Time management is a constant struggle. We all only have 24 hours in a day. But, some people seem to squeeze a lot more out of their day. How do they manage to get so much done? Well, it all boils down to time management techniques.
And you can do that, too. Using the right time management techniques can help you stay organized, reduce stress, and make steady progress toward your goals.
24 Effective Time Management Techniques for Productivity
You’ve probably heard that it’s essential to “work smarter, not harder.” While it might sound cliche, it’s true. Let’s look at some time management tips to get more done with the same amount of time and mental energy, which can elevate your time management skills.
1. Pareto Analysis: Find Your 20%
If you could only get 20% of your to-do list done today, which items would you choose? That’s the fundamental idea behind Pareto Analysis.
The gist of Pareto Analysis (also known as the 80/20 rule) is that 20% of our actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. This means if we identify and focus on that critical 20%, we can yield a significant portion of the results.
Say you’re a freelancer who writes, builds websites, and manages social media. You want to make more money, but you’re already swamped. Pareto Analysis can help.
You need to track how much time you’re spending on each task for a week and also track how much money each one is earning. For example, you might find that writing brings in 80% of your income, but it only takes up 40% of your time.
The 80/20 rule would suggest you spend more time writing. It’s where the money is!
You could even consider cutting back on the other tasks or outsourcing them. This is how the Pareto Analysis can make your side hustle more profitable. You’ll work smarter, not harder.
That sounds simple enough, but it does take a little bit of practice to implement in everyday life. This time management method helps you determine if you’re investing time in areas that aren’t giving you a high enough return on your investment (ROI).
2. Inbox-Zero: Tame the Email Beast
Emails can quickly take over your workday if you let them. Merlin Mann, an expert on productivity, developed a simple but often preached time management system to help you regain control over your inbox.
It’s called Inbox Zero, and the approach centers around processing emails to decide what action is required—if any—instead of endlessly reviewing new email notifications as they arrive.
This might include immediately replying to an important email, moving it to an “Action Required” folder, or simply archiving or deleting it. Using the Inbox-Zero method will free up more of your time so you can get more work done.
3. Pomodoro: Embrace Strategic Breaks
Do you get easily bored, distracted, or burned out while working on certain tasks? The Pomodoro Technique, developed in the 1990s, can help.
People who use the technique work in short intervals and take short, regular, timed breaks — “Pomodoros.” For example, you might use a timer to work in 25-minute sprints, broken up by 5-minute breaks away from your workspace.
By taking a short break, you can rejuvenate your mind and complete tasks much more easily.
4. The 10-Minute Rule: Break It Down
Many times, we overestimate the effort a large task will require. Then, we procrastinate and avoid those things, telling ourselves, “I’ll get to it later.”
Instead of trying to tackle it all at once, why not break it into smaller chunks using The 10-Minute Rule? Take the first 10 minutes to schedule a time working on a big, complex, or otherwise intimidating project.
Often, this is enough to overcome the initial hurdle of getting started. And most of the time, once we start, completing tasks can feel much easier.
5. Flowtime Technique: Focus on Deep Work
Flowtime was developed by a software engineer, Dionatan Moura, in 2015. This approach blends deep focus with timed work intervals — but with a unique twist.
Flowtime differs from Pomodoro in that it suggests alternate cycles of focused work with breaks tailored to your energy levels and task requirements.
So, you get the deep concentration benefits of the Pomodoro Technique without the constraint of arbitrary intervals. Flowtime is similar to Cal Newport’s idea of deep work, where you stick to a fixed schedule.
Moreover, flowtime is also good if you want to eliminate distractions. This helps you get more done in less time, which is really helpful for people with side hustles or digital nomads.
And here’s how to use the Flowtime Technique:
Pick one task. Don’t try to multitask. Pick one thing from your task list.
Set a timer. It doesn’t matter how long. Thirty minutes is usually a good place to start.
