Do you find yourself working overtime almost every day? Does your partner complain that you are not spending enough time with him or her? Do you bring your work home over the weekend? Let us help you manage your time more effectively so you can work smart, be productive and spend more quality time with your family and friends!

1. Use a calendar to keep track of things

Instead of trying to remember what you have to do, write down your tasks in a calendar so you can get a better picture and keep track of your progress. Be realistic when you set your tasks – make sure that you are confident enough to finish them by the end of the work day.

2. Distractions are not your friends

How often do you check your Facebook or Instagram? More often than not, we are distracted by entertaining social media posts, group chat messages, and mini videos. Try putting your phone away from your work desk so you can concentrate on getting the job done quickly and effectively.

3. Do not multitask

When you try to do multiple projects at once, you may end up not getting anything done at all. Research have shown multi-tasking actually decreases productivity. Focus on one task at a time, and tackle the next one as it comes.

4. Save your files

Have you ever erased your files by accident, or have your computer crashed while you were working on it? These incidents are detrimental, and may result in you having to do the task all over again. Backup your files and save them regularly to avoid reworking your important documents from scratch.

5. Say ‘no’ whenever necessary

Knowing when to say ‘no’ can be massively helpful in your time management. If the task is not important or of top priority, then it is perfectly fine to reject or revisit at a later time. Focus on what’s important and don’t get sidetracked.

6. Have a face-to-face conversation

Emails and online communications may not be the best way to get your point across, and it may even lead to miscommunications. Try having face-to-face conversations with your colleagues. Through face-to-face discussions, you get to learn more about your co-workers’ working styles and this may help speed up the work process.

7. Run effective meetings

Keep your business meetings brief. Better yet, prepare the meeting agenda beforehand. Set a goal at the beginning of the meeting so you and your team have the same objective in mind and be on track. It is not easy at first but people will get used to it after a couple of times.

8. Delegate if you can

Don’t hoard work, try to delegate some to your colleagues or subordinates. This will help lighten your workload and save you some time. When you delegate, try not to micro-manage, otherwise it becomes counterproductive. Have trust in your colleagues.

9. Block your calendar

Set up a google calendar and block your time to let the others know that you do not wish to be disturbed. In this way, they will work around your schedule, which allows you to be more productive and efficient. Try to be reasonable when doing so, and leave some free slots for discussions and consultations.

10. Drink tea or coffee

You naturally slow down when you are tired. Enjoy a tumbler of hot tea or coffee to make sure that you are refreshed and stay attentive. It’s a good thing that Thermos® carafes are designed to keep your drinks hot/cold for hours so you can have a constant supply of hot coffee whenever you like.