“Time management” is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not harder – so that you get more done in less time.

Here are ten tips to effectively manage your time and improve your organizational skills in order to increase productivity.

The more of these tools you learn to use, the more that you will get done each day.

1- Set clear vision/goals 

Setting yourself a clear goal and vision becomes a powerful tool for success. Being able to imagine yourself achieving and enjoying success is a matter of choice. Give it a try.

2- Learn to say “No”

It’s not something easy, however learning to say “no” can become your best kept secret for managing your time. With so many things pulling you in different directions, it’s time to take control and choose how you use your limited available time.

3- Task by task

The old thought that multi-tasking will help you get more done in less time just doesn’t work. To be most efficient with your time, you need to approach your day with a task-by-task methodology.

4- Minimize social media time

Do yourself a favor and limit your social media activities. You’ll gain back time you never knew you had.

5- Set your priorities

You might not get everything done, even with a to-do list. However, you can complete the most important things by prioritizing each task. Keep in mind that important and urgent are not necessarily the same things.

6- Schedule your time

Allocate blocks of time into your calendar for you to focus and get some really valuable work achieved. Don’t let others cram your day with their requirements. Schedule time for yourself and make productive hours in your day.

7-Waiting time is not always wasted time

If you find yourself waiting in a queue or commuting daily to and from work, consider using those moments to make notes, refresh your mind and capture some creative ideas. Arming yourself with paper and a pen or a smartphone will ensure you never miss a beat.

8-Being healthy matters

If your energy is suffering, you’ll never be able to work as productively as possible and your management of time will be impacted. Research shows that one of the keys to high performance is taking regular breaks, particularly lunch, and ensure you step away from the computer to re-charge.

9-Set yourself clear expectations

Sometimes we set the bar too high and find that the expectations we have on ourselves are unrealistic. When you are given a project or task to complete, make sure you understand it in full, take the time to make your plan and never forget to be realistic.

10-Don’t be afraid to delegate

Delegating is not a term to shy away from. If someone else can achieve something faster and more efficiently and they are able to take it on, delegate. The existence of virtual assistants is living proof that outsourcing tasks to others allows you to channel your skills and time towards activities of greater value.