Just work on that one task. This is where you really focus. Don’t check your email or your phone.
When the timer goes off, write down what time it is. Also, write down what you accomplished.
Take a break. Go for a walk, get a snack, or just relax for a few minutes.
Repeat. Keep going until you’re done with the task.
The Flowtime Technique is a simple but powerful way to boost your productivity. Give it a try and see how much you get done while improving your time management skills.
6. Parkinson’s Law: Set Tight Deadlines
Ever notice a task often takes the exact amount of time you allotted to complete it? It’s true. This phenomenon is called Parkinson’s Law. Basically, the amount of time you give yourself to finish something is usually how long it will take to get done.
But what if you were short on time?
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson found that, in these instances, work compresses to meet the available time. Knowing this law can significantly impact how you allocate time throughout the day and how much time you spend on a specific task.
Think about a time you procrastinated on a project. You probably gave yourself plenty of time to do it, right? But then you waited until the last minute, turning these to-dos into urgent tasks. Suddenly, you were laser-focused and got it done much faster. That’s because the deadline forced you to prioritize and work efficiently.
So, how can you use Parkinson’s Law to your advantage?
Set tight deadlines for yourself! Instead of giving yourself all day to answer emails, block out an hour. Need to write a blog post? Set time limit, like three hours. You’ll be surprised how much more productive you are when you’re working against the clock.
7. The Productivity Journal: Track, Analyze, Improve
Maintaining a productivity journal allows you to track and analyze where your time actually goes. Jotting down things as you do them can help you identify wasted time and highlight unproductive patterns in your daily schedule.
There’s a scientific aspect to it, too. Writing down your issues can relieve you of stress. This practice doesn’t need to be complicated or elaborate — even simple notes can help.
Consider reviewing your journal periodically to pinpoint a poor time management process that needs improvement. Then, make necessary adjustments to your time management techniques.
8. Eat That Frog: Conquer the Biggest Task First
Nobody likes the idea of literally eating a frog, but sometimes, we have to do things we dread to achieve our goals. This is what time management strategies like “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy can help with.
So, this approach suggests tackling the biggest, most challenging task first thing each day. Completing this before anything else on your schedule will make it easier to face the rest of the day.
9. The Seinfeld Method: Build Consistent Habits
Building daily habits is essential for accomplishing goals—that’s the underlying concept behind this method, which comedian Jerry Seinfeld made famous.
Want to eat healthier? Do yoga? Launch your blog? Seinfeld’s approach emphasizes doing one thing every day to develop consistency, even if the daily steps seem small at the time.
Developing good habits is akin to learning time management skills, as you maximize your time in accomplishing short—or long-term goals.
10. Who’s Got the Monkey: Delegate Effectively
This fun metaphor illustrates the importance of delegating responsibility effectively instead of always taking on too much yourself. Often, managers (and people in general) end up doing other people’s work by accepting a “monkey” when someone tries to delegate something.
Before accepting a “monkey,” it’s good practice to ask some questions of whoever is trying to delegate. This will ensure there’s no wasted time on either side. There are 3 types of “monkeys” and managed time:
Boss-imposed time
System-imposed time
Self-imposed time.
Identifying the type of “monkey” can also be beneficial. But keep in mind: with delegation comes the responsibility to delegate well. When done correctly, delegating is one of the most effective time management techniques.
11. Pickle Jar Theory: Separate the Urgent from the Important
Time management is about knowing when and how to work on specific things and making the most of your energy levels throughout the day.
To help conceptualize this idea, consider the “Pickle Jar Theory.”
Imagine a big, empty pickle jar. This jar represents your day, ready to be filled with tasks. Now picture some rocks, pebbles, and sand.
The rocks are your big, important tasks, the things you absolutely must get done. These are your big projects at work or maybe your side hustle. The pebbles are smaller tasks. Maybe these are errands or returning emails.
