5 Time Management Tips for Every Retail Leader
Time management is the most requested topic I hear retail field leaders asking about. In some ways, I think everyone believes that time management is the silver bullet to reducing stress and getting more done. There is some truth to that, yet I am not convinced that time management is the only thing. And then there is the whole subject of what time management really is. It is not just about time passing on the clock. It is also about determining the right things to do.
At the start of any new year, many people are working on new habits, goals, or resolutions – all similar thought processes. Managing your time differently is likely at the core of so many of those lists. If you want to exercise more, when will you do that? If you want to spend more time doing your hobby, when will you do that? That is always the hardest question to answer. It becomes even more difficult when you know you cannot just get up earlier each day or stay up later at night. Getting a good night’s sleep of about seven hours is foundational for productivity. So skimping on sleep will work against you. With those things in mind, here are some starting points for how you might be able to adjust how your twenty-four hours of each day can be best utilized.
Be realistic with time.
We tend to underestimate the amount of time anything will take. Being realistic with how long something will take is the first step of ensuring you are managing time effectively. That may mean you have to make choices on what can get done. Estimate high to begin with, or if you are unsure. It is always easier to fill extra time you find versus trying to catch up when something takes longer than expected.
Prioritize.
When you have to make decisions on how you are spending your time, and which things can get done in the time you have available, prioritization up front is critical. Using something like the Eisenhower matrix where you determine importance and urgency can help you ‘bucket’ the right items in the right level of prioritization. You can read more on how James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, outlines the use of the Eisenhower Box.
Schedule your time (time limits)
Schedule the time for when the work will be done. This sounds like it should be simple, yet it gets overlooked, and we believe that we can just get a task done in between other things. Put your working time on your calendar. This will make a huge difference. Then, plan specifically what you will do in that time.
Additionally, limit the amount of time you will work on specific projects. You may have time blocked for email; we all know that can turn into hours instead of minutes, quickly. Limit the time you spend, define it. Other larger projects can be broken into different segments. Again, by limiting the time you spend on any one thing can help you remain more engaged and fresh on the things you are working on. Even using something like the pomodoro technique can help ‘budget’ your time more effectively.
Track your time
Tracking your time is a great way to understand how much time you are spending on different tasks or projects. It can also be an excellent way of understanding how long certain things take for future planning purposes. I cover some other ideas for this in Taking Action on Your Time.
Say no
This one thing should be on any time management list you see or read. Without saying no to things that do not fit into your priorities, your list only grows longer and the pressures to cut corners (on things like sleep) only increase. It is hard work to say no, but critical to better self and time management.
These are five good ways to get you started on how you can better manage yourself. It is usually less about time and more about how you plan, the discipline you have in sticking to your plan, and prioritizing the work you both need and want to get done.
Which of these five tips will you adopt first?
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