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Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Posted by: Venturit Super Admin
Disciplinary Content
Posted on: Edited -- Time Mana...
Organizational Supports for ADHD Students
Primer text from the College of William & Mary.https://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/documents/packets/adhd.pdf
Many students with ADHD have significant difficulties with organization. They are more likely to respond positively when teachers establish class routines and set procedures and maintain a well-organized learning environment.
Clear rules and advanced planning are keys to success for teachers of students with ADHD.The following organizational supports are particularly useful. Students should be taught to use these tools through teacher modeling and guided practice with feedback before being expected to use them more independently.Assignment Notebook: Provide the student with an assignment notebook to help organize homework and seatwork. Color-Coded Folders: Provide the student with color-coded fold
Many students with ADHD have significant difficulties with organization. They are more likely to respond positively when teachers establish class routines and set procedures and maintain a well-organized learning environment.
Clear rules and advanced planning are keys to success for teachers of students with ADHD.The following organizational supports are particularly useful. Students should be taught to use these tools through teacher modeling and guided practice with feedback before being expected to use them more independently.Assignment Notebook: Provide the student with an assignment notebook to help organize homework and seatwork. Color-Coded Folders: Provide the student with color-coded fold
Authored by: Chathu
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Article with Large text + table + URL in it's description
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.Table:
Name
Role
Rohit
Developer
Chathuri
Manager
Vijaya
QA
URL: https://www.usa.edu/blog/time-management-techniques/https://youtu.be/iONDebHX9qk?si=Pevl6sZNfq0i3x9y
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.Table:
Name
Role
Rohit
Developer
Chathuri
Manager
Vijaya
QA
URL: https://www.usa.edu/blog/time-management-techniques/https://youtu.be/iONDebHX9qk?si=Pevl6sZNfq0i3x9y
Posted by: Venturit Super Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Article with Large text, table in description
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.Table:
Name
Department
Vijayalaxmi
QA
Rohit
Developer
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.Table:
Name
Department
Vijayalaxmi
QA
Rohit
Developer
Posted by: Venturit Super Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Article
Text:Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Posted by: Venturit Super Admin
Disciplinary Content
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Article with large text in description
Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the most impact.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Different people need different effective time management strategies. If you’re a graduate student, you may choose to manage your time in a different way than someone who is a working mother. If you’re a visual person, you may prefer a color-coded calendar over a written to do list.
Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve poor time management, we’ve explored nine popular techniques, from the 80/20 rule to the “eat that frog” method. We’ve outlined what they are, how to implement them, and the types of people who most benefit from them. And, check out our infographic below that includes a flowchart to help you decide which time management process will work the best for you.
9 Types of Time Management Techniques
Achieving work life balance is possible with effective time management. Learning time management tips will not only help you manage your time better but also boost personal productivity. With that said, here are some time management strategies you can try:
1. Pareto Analysis (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule)
The 80/20 rule is a technique created by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes. The goal of Pareto analysis is to help you prioritize tasks that are most effective at solving problems.
How it works:
List some of the problems you are facing. For example, maybe your grades are slipping.
Identify the root cause of each problem. Maybe your grades are slipping because you spend too much time on social media or any other sort of distraction.
Assign a score to each problem: Assign higher numbers to more important problems
Group problems together by cause: Group together all the problems caused by spending too much time on social media.
Add up the score of each group: The group with the highest score is the issue you should work on first.
Take action.
Types of people who will benefit from Pareto Analysis:
Problem solvers
Analytical thinkers
2. Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was created by entrepreneur and author Francesco Cirillo. This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo created.
How it works:
Choose a task you need to get done.
Set a timer (e.g., for 25 mins).
Focus on the task at hand.
When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short break: Take a break for about three to five minutes. Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, do something non-work-related to give your brain a break.
Repeat steps two to five: Once you have completed this process four times, you can begin to take longer breaks (20–30 mins).
Types of people that will benefit from the Pomodoro Technique:
Creative thinkers
Those who feel burnt out from work/school
The Pomodoro technique doesn’t just teach your time management; it also teaches you in setting goals and how to achieve them. You’ll be able to better stick to your daily schedule and weekly schedule.