The sand? Those are all the little, unimportant things that fill up your day. Think scrolling through social media or watching TV.
Here’s where the pickle jar theory comes in for time management. Most people try to fit their day in like this: sand first, then pebbles, then rocks. But the rocks don’t always fit, right? You run out of room and time.
Instead, start your day with the rocks!
Get those big, important things done first. Then, fit the pebbles around them. You’ll find that the sand always finds a way to fill in the gaps. This theory is all about prioritizing.
12. Rapid Planning Method (RPM): Link Tasks to Purpose
Feeling unmotivated with your goals? Maybe those goals are something you “have to do” instead of what you want to achieve. One of the best time management techniques to solve such a dilemma is the Rapid Planning Method (RPM).
This is all about linking actions to a clear purpose.
Focusing on the outcome of achieving your goals — instead of the steps involved — and asking “why” questions will motivate you to push through. That’s why it’s important to start setting goals before you proceed with any task.
13. Eisenhower Matrix: Prioritize Like a President
This method focuses on the intersection of urgency and importance in helping you create an effective time management strategy for prioritizing your daily and weekly tasks.
A study of 500 employees by Acuity Training found that the Eisenhower matrix was the third most common time management method because this matrix works.
To use this technique, create a table to classify tasks quickly to know if you should prioritize, delegate, schedule for later, or eliminate:
14. Biological Prime Time: Align Your Day With Your Natural Rhythm
Many people swear their most productive time of day is first thing in the morning—this isn’t true for everyone.
Sam Carpenter first introduced the term “Biological Prime Time” in his book Work the System. It encourages tracking and planning around those times during the day when energy levels are naturally high.
Understanding your individual biological prime time and making adjustments can boost your productivity to the next level.
15. Kanban
The Kanban method is great for visual people.
Imagine a whiteboard with sticky notes—that’s the basic idea. You can use a physical board or an app—it doesn’t matter. This time management technique helps you see your work, track your progress, and see what’s slowing you down.
The Kanban system has a few key parts. The first thing you need is a board. This is where you’ll keep track of your tasks. You’ll also have columns that represent the different stages of a project.
For example, you might have columns for “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” You can have more columns, though. It depends on how you work. And you move tasks through these columns as you work on them.
You’ll also need cards, each representing a task. This time management technique works well for people who like to see the big picture, which you can use this for personal or professional projects.
16. Action Method
The Action Method is a time management system that pushes you to, well, take action! This system is all about breaking down your goals into small steps and then, most importantly, actually doing them.
So, if you want to stop procrastinating and make progress on your goals, Action Method is the key.
To use this, you need to set up three parts: Action Steps, Backburner Items, and References.
Action Steps are things you need to do right now. Backburner items are tasks that you will get to later. References are materials you might need, like notes or websites.
And the best thing? You can use the Action Method with a digital tool or the old-fashioned way with a notebook—decide what works for you. This flexibility makes it perfect for online entrepreneurs and digital nomads.
When you apply it properly, this system helps you get more done and that means you can bring in more money.
17. Time Blocking
Have you ever heard the saying, “A cluttered space equals a cluttered mind”?
Well, think about that when you look at your calendar. Is it full of random entries with no real schedule? If this is you, then you need to try time blocking.
Time blocking is a time management technique where you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to a specific task or activity. Sounds easy enough, right?
For example, you might block off 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM for answering emails, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM for working on a big project, and 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM for lunch. This structured schedule helps you stay organized, make steady progress on your tasks, and avoid distractions.
In short, time blocking works great if you’re trying to be more productive. Why? It removes the need to make decisions about what to work on next. Instead, you follow your pre-planned schedule.
18. Timeboxing
WIth timeboxing technique, you can set a fixed, maximum amount of time for completing a specific task. Unlike time blocking where you can adjust the blocked time when a task is unfinished, this isn’t applicable in timeboxing.
Once the time is up, you stop working on that task, regardless of whether it is finished.
