product-management

Efficiency and effectiveness. That is how every single Management 101 course starts, all around the world. Doing business is all about using the least resources to do the most work, we all know that. But one of the most available yet scarce resources we all have to carefully manage is nothing other than time. It is very challenging to optimize our time and use it to the fullest, yet not impossible.

That is why we put together this small bundle to help you hack this very valuable asset.

You have 24 hours, use them wisely

First of all, you need to organize your 24 hours. As obvious, cliché, and simple as it sounds, it’s one of the key habits you need to adopt. 24 hours might not sound much but if used properly it could be plenty. You need to allocate time for work, fun, food, family, and most importantly, sleep. Cut on the power-naps and invest more in the deep sleep.

It's easy to waste time. Don't.

Humans as we are, we get distracted very easily. Be it an email popup, a phone notification or even a random crossing thought, we tend to shift our focus quite often. We either find an urge to reply back to messages, or we say to more tasks than we can handle. Sometimes we don't have our priorities straight so we end up focusing on the wrong thing. We even like to procrastinate every now and then and end up staying up late all night to get back on schedule. And sometimes we just feel like wasting time just for the sake of it. That is why we need to work on minimizing as many distractions as possible in order to get work done is a fashionable way.

It's about working smart, not hard.

Many people think that working hard will get them to where they want to go.. but it's not always true. When you have tight deadlines and more tasks that you can handle, you are literally racing against the clock! Doing things the typical way might just not do it. You need to work smart. Hack it. Now hacking doesn't mean cheating. On the contrary, it means finding the easiest way to do things and getting the same result -if not better- using as little time as possible. It's actually about efficiency and effectiveness! Hacking something doesn't necessarily mean that it will be easier. In fact, you will need a good deal of concentration, precision, and a lot of motivation.

You will need to micro-task, set specific deadlines, track your progress and communicate clearly with the different people in the group. There is less room for mistake but the result sure is worth the effort!

When your fire goes out, Phoenix-it!

We all have those moments when we get so overwhelmed and start to lose our drive. It happens more often than people care to admit! But in a world where time equals money, it's hard to go behind on deadlines without feeling guilt for being the cause why your company is losing money. That's precisely why top leaders always find a way to revive their drive and get back on their feet all fired up!

It is quite simple actually. All you have to do is remind yourself of why you're doing what you are doing right now? What got you there? How did you make it? What did you sacrifice? What did you gain? What is it about this job that makes you feel the most fulfilled? You need a break? Take one. You need a new goal? Set one. You need a new item? Buy one. Do whatever makes you happy because that happiness will reflect on your work, productivity, the people around you, and eventually your entire company. Find what you love, do it forever.

You want to find your key to success? Optimize your time in order to make the most out of it... of course while leaving room for fun, family, and personal growth.

We hope this article helped you get a better understanding of the value of time and how to best use it for the maximum outcome.