Have you ever wished you could add hours to your day just so you could be sure to get everything done? Most of us struggle on a daily basis to balance work and life, striving to feel we are making a positive difference. Time management may seem illusive to most of us, but there are some key strategies you can employ to help you feel ahead of the game and allow you to carve out time for the things you enjoy. 

Most people have heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder,” but what does that really mean? In its most basic sense, it means growing your self-awareness and figuring out what your strengths are, then building a network around you to build upon those, in order to reach goals in the most efficient and effective way possible.

Here are some tips to manage your time more effectively at work and carve out what you need from your day. 

• Time yourself: How can you learn to manage your time when you do not know how long a task really takes you? 
• Plan: Know your goal, structure and purpose (GPS). This gives you a framework and a touch point for the work you do so you know if you are using time effectively relative to the GPS.
• Stop multitasking: Multitasking is an illusion of efficiency. In actuality, doing too many things at once creates productivity pitfalls and wastes time due to the reacclimation process every time you switch a task. 
• Make meetings productive: Set roles for those involved in meetings such as a scribe and a timekeeper.  Make sure your meeting has an agenda with a GPS and stick to it.
• Email can wait: Schedule consistent time in your day to check emails and let it wait. You will be less distracted at your desk when you are not constantly being alerted of a new message.

If you are interested in learning more about time management and work/life balance, check out some of the suggested strategies from The Time Doctor. The Ohio State Employee Assistance Program (EAP) also offers trainings to help you and your teams influence the culture in your work environment and focus on effective time-management strategies. To get more information reach out via email at EAP@osumc.edu or by phone.

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