That’s because the purpose is to create a sense of urgency and encourage focused, efficient work within the allocated time frame. By doing so, you’re preventing tasks from dragging on indefinitely.
As compared to timeblocking, timeboxes are typically more rigid. You need to adhere to the fixed time limits strictly, promoting efficiency and preventing scope creep. It means you need quick decision-making and efficiency in completing a task as much as possible within the given time limit.
Instead of saying, “I’ll work on this project in the afternoon,” you’d say, “I’ll work on this project from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM.” This subtle change in mindset can make a big difference.
Timeboxing helps you fight procrastination and brings structure to your day. This technique can help you better understand how long tasks actually take, which will improve your planning and make you more efficient.
Time Blocking vs. Timeboxing
Both techniques can be highly effective for different purposes, and you can even combine them to enhance productivity and time management. However, here are their differences:
19. 1-3-5 Rule
Want to make realistic to-do lists? 1-3-5 is a simple time management technique that helps with this while you prioritize tasks. And that’s through listing out what you want to accomplish.
But, here’s the catch: you can only have one major task, three medium tasks, and five small tasks. That’s it!
With this method, it forces you to be honest with yourself.
What’s truly important for the day? You can’t do everything, but you can make progress on the things that really matter. This method also plays on how our brains love to feel accomplished. We get a little boost of dopamine when we check something off our to-do list.
The 1-3-5 Rule gives you more chances to experience those little wins, keeping you motivated.
Think of this technique like this: The “1” is your main goal for the day. It’s that thing that, if you get nothing else done, you’ll still feel good about. The “3” medium tasks are still important, but they’re not as time-sensitive or crucial as your main task. Finally, the “5” small tasks are things you can usually knock out pretty quickly.
20. BuJo — The Bullet Journal
Another great way to improve time management is the BuJo. You use a blank notebook and a pen. That’s it.
The idea is to make lists—lots and lots of lists. But this isn’t your typical to-do list. It goes much deeper.
This technique combines to-do lists, scheduling, brainstorming, and anything you want to write down. It’s all about getting organized—use bullet points to track tasks, events, and notes.
With a bullet journal, it helps you prioritize tasks and easily track your progress. Many people feel this is much better than an app, especially if they like to write things down physically.
You can find many ways to use this online. However, it’s really up to you. This method lets you create a system that works best for you.
21. POSEC Method
Another method that helps you prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency is the POSEC method. This can be a really great way to manage your time if you’re trying to make money on the side.
It breaks down your tasks into five categories: Prioritize, Organize, Streamline, Economize, and Contribute.
First, you Prioritize your time by identifying the most important tasks that’ll help you reach your goals. Maybe you want to start a blog or an online business. These goals should come first.
Next, Organize all of your responsibilities. Think about what you need to do every day to manage your side hustle. Do you need to create a schedule? This is a good time to figure all of that out.
Third, it’s time to Streamline the things you do often. Is there a way you can make them easier or faster? For example, if you spend a lot of time answering emails, maybe you could set up some templates.
The fourth step is to Economize, which just means finding ways to be more efficient with the tasks you don’t like to do. These are probably things you’re going to want to put off, but using the POSEC method will help you get them done.
Finally, Contribute by focusing on tasks that bring value and help you grow. Now that you have more time, you can look for opportunities to learn new things or network with other entrepreneurs.
22. The Now Habit/Unscheduling
The Now Habit, also called Unscheduling, turns traditional time management on its head. Instead of planning your day around your to-do list, you schedule your free time first.
This means blocking time for hobbies, relaxation, and things you enjoy. With this technique, you can recognize that life is about more than just work.
This might seem counterintuitive to productivity. But, by prioritizing your well-being, you’re more likely to show up energized and focused during your work periods. And using this approach can also help you identify how much “free time” you actually have.
You might be surprised by how much time is unaccounted for! You can then use that time for side hustles, personal projects, or whatever you’d like.
