12 Super Effective Time Management Principles [INFOGRAPHIC]

May 15

As a freelancer, effective time management is a crucial skill that can have a significant impact on your life, both personal and professional. As we’re all painfully aware, time is a valuable and finite resource, and it’s not something you can get back. Because of this, knowing how to effectively manage your time is a vital skill everyone needs to possess.

However, with so many distractions and competing priorities, time management can be exceptionally challenging.

In the following article, we'll explore the 12 principles of time management that can help you manage your time efficiently and achieve your goals.

Story Time: I sucked at time management…

That title pretty much sums it up; I used to be terrible at managing my time.

I used to find myself buried pretty much every day under a mountain of work, and it felt like I was never able to make a dent in it. Every time I managed to finish one job, three more would be thrown onto the heap.

To paraphrase The Desert Rose Band, it constantly felt as though I was always taking one step forward, and then two steps back.

But all that changed when I finally decided to learn about time management!

I rapidly realised that I had no idea how to structure my days, how to prioritise tasks, how to set realistic deadlines, and pretty much every other time management skill it’s vital for freelancers to have.

So that’s why I wanted to share what I’ve learned, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes. If you’ve found yourself in a similar position to the one I outlined above, this article is for you!

Keep reading to learn the 12 key things that I’ve learned about time management…

The Essential Time Management Principles

1. Determine what’s important

It's essential to identify and prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. This helps in allocating time and resources efficiently and effectively. You can do this by analysing your overall goals (more on this later) and identifying the critical tasks required to achieve them.

Once you know which tasks will help you reach your next milestone, focus all your energy on those. You’ll be surprised how many things you do each day that don’t really contribute to your end goals, both in business and in life.

2. Don’t over commit

Trying to do too much in a short period leads to stress, burnout, and reduced productivity, so it's important to understand your capacity and limit commitments to a manageable level. I like to plan out every hour of my day in a little notebook, so this gives me a realistic look at what I have to tackle.

A top tip for this is making “no” your default response.

We’re all guilty of saying yes to anything and everything, leading us to over-commit ourselves to things we don’t really care about. By making “no” your default, you can limit the time you spend on unessential tasks, and only work on projects that interest you.

3. Plan your time

I mentioned above that I like to plan out my day hour by hour. This is called timeboxing, and it’s a productivity technique that I swear by!

On the days when your tasks feel like they have no end, sitting down for ten minutes or so and planning out your day can help you feel much more in control of your time.

You don’t have to do this in a notebook either. Timeboxing in tools like Google Calendar is a great move, as you can view your schedule from any device, at any time.

Learn more about timeboxing in my productivity cours - tap to see more!

4. Allow for the unexpected

Tasks take longer than expected, meetings run over their set time. Life, especially freelance life, is unpredictable. But unexpected events and emergencies can disrupt plans and cause delays. Because of this, it’s important to plan for the unexpected to happen.

When I timebox, I only fill up seven of the eight hours in the working day. The other hour is saved for contingencies. If a task takes longer than I initially thought, or I need to have an unplanned phone call, no worries! The contingency time ensures I can get everything done whilst still having the capacity for those spontaneous bits and bobs.

As an added bonus, if things all go to plan and the extra time isn’t needed, you can enjoy a 4pm finish!

5. Handle things once

Constantly addressing the same task can be a significant time waster, and incredibly annoyingly. I have a rule that whenever I start working on something, I have to complete it before working on something else.

Obviously, that doesn’t apply to everything. Huge branding projects can’t be finished in one sitting – despite how much we wish they could – but it does apply to quite a lot of stuff.

Below are some simple ways you can tackle those annoying, always-in-progress tasks once:

Checking email repeatedly: Find yourself checking email throughout the day, distracting yourself from the important work? I was in the same boat, but now, I only check my email twice: once at 9am and once at 3pm. To this day, I’ve never missed something urgent, and I’ve reclaimed hours of my day.
Searching for files: Looking for files on a computer or in a physical filing system can be a tedious task, especially if there are no clear organizational systems in place. Instead, develop a consistent naming and filing system for digital and physical files to make it easier to locate them when needed. Here’s my guide to effectively storing client files!
Repeating tasks manually: Some tasks, such as data entry or formatting documents, can be time-consuming if done manually. Consider using automation tools, macros, or templates to streamline these tasks and save time. If you find yourself using Photoshop a lot, you can automate pretty much everything.
Fixing mistakes: Correcting errors or mistakes can be frustrating and time-consuming, especially if they could have been avoided in the first place. Double-checking work and taking breaks to refresh the mind can help reduce errors and prevent wasted time.
Scheduling meetings: Scheduling meetings can be a time-consuming task that involves coordinating multiple people's schedules. Consider using scheduling tools or apps that allow participants to view each other's availability and schedule appointments easily and efficiently.

