance, I group my computer tasks to the early morning and early afternoon hours so that I can eliminate the computer distractions from the rest of my day and focus on other tasks easier.  Group your tasks by location, objective, or media–whatever works best for you.
8. Schedule thinking time.  Sometimes tasks take longer just because we haven’t had the opportunity to think through them first.
9. Make a schedule or set of routines.  Some people like a detailed schedule like a school schedule.  I’m more of a routine girl; I like knowing I need to do certain things before breakfast, before lunch, and before bedtime.  If I get those things done by those times (in whatever order) then I’m still right on task.
10. Assign your most intense tasks during the time of day that you are most productive.  If you are most productive in the morning, assign the task to sometime in the morning.  If you are more productive late at night, do the task at night.  Whatever works!
11. Do ONE THING at a time.  The idea that multi-tasking is efficient is a con.  Don’t believe me?  Check out this research by the American Psychology Association.  Doing one thing at a time really is more efficient.
12. Make a to-do list.  You can do it on a piece of paper, a post-it note, or an app.
13. Create a family calendar, and put EVERYTHING on it.  If you like online calendars, my two personal favorites are Homeschool Planet (for homeschoolers) and Google Calendar.  I can view everything at once, print off calendars for select activities, and organize activities by color.  If you are more of a paper girl, try a wall calendar or some free calendar printables such as those found in my 2016 Planner.
14. Break up large tasks or goals.  If it takes more than 20 minutes to get started, break down the task into smaller steps.
15. Try to get the most important things done first.  The common phrase here?  “Eat That Frog.”
16. Use a timer and set time limits.  Knowing you only have a certain amount of time to complete the work encourages you to complete the task more efficiently.  It’s called the Pomodoro Technique.  Try small time increments with short breaks between.  A few of my favorite timer apps to help with this are the default iPhone clock timer, 30/30, and Timerlist.
17. Schedule breaks.  Need to be convinced?  Check out this article in the New York Times.   What do you do during breaks?  Get up and move.  If you need some ideas, check out my Brain Break cards.
18. Use a task list app.  If someone were to ask me what single thing helps me to stay on task it is Remember the Milk.  I like RTM because I can set it to automatically repeat certain tasks and assign priorities to my list.  That said, there are several task list apps out there. Give one a try and see which you like best.
19. Make a meal plan.  It will save you time trying to figure out WHAT you are going to cook at the last minute and save you trips to the store because you’ll be prepared with everything you need.
20. Use a meal planning app.  Currently I’m using Plan to Eat and love the the drag and drop option that automatically creates my meal plan AND shopping list at the same time.  It saves me so much time figuring out what all I need to get at the store or what to make for dinner.  I also like the fact that I can use my personal recipes and not just those found in the network, which was what set PTE apart for me.
21. Review/plan the next day’s tasks the night before. It will jumpstart your next day.
22. Schedule a catch-up day.  Don’t fill every day of the week with a lot of tasks.  Allow one day just to catch-up.  For me that’s Saturday, but for you it could be any day of the week.
23. Schedule a Sabbath day.  God designed it because we NEED it.  It will help you be better rested for the next week.  What should you do on a Sabbath?  Relax.  Spend time with family.  Serve in the community.  Read a book.  Get outside.  A hobby you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time.  Whatever rejuvenates you and keeps Matthew 22:36-40 in perspective.
24. Begin your day with God.  Ask for His help to accomplish your goals for the day and guide your steps.  Trust me. He can do a lot more to help you be efficient and intentional than any other tip ever could.
25. Get in the habit of putting things away RIGHT after you use them.  Think of how much time you could save just by not having to look for something.  Check out some of these statistics on the amount of time the average person spends looking for lost things, and you will see this step is very much a time-saving habit.

26. Purge and declutter often.  Again, if you have trouble finding something, you are wasting time whether its clothes, papers, books, or something else.
27. Create an organized work space.  It will help you to be less distracted by things around you.
28. Exercise.  You will remain more alert and have more energy to accomplish the task at hand.
29. Avoid screen time before bed.  Not only is that time that could be used more productively, screen time before bed is known for creating a less-quality sleep following which in turns makes you more irritable and tired the next day.
30. Get enough sleep.  Without enough of it, you will make more mistakes and be more easily distracted.
31. Take a nap.  Take 20 minutes to chill.  Your afternoon will automatically be more productive and alert as a result.
32. Lump errands together.  Set aside one or two days a week to run errands so that you are not wasting travel time going to a new place every day.
33. Say NO!  Seriously, this can solve a loooot of time management issues.
34. Set deadlines for everything (even those that don’t necessarily have a time frame).  Deadlines create a motivation to complete the task.
35. Schedule NO device times.  Turn off social media, computers, cell phones, and other digital devices so you can really focus.
36. Ask for help.  If something can be done by someone else at least 80% as well, delegate it.  In my family, kids are great for this, especially when it comes to cleaning.  😉
37. Keep a cleaning schedule.  Instead of trying to do everything in one day.  Spread it out. Need some help getting started?  Try one of these cleaning schedule options.
38. Never leave a room empty handed.  Do you need to go to the bedroom to get a book you were reading last night?  Take the load of clean laundry with you on the way.  Save steps.  Save time.
39. Pray for wisdom.  God can help you determine what is most important to accomplish today if you will just let Him.
40. Choose the right kind of music.  Play some upbeat music if you are cleaning or some non-vocal music if you are needing to think.
41. Read a time management book for inspiration.  A couple of my favorites are Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews, 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal Paine, and Manage Your Day-to-Day by Jocelyn K. Glei.
42. Automate tasks when possible.  For instance, my favorite way to automate blogging tasks is by using apps such as Ahalogy, Buffer, Meet Edgar, and the like.  Yes, it may take some time to set up initially, but in the long run automation will save you hours and help you to focus your time and energy where you need it most.
43. Plan some rewards for your efforts.  It can be something as simple as 10 minutes to read your favorite book or meeting friends for lunch.  Choose something worth working for.
44. Start with short tasks to get the ball rolling.  This is my favorite way to get the day started.  Do the things you can get done in 5 minutes or less first.  When you are done you will feel like you have accomplished a lot, you will be less distracted to focus on the big stuff, and you will have the motivation to accomplish the next big thing.
45. Plan slow cooker or freezer meals.  They require less hands-on time and still result in great home-cooked taste.
46. Create a “getting ready to work” routine.  For me, this includes a quiet time and then accomplishing a few short tasks (see #44) before getting down to the grind.  For you it could be something as simple as putting a pencil in your hair or grabbing that cup of morning coffee.  What will you do so your mind knows you are getting ready to work?
47. Plan your next session before walking away.  Think through the next step before you switch your mind to something else.  Write down a few notes or schedule out the next tasks so you can jump in right away the next time.
48. Stay on a task until it is complete.  Switching between tasks wastes time because have to get your brain back into “the zone” before continuing.
49. Have a notepad or note taking app handy to write down everything that is distracting you so that you can get back into “the zone.”  My favorite app for this? Evernote.
50. Plan a weekly review.  What went well?  What could you do better?  What do you need to add to your tasks for this next week to keep you on top of your goals?

Looking for even more time management ideas? Check out my Time Management Pinterest Board.