3. Eisenhower Matrix
Before Dwight Eisenhower became president in 1953, he served in the U.S. Army as an Allied Forces Commander during World War II. He was faced with difficult decisions every day that led him to invent what is now called the Eisenhower matrix, or the urgent-important matrix.
How it works:
Organize your task list into four separate quadrants, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. not urgent, as shown in the graphic below. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute to your long term goals or values. Ideally, you should only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eisenhower Matrix:
People in leadership positions
Critical thinkers
4. Parkinson’s Law
British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a specific task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.
How it works:
This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some time management tips:
Try working without a computer charger. This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.
Get it done early. Instead of finishing an essay by midnight, try to get it done by noon.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.
Limit time for tasks. Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.
Types of people this works for:
Procrastinators
People who work well under pressure
5. Time Blocking Method
Inventor Elon Musk is known for being productive. He manages his time so efficiently that he can work over 80 hours a week and still make time for himself. What’s his secret? Time blocking.
How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating breakfast to studying for a test. Below are the steps Elon Musk uses to block his time:
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, write down each hour of the day and create blocks of time such as half-hour or hour chunks.
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of your tasks and fit them into your time blocks.
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for adjustments during the day.
Types of people this works for:
Working students or parents
Analytical thinkers
6. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method
Created by author David Allen, this process helps you get things done by recording tasks on paper and then breaking them down into actionable work items.
How it works:
Capture the actions that have your attention: These actions are tasks that can relate to anything from work to school to your personal life.
Clarify what they mean: Decide whether the tasks that have your attention are actionable or not. If an item is not actionable, ignore it for now. If the item is actionable, do it, delegate it, or set it aside.
Organize your actions: Prioritize your to do list according to what you need to get done when.
Reflect: Review your list of actions frequently to determine your next priority. Cross off tasks you have accomplished and update your list.
Engage: Take the actions or smaller tasks you can complete right now.
Types of people who will benefit from the GTD method:
People who struggle to focus on one thing at a time
People who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives
7. Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
“RPM” stands for “rapid planning method” or “result, purpose, and massive action plan.” It was developed by motivational speaker Tony Robbins as a way to train your brain to focus on a vision of what you want so you can make it real.
How it works:
Capturing: Write down all the tasks you need to accomplish this week.
Chunking: “Chunk” your tasks together by commonalities. Which items are personal? School-related? Career-focused?
Create your own RPM blocks: On the top of a new sheet of paper, make three columns: the task, the result you want from completing that task, and your purpose for completing it. Next, list the actions you can take to get there.
Create an empowering role for yourself: If you’re a student, you might call yourself the “Study Queen.” Anything that will get you jazzed about completing your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the RPM:
Working students or parents
People who have long-term goals
8. Pickle Jar Theory
This theory helps you figure out what is useful and what is not useful in your daily life. It allows you to plan tasks with time to spare and set priorities for your day.
How it works:
Imagine a pickle jar full of sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom and the rocks sit at the top.
The sand: This represents disrupting elements of your day, such as phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, etc.
The pebbles: This represents tasks that need to be completed, but can be done on another day or by someone else.
The rocks: These are the most important tasks that need to get done today.
Begin by thinking about how your tasks for the day would fit into the above categories. Then make a task list starting with the rocks and ending with sand (if time permits). Include an honest time estimate next to each. Try not to plan more than six hours of an eight-hour working day. This will leave buffer time for the pebbles and sand.
Types of people who will benefit from the Pickle Jar theory:
Visual people
Concrete thinkers
9. Eat That Frog Technique
This technique is named after a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Start your day by doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.
How it works:
Get clear on a goal. What do you want to achieve most?
Write it down.
Set a deadline.
Compile a list of things you need to do to achieve your goal.
Organize this list in order of priority. The most important items are probably the most difficult. These are your “frogs.”
Take action. If you have more than one frog on your plate, eat the nastiest one first.
Repeat this cycle every day so that you’re always doing something that will push you toward your goal.
Types of people who will benefit from the Eat That Frog technique:
Abstract thinkers
People with long-term goals
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.
Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Authored by: Vijaya
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Choosing a Time Management Technique That Works for You -- Additionally added
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working student or a parent going back to school, better time management skills are vital to living a balanced life. If you have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, try using Parkinson’s Law or the eat that frog method. If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, try the Pomodoro technique of working more intensely in short intervals.Mastering time management will set you up for success in all areas of your life and will help you avoid test anxiety when finals roll around. At USAHS, we emphasize supporting our students in their personal and professional lives. We help you develop the tools and additional resources you need to succeed in our graduate degree programs.
Posted by: Venturit Super Admin
Disciplinary Content
Posted on: 12 Best API Testing...
JMeter -- Edited
JMeter is an open-source software designed for load testing and application performance measurement. It supports API testing in Java but was originally designed to test web applications.
Features:
This software supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SOAP, REST, and other protocols to perform detailed testing across different application layers.
Command-line mode loads API tests from any OS.
Scripting is supported using Groovy and BeanShell languages to implement complex test logic and workflows in API performance tests.
Continuous integration is supported through third-party open-source libraries to catch API performance issues early.
Caching and replaying of API test results are supported.
Features:
This software supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SOAP, REST, and other protocols to perform detailed testing across different application layers.
Command-line mode loads API tests from any OS.
Scripting is supported using Groovy and BeanShell languages to implement complex test logic and workflows in API performance tests.
Continuous integration is supported through third-party open-source libraries to catch API performance issues early.
Caching and replaying of API test results are supported.
Authored by: Vijaya
Justice and Belonging
Posted on: Educator Development
AI in Qualitative Research: ChatGPT vs. Human Coders
An MSU study examined ChatGPT’s role in qualitative data analysis, comparing AI-augmented and human coding of hotel guest experiences. AI-generated themes aligned with human-coded ones but missed social interactions and safety concerns. A hybrid approach—AI for initial coding with human refinement—balances efficiency and analytical rigor.
An MSU study examined ChatGPT’s role in qualitative data analysis, comparing AI-augmented and human coding of hotel guest experiences. AI-generated themes aligned with human-coded ones but missed social interactions and safety concerns. A hybrid approach—AI for initial coding with human refinement—balances efficiency and analytical rigor.
Posted by: Jhon Carlos
Posted on: 12 Best API Testing...
Assertible
Assertible automated QA tools test and monitor your web services across deployments and environments. These API tools provide assertions to test endpoints and sync tests with API changes.
Features:
Schedule tests to run automatically at specific intervals or continuous integration workflows.
This tool uses dynamic variables to manage and customize API requests, including environment-specific values and response data.
To test interactions, simulate API responses with mock endpoints without depending on live APIs.
Integrates with tools to execute web app tests when pushing code to GitHub or send alerts to Slack if failures happen.
This tool provides test reports.
--- Edited
Assertible automated QA tools test and monitor your web services across deployments and environments. These API tools provide assertions to test endpoints and sync tests with API changes.
Features:
Schedule tests to run automatically at specific intervals or continuous integration workflows.
This tool uses dynamic variables to manage and customize API requests, including environment-specific values and response data.
To test interactions, simulate API responses with mock endpoints without depending on live APIs.
Integrates with tools to execute web app tests when pushing code to GitHub or send alerts to Slack if failures happen.
This tool provides test reports.
--- Edited
Posted by: Scarlet Ethan Edien
Assessing Learning
Posted on: Smoke test group by...
Edited: Natural disasters can have devastating consequences, including:
Loss of life and injury:
Human casualties are a tragic outcome of many natural disasters.
Property damage:
Buildings, infrastructure, and personal belongings can be destroyed or damaged.
Economic disruption:
Disasters can disrupt local economies, causing significant financial losses.
Environmental damage:
Natural disasters can lead to habitat destruction, pollution, and other environmental problems.
Importance of Preparedness:
While natural disasters are inevitable, being prepared can significantly reduce their impact:
Early warning systems: Timely warnings allow communities to evacuate and take necessary precautions.
Building codes and regulations: Stronger infrastructure can better withstand natural hazards.
