Is 24 hours enough time to carry out all your pending tasks? Many techies think 24 hours isn't enough and so they end up skipping deadlines or working round the clock.
Could it be that they are usually assigned tasks that are beyond deadlines or most techies simply cannot manage their time properly?
Time management is an important skill every techie must cultivate to sustain their tech career. How can you effectively manage your time?
Let's consider the tips below:
According to Techtarget.com, Time management is the coordination of tasks and activities to maximize the effectiveness of an individual's efforts. Essentially, the purpose of time management is to enable people to get more and better work done in less time.
To effectively manage time, here are tips you can implement immediately
You can set up a calendar or an alarm to start and finish a specific task to avoid wasting time or missing deadlines. You can also draw a table and outline the task using various rolls and columns to signify the dates received, the expected deadline, and the state of the task. Ask yourself, at what point or date should this task be pending, in progress, or done? When you can give answers to such questions, it will help you set a schedule and stick to it.
As a Techie, you should not start your daily activities without checking your task tracker. You can use tools such as Trello, Asana, Notion, and Calendly to set up a schedule so as to boost your productivity and increase your chances of beating deadlines.
In your schedule, understand tasks that are priorities for your client and work accordingly. Do not waste time doing tasks that aren't needed at the moment unless you have so much time to spare.
If possible, star or highlight tasks according to priorities in your schedule so as to know what exactly you should be doing at a particular time and tasks for later attention. Pay attention to tasks with closer deadlines and ensure that you deliver on time instead of struggling to complete so many at a time even when they aren't needed immediately. Discipline yourself to stick to priorities, and you will see how your time management skills will improve as a techy.
One wrong time management practice most techies do is to take up jobs that they can't deliver according to deadlines. We know the money is attractive but please, do not take up roles you can't deliver according to the time available. When assigned a task, you should check your schedule before accepting such an offer. One error of not submitting tasks on time can spoil your good reputation in tech.
Most clients value techies who are swift with carrying out tasks, and they are always willing to retain you for future jobs or even refer you to other clients since they know you can manage their time and yours and ensure flawless delivery.
If unforeseen situations arise and you can't deliver a task according to the deadline, communicate clearly to your client beforehand. In Tekbuddy, one valuable soft skill every techie is encouraged to possess is great communication skills. When you are aware of your schedule and that you are likely not to meet the set deadline for delivery, you should contact your client or team lead so as to give a heads-up.
Most clients will value your approach when you communicate clearly; they may even seek ways to help you work and deliver your tasks instead. When situations beyond your control appear, do not ghost your client or waste their time; rather, let them know if to hire someone else or to extend the deadline. Doing so will save your reputation and still give the client opportunities to decide.
As a techie especially if you work from home, build a good relationship with your client so that you can communicate well with them
It's possible to stick to deadlines even in the busy world of tech, you only need to implement the tips above. One good thing is you can take advantage of productivity software, as we have mentioned above, to boost your productivity.
Aside from time management, there are other things a techie should do to sustain their tech career; we help our community lay hands on these tips and utilize them.
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