6. Set realistic deadlines

Unrealistic deadlines create unnecessary pressure, lead to rushed work, and affect the quality of the final product. Therefore, it's important to set realistic deadlines based on the time required to complete each task, keeping in mind other commitments and obligations.

My general rule is that when I’m contacted about working on a project a need to provide an estimate for work completion, I add an extra week to the time I think it’ll take to complete the project. Doing this allows me to reduce the need for rushing and limit the stress of working on projects.

7. Set goals for yourself

In principle one, we looked at the importance of identifying your most important tasks based on the overall goals you want to achieve. Goals provide a direction and purpose, which helps you stay motivated.

Setting goals can be a tricky business. I personally use SMART Goals, which allow me to measure success in real-time. To set your own SMART Goals, use the framework below:

Specific: Clearly defined and well-understood, with no ambiguity or confusion about what is being aimed for.
Measurable: Able to be quantified or assessed in some way, so that progress towards the goal can be tracked and measured.
Achievable: A realistic goal that can be accomplished, taking into account available resources, skills, and time.
Relevant: Meaningful and relevant to the individual's overall objectives and priorities.
Time-bound: Set within a specific timeframe or deadline, giving the individual a clear target to work towards and a sense of urgency.

8. Develop and maintain routines

Routines help to create structure and discipline, leading to increased efficiency and reduced stress. It's important to identify your most productive time of the day, develop a routine, and stick to it as much as possible.

This means that if you start working at 9am, do that every single day. Well, every weekday that is.

The more you stick to this habit, the more 9am will become cemented in your mind as the time to start working. Eventually, you won’t need to wait for the motivation to strike, you’ll just automatically feel ready to work at 9am.

If you want to create a routine that’ll help you reduce stress whilst also setting yourself up for success, you can’t go wrong with these eight productive evening routines.

9. Avoid multitasking

Multitasking leads to reduced productivity, increased stress, and sloppier work.

The reality is that whilst multitasking may feel like you’re a productivity whizz, you’re gaining speed but sacrificing quality. Trust me, when your attention is split between a whole bunch of tasks, the quality of the work you’re producing will plummet.

It's much better to focus on one task at a time, complete it, and move on to the next one. This approach helps to improve the quality of work and, paradoxically, reduces the time you take to complete each task.

Bonus: Learn how to improve your concentration with these simple tips!

10. Minimise distractions

In our always-connected world, distractions are all too common. From phones filling up with Instagram and Twitter notifications, to your email inbox piling up with requests, it sometimes feels that you can’t get away from distractions.

Get into the habit of minimizing distractions as much as possible. For me, my office is a distraction-free zone. My phone goes on Do Not Disturb mode, and email notifications are switched off, along with social media sites being blocked for the majority of the day.

That may seem like overkill, but when you really look at the amount of time you spend each day scrolling through social media or checking emails, you’ll want to take the nuclear option too!

11. Outsource or delegate tasks

Delegating or outsourcing non-core tasks to other individuals or services can free up time and allow you to focus on more important tasks.

When we spoke about identifying the most important tasks in principle one, we didn’t mention the tasks that aren’t critical, but still need to be completed.

Where possible, you should look to outsource anything that’s not super important, but still needs to be handled. You can hire digital assistants online very easily, and they’re able to take care of the little things whilst you can focus on the big picture.

To identify which tasks you can delegate, I recommend using the Eisenhower Matrix, which is covered in detail in my productivity course here.

12. Save time for yourself

Now that you know all the ways to make the most of your time, you need to then save some for yourself! Working all day and all night, not leaving any time for the things you enjoy, is a recipe for disaster.

Spending time doing the things you love, like watching movies, going for walks, reading books, or anything else, is essential to help you recharge and recuperate.

I almost always finish work at 5pm, at which point I shut off my PC, tidy my desk, close the door to my office, and go for a quick walk around my little village. This walk, in my mind, acts as a separator between work time and life time.

Additionally, my office doesn’t get used when I’m not working. Having a clear place to work will stop you from always feeling in “work mode”, especially if you work from home most of the time, like me.

Conclusion

Working in the fast-paced world of freelancing, good time management is a crucial skill that you need to have in your arsenal. Not only will effectively managing your time help increase your productivity, but it’ll also aid in reducing stress.

By making use of the twelve principles of time management outlined in this article, you can manage your time efficiently and effectively!

And now that you’re a time management guru, it’s time to look at some more ways you can level up your productivity! In this article, we look at some simple self-improvement habits to help you live a more productive life.