Time management is one of the most important things for anyone seeking to increase their productivity and make the most of their day. If this is important individually, for managers it is a crucial aspect for the success of a business. When it comes to time management on the internet, this concern is even greater.
Since it's virtually impossible to find a business today that doesn't need the internet, staying connected during work hours has become essential. However, while the internet is a rich environment of content and information, it's also a place where distractions spread like wildfire. Therefore, it's necessary to find ways to be more productive and avoid wasting time during the workday.
Basically, time management consists of a methodology that helps prioritize important activities within the shortest possible time. For example: fitting a certain number of tasks into an 8-hour workday, or managing to study all college subjects within the available time on the weekend, without leaving anything undone.
We can apply time management methods to all aspects of our lives, adding more organization and quality of life, regardless of what the tasks are.
How to manage time?
First and foremost, it's necessary to create a complete map of all tasks and obligations that must be fulfilled, along with the time available for completing everything properly. Furthermore, it's important to determine how much time is needed for each task to be completed correctly and what the priorities are, in order to better organize the employees' routines.
To help you, we've compiled some online time management tips from your company that can optimize your daily routine and significantly increase your productivity. See below:
1. Planning
Unless the employee is new to the job, they likely already have a basic understanding of the daily tasks and the approximate time each takes to complete. Based on this information, it's important to establish a rough plan for how their day will be structured and which tasks are considered important and prioritized.
Of course, this plan isn't a hard and fast rule and won't be definitive on the first try. It's important to test it in different ways and implement changes as needed. Ideally, you should find a routine that works organically for everyone and brings benefits, especially in terms of productivity.
2. Consider the distractions.
It's no surprise that the internet is full of various distractions, and it's important to avoid them in daily life. However, if checking personal email or social media is very important for the team, it's a good idea to educate them so that this type of non-work-related access is done during lunch breaks, for example. This way, everyone can relax a little without impacting their workday.
3. Value the sequence
Similar tasks are completed faster when performed sequentially. When creating a plan for your team, try to schedule similar activities sequentially. If the brain is already working in one direction, there's no reason to interrupt that flow. Starting a new task involves a significant change, so maintaining continuity helps to produce even more.
For example: if the employee is already working on a task that uses certain tools, organize other tasks that use the same resources to be carried out immediately afterward.
4. Set priorities.
Within a routine, only those directly involved in it know what is most important. Therefore, it is advisable to suggest an organizational system that allows priority activities to be carried out as soon as possible, avoiding disrupting the routine and wasting your time on less important tasks.
5. Stay focused
The temptations of the internet are many, and they are the biggest villains for those seeking greater productivity during the workday. Even though it's a constant challenge, avoiding these distractions is essential for maintaining a more productive and efficient routine. If employees have difficulty avoiding these pitfalls (social networks, entertainment websites, e-commerce, personal email, etc.), there are some tools and methodologies that can help, such as:
- Pomodoro Technique;
- Kanban Method;
- GTD Method;
- 5W2H;
- SMART technique;
- Between others.
With a simple internet search, you can find a wealth of material on these tools and methodologies, which you can then apply to your daily routine.
6. Determine realistic deadlines.
The lack of deadlines is one of the biggest causes of procrastination in the workplace. Since there's no deadline for delivery or completion, a task can take longer than necessary to finish. For this reason, even if a task doesn't have a pre-established deadline, set a deadline for it to be completed within your plan.
7. Learn how to centralize information.
Rework, besides being extremely tiring, represents one of the biggest time drains in our daily routine. To avoid this problem, try to concentrate all the relevant information for a task, so that it can be executed with quality and speed.
Tools for managing company time online.
The internet offers numerous conveniences, but on the other hand, it's an environment that can significantly harm worker productivity . For this reason, having a tool to block internet access can bring numerous advantages.
The lack of more assertive access control contributes to the indiscriminate use of this tool, especially on entertainment websites, e-commerce sites, social networks , personal emails, and others. Access blocking tools help prevent decreased productivity and, more importantly, security problems.
This is because many websites and pages contain malicious links, whose purpose is to create vulnerabilities that facilitate intrusions, data theft, and access to company systems . In addition to offering excellent cost-effectiveness, website blocking tools are valuable allies for business productivity. This is because, through them, employees can maintain focus on their activities and avoid the temptations of the internet, which are veritable black holes of productive time.
The importance of time management on the internet.
As we have seen, although it is a resource that has immensely transformed the way we perform countless tasks, the internet is also an environment full of distractions for those seeking to deliver more productivity within their daily routine.
These distractions consume a lot of time during the workday, ultimately harming worker productivity and business profitability . Tasks pile up, and the time available to meet demand becomes very short. The result is a series of negative repercussions for the company, starting with delays in less urgent tasks, but ultimately damaging the company's image in the market.
In a scenario where agility is the rule of the day , ensuring that more is done in less time is essential. Therefore, time management is a priority for those seeking to deliver increasingly better results. By performing tasks with greater efficiency and intelligence, it's possible to improve not only business results but also contribute to a better quality of life for employees.
In our previous article, we presented some indicators to more effectively track the productivity of online workers. Click here to check out that material.
By using the right resources, doing more in less time ceases to be a utopia and becomes a reality. Managing time on the company's internet should be part of its processes and priorities.
