Simple Time Management Strategies to Kick off the New Year

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time! As we approach the new year, a thoughtful consideration of how we can manage our time most effectively will establish a solid foundation for our personal and professional lives. The Harvard Business Review defines time management as “the decision-making process that structures, protects, and adjusts a person’s time to changing environmental conditions.” Sounds like a day in the life, right? Changing environmental conditions are a given in our world - and probably in yours too! Navigating the intricate balance between work, personal life, self-development, and social connections requires a thoughtful plan. 

Nova Leadership is here to support you in achieving your goals for 2024. We want you to be the best version of yourself as we start this new year. For us that’s a year of wisdom, inspiration, alignment, joy, delight and adventure. Living true to our goals requires discipline - saying yes to what really matters, and no to the rest. Part of helping you reach your goals means adopting a few simple time management strategies so that you, too, can say yes to what’s most important to you. 

Pro Tip: Time Blocking

One of the most effective strategies we practice to boost productivity is time blocking. We recommend setting a timer for 30, 60, or 90 minutes to focus on a specific work task. After each session, take a short 10-15 minute break. Repeat this process throughout the day, and you'll be amazed at how much you can accomplish! 

Turn off distractions - put your phone down (or leave it in another room) and dedicate 100% of your time, energy and brainpower to a single task. This structured approach helps maintain high energy levels and prevents burnout. Plus, you can use the intermittent 10-15 minute breaks to stretch, walk around, get a glass of water: these quick breaks help you take care of your mental and physical health. And while you’re looking at blocking time and taking care of yourself - consider blocking off a week for personal development and enrichment at our Immersion Retreat in Italy. Early bird pricing is open now! 

Prioritize With Clarity

Gain clarity on your priorities by creating a shortlist for the day, week, month and year. We just finished a multi-session 2024 planning exercise for Nova and it feels GREAT to have our charter for the year outlined. Knowing what matters most each day helps you allocate your time wisely. A clear sense of direction cuts down on indecision and allows you to focus on tasks that align with your overarching goals. Think of how great it will feel when you reflect each week and are able to check off one of the items on your list. Every line item counts! 

Tackle the Most Pressing and Most Stressing Tasks First

Begin your day by addressing the most pressing or stressful task. Knocking out that one daunting task not only provides a sense of accomplishment but also sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. 8AM and you’ve already had a win! By confronting challenges first and head-on, you free up mental space for other important activities. Forbes highlights that it’s also important to understand the energy that each task will take. For each major task on your to-do list, ask yourself, “Does this require head, heart or hands energy?” Different tasks likely require very different physiological states, and considering this in advance increases your opportunity for success. That makes sense, right? 

Minimize Distractions for Maximum Focus

When aiming to be as productive as possible, multitasking takes a back seat. Please! We say it all the time: effective multitasking is a myth. Evidence from a University of Oregon research article also indicates that those who engage in constant multitasking tend to exhibit lower performance levels across various cognitive tasks. According to psychologist Clifford Nass, “People who multitask all the time can’t filter out irrelevancy. They can’t manage a working memory. They’re chronically distracted. They initiate much larger parts of their brain that are irrelevant to the task at hand.” 

So silence the phone notifications, mute your email alerts, and abstain from instant messaging during dedicated work periods to cultivate a focused, undisturbed environment—essential for reaching the crescendo of optimal performance. 

Consider your Chronotype

We know that there are “morning people” and “night owls”. And others! Understanding your chronotype—the natural preferences of your body and mind throughout the day—can significantly impact your productivity. The Sleep Foundation tells us that aligning with our innate chronotype can impact our work and personal lives positively. Alignment can enhance the quality of your sleep, boost energy levels, and positively impact your mood. And - the foundation recommends that you tailor your daily schedule to align with your energy levels. For example, some people may do better if they schedule work requiring quiet thoughtfulness at the beginning of the day and reserve task-oriented activities for the end. Others may want to hit the ground running, and take care of social and interpersonal commitments before the post-lunch blahs hit. 

Finally - Leverage the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule)

There will always be more work to do. People will always want more from you. You’re talented! You deliver! And that means you have to be ruthless with your precious time. If you want to maximize your time and your impact, identify the 20% of tasks that contribute to 80% of your results. It’s there. We know, because we’ve done the exercise. Prioritize the activities that align with your goals and will provide the most impact. In its most simple form, roughly 80% of your accomplishments stem from a thoughtful and strategic 20% of your time investment. The Pareto Principle encourages you to focus more on the things that matter most. 

Strategic leadership starts with clarity on what matters and centering your precious time on what’s most important to you. Here’s wishing you memorable moments and an incredible new year! 

Virtual Leadership Coaching 

And if you want more support and practical counsel to help refine and achieve your goals, consider the power of your own executive coach. In group or one-on-one engagements, Nova coaches will challenge your thinking, providing exposure to new ways of thinking, leading, and being. We have openings for our virtual leadership coaching and executive leadership coaching engagements starting in Q2. We’d love to work with you in 2024!