5 Simple Ways to Improve Time Management and Get More Done

This post is all about 5 simple ways to improve your time management to get things done!

Learning how to manage your time effectively is a very responsible thing to do. With so many distractions pulling you in multiple directions, you’ll find it hard to achieve goals, work on new habits, or build the life you dream of.

The truth is, distractions will always be there. It’s up to you to learn the most effective ways to manage your time, given all the distractions and get what you need done.

Time management is a skill anyone can improve with the right habits. In this post, we’ll explore 5 ways to improve time management so you can work smarter, not harder—and finally get more done without burning out.

1. Set Clear Priorities Every Day

One of the most powerful ways to take control of your time is by setting daily priorities. If you love to journal, you can add this to your morning journal routine by setting a goal for the day or week, which can hold you accountable to it. Doing so ensures that you have a focus for the day that you can rely on.

Before your day begins, identify your top 3 most important tasks. These should be the things that contribute most to your goals or deadlines.

Tip: Use the Eisenhower Matrix to decide what’s urgent vs. important. Focus on the tasks that have the biggest long-term impact.

2. Use a Time Management Tool or Planner

Whether you prefer digital apps like Google Calendar, Asana, or a paper planner, having a centralized system to organize tasks can save you hours each week. Schedule blocks of time for focused work, meetings, and even breaks.

I thought it was quite excessive to have to schedule in what I’d do in my free time or for things like commute time, but if you don’t account for the time in your day, you can run the risk of wasting time frivolously. I’ve read books on this and even watched Youtube videos to help with adapting the right time management framework to schedule my time on.

Learning how to improve time management is very attainable. Below is a great video that illustrates some techniques that exist to help you stay focused and get more done:

3. Limit Multitasking and Stay Focused

Multitasking feels productive, but it often leads to mistakes and wasted time. You can liken it to unfocused distractions, since you are continuously starting one project and switching mid-way through. It can reduce efficiency, elevate stress levels and pulls your attention away from the present moment.

Instead, practice single-tasking by giving your full attention to one task at a time. You’ll finish faster, be more engaged with the task at hand and ultimately do better quality work.

Try this: Work in 25-minute intervals using the Pomodoro Technique, followed by a 5-minute break to recharge your focus.

4. Eliminate Time-Wasters and Distractions

Time drains like social media, checking emails every few minutes, or unproductive meetings eat up your day. I’ve heard this quote once and it always stuck with me, “Distractions don’t look like distractions until they’re done distracting you”.

Improving your time management involves knowing where you spend your time throughout the day (e.g., bingeing Netflix, scrolling on your phone, playing video games etc.) this is when you can become clear about what you need to cut out and free up your time for. Identify your biggest distractions and create systems to minimize them.

Quick fix ideas:

• Turn off non-essential notifications
• Set timers on social media apps
• Set a daily limit for how much TV or how many movies you’ll watch

5. Review Your Week and Optimize

When introducing a new goal or routine there needs to be check-ins. Consistently improving your time management means reviewing what’s working and what’s not. From here you can double down on what’s working well and cut out anything that isn’t optimizing your time wisely. Set aside 10–15 minutes at the end of the week to reflect.

Ask yourself:

• What tasks took longer than expected?
• What distracted me the most?
• How can I better prepare next week?

This weekly check-in keeps your time management habits aligned with your goals.

Final Thoughts

Within these simple (not easy) practices shared in this blog post, you can learn to optimize your time by taking a look at where your energy is spent the most. You don’t need a complete life overhaul to start managing your time better. By applying just one or two of these 5 ways to improve time management skills, you’ll start to feel more organized, less overwhelmed, and be more productive every day.

Remember, small shifts will always lead to that big change eventually. Learn to master how you spend your time and it will change your life for the better!