How can you help team members improve their time management skills?

1 Set clear and realistic goals

One of the first steps to improve time management is to define what you want to achieve and how you will measure your progress. Setting clear and realistic goals helps your team focus on the most important tasks, prioritize their workload, and avoid distractions. You can use the SMART framework to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of saying "Improve the performance of the algorithm", you can say "Reduce the runtime of the algorithm by 10% within two weeks".

2 Break down large tasks into smaller ones

Another way to improve time management is to break down large and complex tasks into smaller and more manageable ones. This helps your team avoid feeling overwhelmed, procrastinating, or losing track of the details. You can use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to divide a project into phases, deliverables, and activities. For example, you can break down the task of developing a web app into designing the user interface, coding the backend, testing the functionality, and deploying the app.

3 Create and follow a schedule

Once you have defined your goals and tasks, you need to create and follow a schedule that allocates time for each activity. Creating and following a schedule helps your team plan ahead, stay on track, and meet deadlines. You can use a calendar, a spreadsheet, or a project management tool to create and update your schedule. For example, you can use Google Calendar to create events, reminders, and notifications for your tasks.

4 Delegate and collaborate

Another tip to improve time management is to delegate and collaborate with your team members. Delegating and collaborating helps your team leverage their strengths, share their expertise, and reduce their workload. You can use a RACI matrix to assign roles and responsibilities for each task. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. For example, you can assign one person as responsible for coding a feature, another person as accountable for reviewing the code, and others as consulted or informed about the progress.

5 Avoid multitasking and distractions

One of the common pitfalls of time management is multitasking and distractions. Multitasking and distractions can reduce your team's productivity, quality, and efficiency. You can avoid multitasking and distractions by focusing on one task at a time, setting boundaries, and minimizing interruptions. For example, you can use the Pomodoro technique to work in short bursts of 25 minutes followed by 5-minute breaks. You can also turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and communicate your availability to your team.

6 Review and improve

The final tip to improve time management is to review and improve your performance. Reviewing and improving helps your team learn from their mistakes, celebrate their achievements, and identify areas for improvement. You can use a feedback loop to collect and analyze data, implement changes, and measure the results. For example, you can use a survey, a meeting, or a report to gather feedback from your team, clients, or stakeholders. You can also use a dashboard, a chart, or a metric to track your outcomes and goals.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?