Matter of Time: 4 Tips To Save Your Working Hours
Time is something that you need the most of, but probably have the least of.
My role as a social media manager at Smartshyp, a shipping company starting up in Utah, was a brand new role to me when I started. The role was overwhelming at first because not only was I managing my job, my goal was to make it sustainable.
At the beginning I was taking my work home constantly, which is not ideal. In order to keep my head afloat, I needed to find ways to prioritize in certain areas so that I could spend my time starting new projects and refining old ones.
I have discovered shaving a little time off of several things gives me more time to do the things I love, whether it’s a personal pedicure or family-bonding activity.
1.Organize and delegate. Start by figuring out your annual objectives. After this, see what it will take month to month, day to day, to accomplish this. By starting big and going small, you will make sure that everything you do is productive and focused on your main goal.
Putting your objectives on sites like Airtable and Asana helps to organize everything so it’s more doable. These tools will also allow your coworkers and employees to access the same information.
If someone gets sick and has to work from home, they will have the flexibility and direction. Both platforms allow you to assign tasks to people and will give them lists of what they need to do. It never hurts to spread your workload if you are taking on too much. This shows employees that you trust them, and it gives you more time to work on other projects.
2. Let technology do It. There really is an app for almost everything. Social media is one time-consuming aspect of business that requires a lot of attention, but also produces great results. In implementing a social media managing app, it has helped me save time and be more productive.
For example, with an app like Buffer, you can schedule your posts ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about always being available to post your updates. I sit down at the beginning of the month and schedule out everything I want to post, and when I want it. Most social media platforms will give you statistics on when your followers are most active, giving you the prime times for posting.
3. Find free research. Whether you need a new website or a new mattress, you want to know all your best options before buying. Most likely someone has already done the work for you. Some sites are dedicated to pulling together all of the research, so you don’t have to. They will often include the top brands for the topic, and break down cost, quality, and much more. These sites are optimized so you can spend anywhere from five minutes to an hour on one site and walk away with a more comprehensive knowledge of what you are purchasing, which might have originally taken days.
4. Take breaks. It might seem counterintuitive that taking time to not work would give you more time later, but it has been proven to increase productivity, creativity, and mental well-being. Wellness expert Alan Kohll writes in Forbes, “North American employees who take a lunch break every day scored higher on a range of engagement metrics, including job satisfaction, likelihood to continue working at the same company and likelihood to recommend their employer to others.”
Spending time away from your desk can also give you a new perspective when you come back, allowing you to recharge and focus better. On top of these benefits, taking breaks will also boost morale.
According to Tork USA, “Nearly 90 percent of North American workers say taking a lunch break helps them feel refreshed and ready to get back to work.” Even though you might be the boss, that doesn’t make you exempt from burnout. Make sure you take care of yourself first and work second.
Introducing these tactics might take more time at first, but once you have established a good rhythm, you will start saving hours of time and months of energy.
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About the Author
Jeannie is a recent graduate of Brigham Young University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. In her studies, she emphasized women's issues and education as a mitigating factor for socioeconomic status.