Many view time management as a building block for a successful life. To manage time successfully you need to identify what is important and what must be completed during the day. The second portion is distributing your time accordingly to get your important tasks done. Time management does not mean doing MORE work throughout the day. It is about allocating your attention and time to a certain task to complete it. If you manage your time correctly you may end up with MORE free time during the day for things you enjoy. Essentially it comes down to managing what you are doing with your time.

So when we get down to it, which skills are most important for successful time management?

Successful people start time management when they first wake up. Whether they get up early or late they do this in order to get a productive start to their day and take advantage of the time they have. After jumping into the day it’s helpful to set goals and establish priorities for your day. This creates accountability and structure for time.

As the day goes on, ensure you’re focusing on one task at a time. This will increase efficiency and ensure completion of a task before moving onto the next and will boost your productivity. Lastly, allow time for distractions. As we all know, life doesn’t always go as planned. Intentionally schedule yourself downtime and breaks for any hiccups that come up. 

Skills that are most important for successful time management include….

• Delegating and sharing tasks
• Planning
• Prioritizing
• Decision making
• Setting boundaries
• Saying no
• Creating a system and following it

It is important to recognize that small steps lead to big goals when it comes to time management. You may not achieve that goal in one day but if you take baby steps and diligently chip away at a task using your newly found skill, you will achieve your goals. 

Practicing and executing time management to reach a goal is a marathon not a sprint. You have to do the work each day until you reach that 26 mile mark. When it comes to time management just remember that practice makes perfect.

Time management is not only important for your personal life but it is a quality that employers value as well. Being able to demonstrate this skill on a resume is important and could be impactful to whomever is reviewing your resume. 

Demonstrating time management on a resume will show an employer that you are efficient and organized. Instead of merely listing your time management skills, blend them with examples and statistics of things you have accomplished successfully. This will not only show an employer you know how to manage time but that you can apply this skill successfully in a work environment.