An honest guide to time management: why it’s hard and how to improve!

Introduction

Time management is often a huge obstacle preventing us from embarking on new projects, aiming for promotion, changing careers or reconciling our professional and personal lives. And yet, despite its importance, few of us really focus on it. Why is this? Because good time management is a complex challenge that goes far beyond simple organization.

In this article, we explore why time management can be difficult, and how tools like Teambook can help you better structure your projects and teams.

What is time management?

Time management is about organizing and allocating time effectively to accomplish tasks, activities and responsibilities without stress or overload. It’s an essential skill for service professionals, where tight deadlines and changing priorities are commonplace.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no one-size-fits-all method. Every team and every individual has his or her own challenges. Our objective? Find solutions adapted to your context, combining technological tools and organizational best practices.

Signs that you have trouble managing your time

1. You often miss deadlines An obvious sign, especially in B2B environments where delays can impact customer satisfaction. With Teambook, you can view your team’s workload in real time and adjust priorities before it’s too late.

2. Feeling overwhelmed If your to-do list seems endless, it may be that you’re not prioritizing them effectively. There’s a tool you can use to classify projects by urgency and importance, and quickly identify bottlenecks.

3. Multitasking is your daily routine Constantly switching from one task to another reduces your productivity. A tool like Teambook helps you plan blocks of time dedicated to specific activities, thus limiting interruptions.

4. You’re working non-stop, with no concrete results Working more doesn’t mean working better. Teambook lets you track the time spent on each project and identify tasks that consume too many resources without adding value.

Why is time management so difficult?

1. Prioritizing is a headache Without visibility of strategic objectives, it’s hard to know what to do first.

2. You find it hard to say no Accepting too many external requests can interfere with your own priorities.

3. Lack of task clarity Unclear or ill-defined objectives make planning difficult.

4. You underestimate the time needed “Time blindness” is common, especially in service professions. Teambook integrates time-tracking tools to help you better estimate the duration of tasks.

5. You’re a perfectionist Striving for excellence is laudable, but it can delay delivery…

6. You procrastinate Putting off difficult tasks is human. Teambook lets you break them down into smaller, less daunting steps.

7. You’re easily distracted Interruptions are the bane of productivity. A tool like Teambook helps you block off time for in-depth work, by synchronizing agendas and limiting solicitations.

Good time management practices

1. Time blocking Reserve time slots for specific types of task (meetings, concentrated work, etc.).

2. The Pomodoro method Alternate between periods of intensive work (25 min) and short breaks (5 min).

3. Visual prioritization Use Teambook dashboards to classify tasks by priority and impact, and adjust them in real time.

4. Time tracking Analyze where your time goes with Teambook reports, and identify opportunities for optimization.

Professional tips for better time management

1. Visualize your day as a puzzle “Each task is a piece to be placed in a precise slot. Teambook helps me structure my week and protect my concentration time.” – Liz Conrad, founder of Groovey.

2. Automate repetitive tasks “With Teambook, we’ve reduced the time spent on planning and reporting by 30%, enabling us to concentrate on what’s essential.” – Mario Troop, CEO of Sofotek.

3. Identify your hours of maximum productivity “Teambook helped me discover that I’m 40% more efficient in the morning. I’ve reorganized my schedule accordingly.” – Amaric Groult, CEO of Travil.com.

Conclusion

Improving time management is an ongoing process, which requires greater self-awareness and the adoption of appropriate tools. Teambook is designed to support professional services teams in this process, offering visibility, flexibility and collaboration.

For managers and teams, the challenge is twofold: to deliver quality projects while preserving the work-life balance. With good practices and a tool like Teambook, this goal is within reach.