Thanks to advances in technology, organising your work and personal life has become so much easier these days. With the right tool or application, you can always keep in touch with your team, stay focused on your tasks, and get more done in less time.
Indeed, many time management tools can allow you to leverage your resources and carry out tasks more efficiently. However, it can be hard to choose one, considering there are so many different options out on the market.
While selecting the right time management tool may be a bit difficult, it’s not impossible. All you have to do is determine your specific needs and what kind of help you require. Whether you’re leading a team or want to get your schedule in order, here are a few top-notch tools that are worth checking out.
Microsoft Outlook
For many teams, communication and scheduling is a common hurdle when it comes to staying productive. After all, everyone has to be on the same page to ensure that the project is executed correctly. Additionally, it’s crucial to make sure that everyone knows what has to be done and when they’re due so that everything can be accomplished on time.
That being said, you may be surprised at what you can accomplish by using certain software in unconventional ways. For instance, it’s more than possible to improve the way you communicate and plan with your team by learning how to work smart using Microsoft Outlook.
This program allows you to keep all of your emails, contacts, and calendar in one convenient place, allowing you to share information and exchange ideas more quickly and easily. In addition, Outlook makes it a breeze to schedule upcoming team meetings and share your availability, which can save you a lot of time and effort.
RescueTime
If you worry that you’re not using your time wisely, this app can help you figure out exactly how you’re spending your days at work. RescueTime has an automatic time tracker and distraction blocker that runs in the background, keeping track of your activities throughout the day. The app also features efficient reporting tools that can send you weekly updates, allowing you to see what activities tend to take up most of your time.
The best part is that you can install this app onto laptop and mobile devices, ensuring that you can track how much time you spend on your phone and tablet, too. With RescueTime, you can help your team identify and eliminate distractions so they can focus on more important tasks at hand.
Focus Keeper
More often than not, effective time management is about staying focused or developing the discipline to commit to your responsibilities. If you need additional motivation or simply want to avoid getting overwhelmed, Focus Keeper is an app that’s worth installing.
Based on the principles of the Pomodoro technique, Focus Keeper encourages you to work uninterrupted for specific blocks of time while taking shorter breaks throughout the day. With its user-friendly interface, you can customise how long you want to work as well as how long how each break should be. This can not only make you more conscious about paying attention to the task at hand, but it also helps prevent you from burning out.
Toggl
When it comes to tracking just how many hours you’ve poured into a project, you can’t go wrong with Toggl. With this app, you can track exactly how much time you’re actually spending on certain tasks, allowing you to determine whether you’re working optimally or not. It can also log your time spent across different projects, all while presenting data in an easy-to-digest fashion.
Indeed, unlike plain and boring timesheets, Toggl’s colourful and intuitive interface is easy to use. Hence, it’s a great app for those who are still getting the hang of managing their time.
MyLifeOrganized (MLO)
The best thing about time management tools is that you don’t necessarily have to use them strictly for work-related tasks. When used properly, they’re also perfect for helping you stay organised in your personal life.
So, whether you’re a busy parent or a working student, the MLO app is a fantastic way of managing your daily to-do lists easily and effectively. This innovative software relies on the information you put into it (such as deadlines and priority levels) to identify what tasks need your immediate attention. With this information, MLO can auto-create to-do lists highlighting the actions that should be at the top of your list, making it easier to decide what to do each day.
Managing your time efficiently can be difficult. We hope that using the apps we’ve suggested will help you overcome some of the more common challenges. And since most of these apps are free, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give them a try.
If you would like support in time management and the best tools for your team, then check out our Leadership Courses here: TIME & WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT