Take time to save time? It may sound counter-productive at first, but it actually promises success in practice. Good team time management requires one thing first: time. However, the benefits it brings outweigh the initial time investment: This includes

• more efficiency
• higher team productivity
• less stress and better work-life balance
• better results and
• a more professional external image.

Sounds good? Then read the following 5 time management tips and learn how to best support your team with different time management strategies.

TIP 1

Set clear goals and priorities

It’s simply not possible to do everything at once. Therefore, it is necessary almost everywhere to sort tasks and projects by priority. This way, everyone in the team knows what to do first.

Break down projects and tasks into smaller intervals (such as months or weeks) and set goals for the chosen time frames. This way, you’ll also have deadlines that the team can use as a reference.

Also, make sure that even with every small task, the connection to the bigger picture is clear. If in doubt, it is worth asking. Because if everyone knows how their work contributes to the overall success of the team and, in turn, the company, they are:

• more motivated,
• think holistically and
• ultimately have more success.

TIP 2

Create and maintain a schedule for your team

Make time management tangible in your team. A schedule for the entire team may seem like a lot of work at first, but in the long run it can save time and discussions. Because if the team sits down and agrees on what needs to be done by whom by when, they can then focus fully on their tasks and goals.

At the same time, everyone knows what’s going on with each other and can take each other’s workload into account more specifically. Based on your plan, it is always clear who to turn to for information – all factors that have a big time-saving potential.

When creating your shared roadmap, pay attention to …

… stability and flexibility: Avoid too detailed as well as too incomplete planning. Stay flexible and make changes if necessary.

… time for the unexpected: Often smaller and larger tasks arise unexpectedly. Plan room for that. In practice, this means: Never make a plan for all hours of the day or month.

… the available time of each individual: If someone has many client appointments, they may not be able to take on as many project tasks in the background as their colleagues who don’t work with the client. How much time do your colleagues have outside of all their meetings and appointments?

TIP 3

Communicate clearly and regularly

The success of the team’s work depends on communication and cooperation – especially from the leader. Only when everyone knows who is working on what and how it contributes to the common goal, can the team use its strengths to achieve its goals.

The foundation for effective communication is five basic values:

1. Respect,
2. Openness,
3. Trust,
4. Reliability and
5. Empathy.

Always keep these values in mind and ensure that they are lived by in the team. Only then can the team work together smoothly.

In addition to these values, there are some other factors for successful team communication, such as:

Plan together
Discuss goal setting with your team. Plan as many steps together as possible.

Provide comprehensive information
Ensure that all members of your team have the information they need to do their jobs well. If in doubt, ask specifically and take the time for detailed project briefings.

Distribute fairly
Task allocation may primarily lie with you as the leader, but should still be discussed with your team. Make sure that the allocation is fair in any case and communicate it clearly to the entire team.

Listen actively
Listen not to respond or say something on a topic, but listen to learn what the other person has to say. This sounds easier than it is. It is best to repeat what was said in your own words to make sure you understood everything correctly. Ask if in doubt.

Communicate clearly and transparently
Concentrate on the essentials in your communication – whether written or oral – and phrase things concretely and precisely. Exchange information regularly, for example weekly, on the most important points: What tasks have been completed? What’s up this week? What important decisions or appointments are ahead of us?

Share feedback
Not only leaders should give and ask for feedback regularly, your team can also motivate each other with feedback and encourage top performance. Encourage your team to do so, but make sure that the feedback remains constructive.

TIP 4

Avoid distractions

Distractions are everywhere. Whether it’s personal phones that vibrate, notifications from various communication channels that pop up on the screen, or simply chaos scattered across the entire desk – there are many things that can distract us in our daily lives.

Pay attention to which time wasters consume the most resources in your team and discuss with the team which distractions can be reduced. While parents might not want to completely mute their phones – it could be that the child care calls – most people will benefit from the simple tip to deactivate pop-up notifications.

TIP 5

Measure and improve efficiency

With your team’s defined time management plan, you can easily measure the efficiency of your team without much effort. Pay attention to deadlines: If a team member frequently postpones them, discuss potential reasons. The quality of work is also a reference you can keep track of and discuss. However, it is not just about criticism but also praise. Celebrate together the individual and team goals achieved and raise a glass to some of the milestones you’ve reached.

The efficiency and productivity of your team can be increased not only by reducing time-wasters. Make sure the goals you set are realistic for everyone. Goals should not be too easy or too difficult to achieve.

Conclusion

Less stress, more efficiency, productivity, work-life balance, and professionalism – these are the fruits of effective time management at work. While each individual has a responsibility for managing their time in their job, every leader should also manage their team’s time as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes good planning, shared goals, and a big portion of good communication. And time – that pays off!