Time Management Tip for People Who Work-From-Home 

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This question came from a busy professional needing a time management tip.

 I need a Time Management Tip for people who Work-From-Home 

What are some of your secrets to successful time management when working from home? I know the usual suspects: Create a dedicated workspace, get dressed for work, etc., but what are your most interesting and creative ways to manage your time?

One of the most effective and creative way to help manage your time is to actually “measure” how long it takes you to accomplish your regular tasks.  After all, how can you improve your time management skills if you don’t know where your time is going?

Start using a Timer

Every mobile device and computer has a timer.  Find an app that you like and start using it.

Make sure your timer app has the following features

  • Track and log times for multiple projects during the day
  • Has a Stop-Watch feature (can also use your phone alarm features)
  • Has an Alarm feature (can also use your calendar alarm or phone alarm features)

Tracking time for multiple projects

Make sure your timer can track activities on multiple projects, such that when you start the timer on one project, it stops accumulating on the other projects.

Here are some quick things you can implement today.

  • Get into the habit of timing your billable and nonbillable hours.
  • If you need to run an errand, understand how much time you are taking on non-work-related tasks during “your work day”.
  • Track your time so you can visually see when you are churning between projects and how much dedicated time you are actually putting on any one project.
  • Track how many hours you are actually “working” on billable content.
  • Use your timer to improve your job estimation.
    • Create a schedule with your “planned time” and your “actual time”.
    • Use the data to improve your estimates in the future.

If you find that you are working many more hours than you originally estimated/contracted, you need to incorporate this knowledge into your next estimate or contract.

If you find that you are completing in less time than originally estimated, consider giving a credit toward future work.  The client will be impressed with your transparency and are more likely to come back for additional jobs (especially if they have credit toward a new job).

At the end of the week, evaluate where your time went.  If you find that you have over-extended on nonbillable, non-work-related activities, start to schedule those activities when other businesses are closed, reduce/eliminate those items or outsource those tasks to someone else**.  If you find that you were switching between multiple projects without results, make a mental note to spend at least 30 minutes on a project before switching to a different project in order to make significant progress.  Then set your timer.

**If you charge your clients $150/hour and you are spending 4 hours doing non-billable administration tasks, consider paying someone $10.00 to handle those things for you.  A savings of $560 and 4 hours of your time.

Use the Stop-Watch feature

You can use your stop-watch feature to improve time on menial tasks.

  • Time how long it takes you to go through your morning email
  • Implement your “email/message rules” to automatically delete “junk” mail and move non-urgent email to appropriate folders for other people to handle.
  • Now time how long it takes you to go through your morning email after this optimization is in place.

At this point, you can multiply the time saved by your hourly rate.

Use the Alarm feature

If you find yourself often late for appointments or the meetings you facilitate constantly run over, use the alarm feature on your timer.

For example:

  • If you can only afford to work on this project for 1-hour, set your timer for 50-minutes.  When the timer goes off, start closing down the project.
  • If you need to leave for an important appointment in 2 hours, set your timer.
  • If you scheduled for a 60-minute meeting, set your timer for 50 minutes.  When the timer goes off, immediately conduct a summary, list any outstanding issues and schedule follow-up meetings for them, and review any action items, and the deadlines and owners for those items.

With a small investment (often times free) you can get an on-line Time Tracker and Schedule.  Start using it.

I know your situation is different.  If you would like additional information on this topic, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

I am a business coach and this is what I do professionally.  It’s easy to sign up for a complimentary one-on-one coaching call, just use this link https://www.timetrade.com/book/WFSFQ

 

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.