6 Must-haves in Time Management for Managers

Time management for managers is incredibly vital, especially since you are responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the business by coordinating its human and non-human resources. It is one of the defining qualities that makes a good leader, but not having it down to a science does not mean you are destined to fail if called on to lead a team. 

Luckily, the skills that are essential in time management for supervisors and managers are learnable, which means if you do not have them yet, it is not the end of the world.

The ideas below are manager time management guidelines that help you to make the best use of time as you attend to the needs of the business by coordinating the various process flows that you are responsible for. It would be a huge time management mistake to disregard this information completely.

Delegation

Delegation is one of the most powerful time management techniques that you are ever going to encounter. A part of management is not having to do all the technical work on your own. You do not want to hit the other extreme where you do absolutely nothing and give your subordinates all the work to do, as striking the balance is important.

If you struggle with getting this done, you are going to need to come up with a system that helps you to easily ascertain what to delegate and when to delegate it. Apart from giving you the space and time you need to get things right, you promote employee engagement when you give them agency over various tasks and processes.

Imagine the time you would have to spend doing a task versus the time that you would spend checking in to see how things are going after using a delegation system. 

Workstation Upgrade

You may be wondering what ergonomic office furniture has to do with time management for managers. it does seem a bit strange but think about it for a moment. You can improve your workflow just by embracing the principles of ergonomics a bit more. 

It is not always a time limitation or the fact that you have too much work to do. Your body could be low on energy, you could be suffering from chronic pains, or you could be suffering from the mental effects of a sedentary lifestyle, which is preventing you from effectively using the time you have.

Getting yourself an office standing desk and an office ergonomic chair can go a long way in addressing this problem. It would do the company well if you also checked in with your team to see how they are being affected, so you can make any adjustments if necessary.

Time management in leadership is about more than fitting activities in the timeslots. You also need to be cognizant of external factors and how they can influence the use of time. 

Communication

One of the most effective manager time management tips is to learn how to communicate with employees effectively and use the skill to your advantage, so everyone on your team can make the best possible use of time. Any manager struggling with communication tends to have a time management issue too. 

The company has strategic objectives that formulate the more focused and tactical objectives that each team has. One of your jobs as a manager is to communicate the requirements and milestones to subordinates effectively and facilitate them in getting the job done. So, without micromanaging things, you must also interact with the team to manage the progress towards the said objectives that have been laid out.

While doing this, do not disregard the fact that communication is a two-way process. If you are the only one speaking, it is no longer a conversation, it becomes a presentation.

Technology Use

Remember that technology is made to make life easier. That applies to your work life as much as it applies in the personal context. Sometimes, manual methods of time management are just not meant for you. If you have been trying this time management for managers and it has not been working, you need to make a change. 

A time management app can tremendously change your life and aid you in becoming one of the most efficient managers the world has ever seen. These applications allow you to enter some data, and then they give you a schedule or plan to use to move forward.

You do not even have to stop at your garden-variety time management software system. There are enterprise-grade project and work planner programs that can help you tie your need for more effective time management in with the requirements of the team.

Imagine having one system that ensures that both the managers and the employees being managed are using their allocated time in the most effective way possible. What more would you need? 

Habit Breaks

Here is yet another external factor of time management for managers that can make you feel like you do not have enough time even when there is plenty available. Bad habits take no time to form and forever to break, but you must do the latter for the sake of your team and the company.

This process requires a sense of honesty with yourself. You are smart enough to know what you are doing wrong and where changes need to be made. That is the first step in the right direction.

The more difficult part is choosing and sticking with a system that works until the good habits are your new habits. Options you may have to assist you in this regard include a mentor, an accountability partner, a reward system, etc. Furthermore, if you manage to pull this off successfully, you can offer help to subordinates who may also have issues breaking their bad habits. It fosters a positive work culture. 

Discourage Multitasking

In many organizations, time management for managers is synonymous with multitasking. It is a practice that has always been glorified, as it gives the appearance of doing multiple things at the same time and being efficient.

Unfortunately, none of these things get done as effectively as they could if someone's entire focus were given to them. Therefore, it is in your best interest to discourage your team from embracing the multitasking culture.

It is a much better idea for them to pour their entire focus into one task and then move to the next one.