Tech Tools for Time Management in the Office
Technology continues to advance, saving us time and making life easier in terms of communication, information, and so much more. This is never more true than at work. There are thousands of tech tools and apps that have been created to help optimize your time and keep you focused in the office. Finding the tech tools that work for you is high on my list of time management tips! Here are this Professional Organizer in NYC ’s favorites…
Toggl. The key to effective time management is to understand exactly how much time you are spending on specific tasks so that you are able to adjust and change as needed. Knowing how much time you spend on each work project, on each client, and even on non-work tasks is important. Toggl is an easy to use tool that lets you quickly hit a timer and track the time that you are spending on each task. You can label each time entry to easily keep track of each timeframe and its related task, and you can also see the results in graph form. This is a great way to see the big picture of how you are spending most of your time, of which tasks you should delegate, and the amount of time to block for specific tasks.
RescueTime. Here’s a favorite of this Professional Organizer in NYC! This program will run on your computer while you are working and tracks how much time is spent on different activities and websites. For example, you’ll be able to see exactly how much time you are spending on Facebook each day! You’ll also see how much time is spent on work tasks like checking email or creating a PowerPoint presentation. A plus to this app is the ability to block websites for specific time periods so that you can focus. If you find you are spending too much time on social media, you can block those sites for a few hours every morning so you won’t be able to check them.
Mind42. If you find yourself staring at a blank Word document and struggling to get your ideas out, try this app. Mind mapping helps increase productivity, allowing you to get more organized by focusing your thoughts. When you are able to put your ideas into something that makes sense, not only will you get clarity, but you will also save time by having a focused goal.
Pocket. It’s very easy to get distracted while on the internet. What was supposed to be a quick read of a local news article can turn into hours of browsing. Instead, try this app! All you do is click a button on your phone or device, and articles are automatically saved to a list that you can access at a later time. You can collect plenty of articles that can be read while waiting for a meeting to start or on your train commute home.
As always, some of these tools are free and some are available on only specific devices. The key to making these tech tools work for you is testing them out and finding which ones are a good fit for you! Using these tools to track your time usage will help you increase your productivity. When you know where your time is going, you’ll be able to shift and change your work habits. Want some more time management tips? Download my free Time Management Tip Sheet!