Time management 101

Andrew Macfarlane

According to Kemp, organisations lose a huge amount of money each year due to poor time management, which could easily be averted by making it compulsory for employees to complete a short time management course during their induction process.

A quick and effective way to accomplish this is through e-learning, which is an extremely cost-effective, flexible and accessible learning medium. The main aim of this form of learning, which is delivered via specially designed apps, is to increase productivity by making learning available anytime and anywhere. This also allows learners to absorb information more effectively and to study at their own pace.

"The always-available nature of e-learning empowers employees to take their own initiative," said Kirsty Chadwick, CEO of The Training Room Online, "and to plan learning activities according to their personal goals and needs. Training your employees is an investment in your business and the benefits include increased performance and productivity."

Apps to assist

With the technology that we have at our disposal today, it's fairly easy to find apps that can assist employees in maintaining their newly acquired time management skills.

Let's have a look at a few of them:
• Rescue time: Rescue Time is an automatic time tracker that helps you to determine where your time went by tracking individual tasks (when you switch screens) and generating a report at the end of each day. This awesome app can be downloaded for PC and mobile phone;

• Focus booster: This app is the digital version of the pomodoro technique, meaning that it helps you to focus for an allocated amount of time (usually 20 minutes to half an hour) before allowing you a break (normally five minutes). It works with a digital timer on your desktop - while the timer is running you are not allowed to focus on anything but the task at hand and once the alarm goes off, you need to take a break; and

• Focus@Will: Whether you use it on your mobile phone, tablet, PC, or all three, this app allows you to listen to music that is scientifically optimised to increase your concentration levels. The music intensity can also be adjusted to suit your mood and a built-in tracker records your productivity, so that you can find out what helps you to be more productive. The great thing about this app is that they offer a free 30-day trial (no credit card details needed) - so you can try before you buy.

A crucial part of time management is prioritising, and that also means learning to understand the difference between things that are important and things that are urgent. Time management skills are essential in all aspects of life and, with commitment, training and a good app to assist them thereafter, your employees will be able to accomplish more in shorter periods of time. This, in turn, will reduce their stress levels and make them happier and more successful in the long run.