Business is all about time. “Time is money” as the old saying goes, and it’s true. Look at your latest bill from a business supplier, and you’ll find that one of their factored costs will be the time it took them to do the work.
For some businesses, like tradespeople and tech personnel, their time is how they evaluate what they bill you. The bottom line is that keeping your time well in business is what will set you apart from the competition. Here are five reasons why managing your time is essential.
Improvement of self-discipline
Efficient time management will significantly improve your self-discipline. Setting yourself a schedule each day and sticking to it is an excellent way to start. If, like most people, you’re working from home, make sure you start your day at a normal hour, even if your online ‘shift’ doesn’t start for a few hours yet.
Make sure you place your ‘home office’ in a room with minimal distractions so you can focus properly. Take breaks when necessary, but make sure you’re not distracted by things like Facebook. In fact, you can use the “StayFocusd” website blocker on Google Chrome to ensure that the websites that would usually be your vice are kept locked off.
Project completion goals are met
Effective time management will help you complete your project goals or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) far quicker than being lackadaisical with your time. If you don’t have a schedule for completing each work project, create one and stick to it. This will ensure your workdays are filled, and that project goals are met more quickly.
The more projects out the door, the happier management will be, which could mean a raise for you, or a new position in project management, which incidentally also means a raise! Not only are you impressing the boss here, but you’re also going to feel better about your job, knowing you have met those goals.
It will improve interpersonal relationships
Interpersonal relationships can also be improved through effective time management, particularly around the home. By not working past your usual 5 pm knock-off, it means you are spending time with your family rather than sitting behind a computer.
This could mean a lot, particularly if you have children at home that you don’t feel you spend enough time with. If you have managed your time during the day better, you won’t need to be working past 5 pm either.
Better decision-making skills
When you feel pressed for time, you’re more likely to make rash decisions. If you’re able to manage your time, you’ll feel more in control of your life and be able to literally and figuratively slow things down, so you can make better decisions.
When you’re able to better manage your time, you won’t feel so much pressure to get things done and act irrationally as a result. Your mood will improve because you’re not feeling pressured all the time, and your performance at the things you do dedicate yourself to will also improve.
Better decision-making processes will also improve your ability to examine all of your choices when faced with a decision. You’ll have the time to slow down and carefully consider what it is that you’re doing, rather than blindly rushing forward just to get the task completed.
No more missed opportunities
Missed opportunities are every worker’s worst nightmare. And your time management skills might be the reason why you’re missing out on those opportunities. Perhaps a co-worker with superior time management is being promoted ahead of you.
If you get your time management under control, however, you can be the one taking advantage of opportunities given to you. You’ll have displayed to your superiors that you’re in charge of how you spend your working hours and you’re getting your work completed far faster than you were before.
Time management is a multi-faceted skill with so much more to offer to your life than just your productivity at work. As a result, this will help you to improve your relationships, your attitude, your pay, and quite simply, your overall happiness. There’s no excuse for wasting time on the job, and if you can teach yourself to manage your time better, you’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of those who’d rather dawdle.
