Do you know anyone who wants to manage his or her time effectively? There are not many people like that. And what is even worse, there are many misconceptions about what time management involves and how to improve it. That was the topis of a recent article by Amy Gallo, popular author of management tips on the Harvard Business Review website. She pointed to the four most common myths about time management.
1. It is about managing time
In fact, time management is much more about productivity than about time. Even if we pay close attention to how we manage our time, it does not mean we will be more productive. First of all, we should learn how to manage the overall volume of our work. Most managers take on too much and then even the best technique of time management can't help them. Start saying "no" more often.
2. You need to find a suitable system for you
Having your own system is great. This does, however, not mean that you should stop looking for new opportunities and testing other systems. On the contrary, try as many new systems as possible and look for what works best in specific situations. Keeping to one system is not productive.
3. It requires a lot of time
Managers often do not change their unproductive habits because they think that they do not have enough time to do it. They imagine that it would take all day or even several days to adopt a new time management system. That is not true. You only need to move in small steps. You can start with finding a little time to think without being distracted every day.
4. It is up to you
For the most part, it really depends on how productive you can be. There is always pressure on you to complete certain tasks early and there might really not be space for quiet reflection. This can be caused by obstacles beyond your control such as unclear strategies and processes. Then it's up to you to ask why things are not done more productively.
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