As a human being, time is the most precious resource. And, as a leader juggling different priorities, time management is key. In this role, you must also maximize the time of your staff in dynamic conditions that include temporary workers. A to-do list simply isn't going to cut it.
Surprisingly, an Acuity Training survey revealed that 82% of people don’t have a time-management system and simply use a list or their inbox.
With this in mind, it's no wonder that professionals waste 91 minutes daily on tasks and meetings that aren’t important to their role.
Between tight deadlines, ever-evolving priorities and unexpected challenges, strong time-management skills can be the difference between success and failure.
The benefits of time management include reduced stress, increased productivity and higher performance, especially in the context of managing temporary staffers.
Need a dose of motivation to put together an improved team schedule or create blocks in your calendar? Time-management quotes from notable thinkers can help.
The 70 time-management quotes below are selected to inspire you to transform how you approach your day and maximize your personal and professional success.
Some quotes are so powerful that you’ll want to revisit them over and over. From valuing yourself to creating your future, the following words are principles to live by regardless of your role or industry.
Let’s face it: There are days when looking at your calendar is enough to fill you with feelings of overwhelm. On these days, you'll find yourself wishing for just one more hour in the day.
The quotes below are exactly for those moments.
Are you scheduling your time or merely reacting to events as they happen, such as when a temporary staffer is not showing up?
While you can’t predict what happens in the uncertain, fast-paced business world, a little advanced thinking can go a long way. These quotes will remind you of this crucial tip.
Time management isn’t necessarily about how much free time you have. Instead, we can think of time management as an effort to make the most of every hour.
Successful people understand this all too well, as demonstrated in the time-management quotes below.
Sometimes you need to pivot fast. Other times, it’s tempting to make changes that are just distractions in disguise. Managing distractions is an important time-management principle that can help you discern when to do what – and when to stay the course.
Should you pursue that shiny new strategy you heard a coworker talking about even though yours just delivered outstanding results? Is Q4 truly the right time to revamp your entire onboarding process?
When faced with questions like these, let the following quotes guide you.
Time is only half the battle if motivation is nowhere to be found. People like Napoleon Hill and Steve Jobs knew this all too well.
These time-management quotes on staying motivated will provide you with that extra pep in your step on days when a huge latte won't do the trick.
You know what they say: We all have the same 24 hours in a day.
Truth be told, this concept can be problematic when it’s used to ignore differences in status and privilege. But it’s still worth keeping in mind in the context of workplace productivity.
The quotes below will have you rethinking how you manage time.
Did you know that multitasking causes productivity to drop by 40%, according to the American Psychological Association (APA)?
No matter how good you think you are at multitasking, the quotes below will make you think twice the next time you’re tempted to keep all those tabs open in your browser.
Leadership experts and productivity gurus often emphasize the importance of working smart. But they don’t all speak to the importance of mindfulness and presence.
Being deeply anchored in the present moment, whether at work or at home, is the first step to making the most of your time.
Sometimes you just need to laugh at your tendency to procrastinate and rationalize it by saying that you “perform best under pressure.”
You know what they say: Time flies when you're having fun. So, work on your time-management skills but don't forget to enjoy yourself while doing it.
Now that you are motivated to take your time-management tactics to the next level, here are a few more tips to turn your newfound insights into concrete actions.
Having a plan is a pillar of effective time management.
According to Brian Tracy, author of "Eat the Frog", 10-12 minutes invested in planning your day will save at least two hours of wasted time and effort. Let's get more specific about how you can create a plan that makes the most of your busy life.
Without a plan, it’s too easy to lose track of important priorities or waste time on details that don’t get you closer to your goals.
Set objectives on a regular basis and revisit them to make sure they are still relevant.
The most important goals should be tied to a bigger picture. Then, make sure your weeks and days are aligned with your high-level goals.
Leave room for the unexpected – strong plans shouldn’t be too rigid and should include some flexibility to help you remain adaptable.
Having a roadmap of what you and your team need to accomplish will foster a sense of clarity and control – and reduce stress for everyone involved.
If you oversee temporary workers, planning is that much more critical. Since these employees are not with you long-term, maximizing every work day and aligning their efforts with organizational objectives is key.
Setting priorities helps with time management because it helps you stick to your plan. Not every task holds equal weight, and far too many people try to accomplish everything at once, which can be ineffective and lead to burnout.
Getting your priorities in order allows you to save time later. The idea is to focus on what matters the most and do high-impact tasks first.
With strong priorities, you may even find that you ditch some tasks altogether – prioritization tends to eliminate busy work and wasted time.
As a leader, a crucial part of your job is communicating priorities and helping team members stay aligned and aware of the most important deliverables.
People will work more efficiently and deliver improved work since they won’t be stretched thin. And, as you expand your time-management skills, you’ll be able to stay focused and help your team avoid distractions as well, which is one of the most common reasons for lost productivity.
Procrastination is another time-management pitfall to look out for. Putting off tasks until later may seem innocuous enough, but it can seriously affect productivity while reducing the quality of work.
Here are some tactics to help you use time as wisely as possible.
Addressing and overcoming procrastination on a personal level can set a good example for your team and help people focus effectively.
By giving your team deadlines and breaking down tasks into smaller chunks within certain timelines, you’ll also encourage team members to have self-discipline and meet their goals without procrastinating.
Identifying time-wasters regularly will make you a time-management master. These could be personal habits, inefficient workflows, or not putting the right people in the right roles.
Get to know your team! When hiring temporary workers, take the time to find out more about them even if it may seem less pressing – it can help you maximize their strengths and integrate them into existing projects more effectively.
Not to mention the fact that being in tune with your people will always strengthen engagement and improve workplace culture.
When everyone is on the same page and motivated to do their best, it's that much easier to nail things down on the time-management front.
Building smooth workflows is one of the best ways to avoid wasted time and boost productivity. Spending time auditing processes and figuring out what needs to be improved is worth it.
These days, you’re lucky enough to have plenty of time-management tools at your disposal. The right tools, such as staff scheduling software, can save you hours in planning, scheduling and executing.
Look for opportunities to automate tasks. For example, you can send automatic shift reminders to reduce the risk of no-shows and late arrivals. You can even use AI to help reduce bias in your hiring process.
A platform like Workstaff can help you gain back time. It allows you to manage your workforce faster, especially teams composed of flexible and contingent staff.
Don’t forget that time-management is a continuous effort. Keep the quotes and principles above in mind as you refine your time-management skills and you’ll be basking in the satisfaction of increased performance in no time.