To put this technique into action, start by identifying your non-negotiables.
These are the things that bring you joy, reduce stress, or are essential for your well-being. Schedule those first! Think morning walks, reading time, or catching up with friends. Once they’re locked in, you can plan your work tasks around these commitments.
23. The Swiss Cheese Method/The Salami Method
Have big projects? These time management techniques are awesome for breaking down big projects.
Think about a big block of cheese. It can be intimidating, right? But, if you chip away at it a little at a time, it gets smaller. That’s the Swiss Cheese Method!
You take your big goal (like finishing a big project for your side hustle) and break it into smaller, bite-sized tasks. Then, you schedule specific times in your day to work on these little tasks. Even if you only have 10 minutes here or 20 minutes there, you are making progress.
You’re essentially using the Pomodoro Technique on a larger scale!
The Salami Method is very similar.
Imagine slicing up a salami. You eat one slice at a time until it’s gone. You can use this with your to-do list. Instead of trying to do everything at once, you focus on one task, finish it, and then move on to the next “slice” of your work.
24. SCRUM
Think of SCRUM as a team sport for your to-do list!
This time management technique is super popular in software development, but it can boost your productivity in any field. The idea is to break down big projects into smaller, manageable chunks called “sprints.” These sprints usually last a week or two.
Here’s the play-by-play:
Product Backlog: This is your master to-do list. Write down everything you need to do for the entire project.
Sprint Planning: At the start of each sprint, you and your team (if you have one) choose a few items from the Product Backlog to focus on.
Daily Scrum: Have a short, daily meeting (15 minutes max!) to discuss progress, roadblocks, and what you’ll work on that day.
Sprint Review: At the end of the sprint, you review what you accomplished and get feedback.
Sprint Retrospective: This is where you reflect on what went well and what could be improved for the next sprint.
SCRUM helps you stay focused, track progress, and adapt to changes quickly. It’s all about teamwork, communication, and getting things done!
FAQs
What are the 5 Ps of time management?
Although it doesn’t quite have the same ring as “the 5 Ps” it refers to these five areas of planning: plan, prioritize, prevent, produce, and protect. You’ll see these themes pop up repeatedly across various strategies and tools, often interwoven in how they work.
For example, “Planning” usually involves breaking down tasks and clarifying the outcome you hope to achieve — the “Why” that propels you toward that goal.
What 5 techniques make an effective time management plan?
A strong time management plan will consist of several different combinations of time management techniques. However, the common thread is using specific strategies to gain more control over how you allocate, spend, and track time throughout your day.
Some popular (and generally effective) choices are the Pomodoro Technique, time blocking, Getting Things Done (GTD), the Eisenhower Matrix, and Pareto Analysis (the 80/20 Rule).
What are the 7 steps of time management?
The seven essential steps in successful time management are:
Goal setting
Task prioritization
Planning
Scheduling
Organization
Delegation (where applicable)
Taking breaks.
But keep in mind that these aren’t necessarily linear; they’re interconnected. How often you go back and revisit previous steps can significantly impact your overall success, especially if unexpected things throw you off course.
What are the 3 techniques of time management, explained?
While numerous time management methods exist (over 13 on average, according to one study), it boils down to using strategies tailored to your approach to time.
There’s a strong argument that all these techniques branch from three core strategies: prioritization (like the Eisenhower Matrix and ABCDE method), planning and scheduling (like Pomodoro or Timeboxing), and task management (like GTD, Kanban, or Zen to Done).
Conclusion
There are more time management techniques aside from the stated above. They may have different principles that we can use depending on what suits us.
But, if there’s one thing that everyone has in common, it’s that we all have the same 24 hours every single day. How we use that time determines what we’re able to achieve.
Fortunately, with the right combination of time management techniques, you’ll gain control of your schedule to find more balance, productivity, and fulfillment in all areas of your life.