Community awareness and education: Educating the public about disaster preparedness is crucial.
Emergency response plans: Having well-defined plans for responding to disasters can save lives and minimize damage.
Loss of life and injury:
Human casualties are a tragic outcome of many natural disasters.
Property damage:
Buildings, infrastructure, and personal belongings can be destroyed or damaged.
Economic disruption:
Disasters can disrupt local economies, causing significant financial losses.
Environmental damage:
Natural disasters can lead to habitat destruction, pollution, and other environmental problems.
Importance of Preparedness:
While natural disasters are inevitable, being prepared can significantly reduce their impact:
Early warning systems: Timely warnings allow communities to evacuate and take necessary precautions.
Building codes and regulations: Stronger infrastructure can better withstand natural hazards.
Community awareness and education: Educating the public about disaster preparedness is crucial.
Emergency response plans: Having well-defined plans for responding to disasters can save lives and minimize damage.
Posted by: Scarlet Ethan Edien
Justice and Belonging
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Parent group post by admin:
Direct interaction:
API tests send requests directly to API endpoints and analyze the responses to ensure they meet expected outcomes. This involves checking status codes, response times, and the structure and content of the data returned.
Focus on business logic:
API testing primarily validates the underlying business rules and data flow within an application, independent of the user interface.
Early defect detection:
By testing APIs early in the development lifecycle, issues can be identified and resolved before they become more complex and costly to fix in later stages.
Automation potential:
API tests are highly automatable, allowing for frequent and efficient execution, which is crucial for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
Types of API tests:
This can include functional testing (verifying core functionality), performance testing (measuring response times under load), security testing (identifying vulnerabilities), and integration testing (ensuring seamless communication between APIs and external services).
Direct interaction:
API tests send requests directly to API endpoints and analyze the responses to ensure they meet expected outcomes. This involves checking status codes, response times, and the structure and content of the data returned.
Focus on business logic:
API testing primarily validates the underlying business rules and data flow within an application, independent of the user interface.
Early defect detection:
By testing APIs early in the development lifecycle, issues can be identified and resolved before they become more complex and costly to fix in later stages.
Automation potential:
API tests are highly automatable, allowing for frequent and efficient execution, which is crucial for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
Types of API tests:
This can include functional testing (verifying core functionality), performance testing (measuring response times under load), security testing (identifying vulnerabilities), and integration testing (ensuring seamless communication between APIs and external services).
Posted by: Admin
Assessing Learning
Posted on: Smoke test group
A healthy diet chart typically includes a variety of foods from different food groups, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It also focuses on portion control and mindful eating. A sample 7-day diet chart could include options like oatmeal with berries and nuts for breakfast, grilled chicken salad for lunch, and salmon with sweet potatoes for dinner.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of what a healthy diet chart might look like, including examples of meals:
Key Components of a Healthy Diet:
Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for a variety of colors and types. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
Whole Grains: Choose brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole-wheat bread, and other whole grains over refined grains.
Lean Proteins: Include sources like chicken, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, and low-fat dairy products.
Healthy Fats: Opt for sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water, and limit sugary drinks.
Limit Processed Foods, Sugary Drinks, and Saturated Fats: These can contribute to health problems.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of what a healthy diet chart might look like, including examples of meals:
Key Components of a Healthy Diet:
Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for a variety of colors and types. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
Whole Grains: Choose brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole-wheat bread, and other whole grains over refined grains.
Lean Proteins: Include sources like chicken, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, and low-fat dairy products.
Healthy Fats: Opt for sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water, and limit sugary drinks.
Limit Processed Foods, Sugary Drinks, and Saturated Fats: These can contribute to health problems.
Posted by: Swara mhetre
Justice and Belonging
Host: MSU Libraries
Learn QGIS: Making a color shaded map in QGIS (Online)
Learn the basics of QGIS, the free open-source geospatial software—this workshop will demonstrate how to make a choropleth (color shaded) map and place graduated symbols representing data on it, load shape-files and .csv table files into QGIS, join data to spatial information and edit features. No experience with QGIS or Geographic Information Systems is required.
Navigating Context