We've all heard that old saying, “time is money.” When it comes to time spent at work, it couldn't be more true. Managing your time at the office as efficiently as possible makes a big difference in your effectiveness—and your bottom line. Here, we'll go over a few tips on how to streamline your time management at work.



Organize your desk. If you can barely see the surface of your desk for all the paper, you need to reorganize. Many people with messy desks will insist that they “know where everything is”—but this is in fact rarely true, especially if it's documentation for a project that's been on the back burner for a while. Over time, you'll waste hours just looking for things that should be easy to locate.

To get back in shape, set aside an hour to a day—or even more, depending on how chaotic your desk is—to sorting, filing, and organizing your office. You'll need a filing system that works for you. Put everything within easy reach—you should never have to spend more than thirty seconds locating a single piece of paper. Even though you may feel like you don't have the time to pay attention to organization, this investment of time will pay you back over the long run.

Delegate when you can. High-achieving business owners and managers often hate to delegate, because they feel out of control when they're not doing everything themselves. However, strong and effective leaders know the strengths of their employees—and how to rely on those strengths to best advantage. If you feel overloaded in your tasks, delegate to trusted employees when you can. Choose someone who's eager to prove herself, but who also isn't too inexperienced to do a good job—and when you can, choose employees who have talents to match the task.

Schedule e-mail time. Constantly checking email is just another way of procrastinating on other things. Turn off the automatic notification feature on your email—it kills concentration—and only check your email two or three times per day. That way, you won't feel like e-mail is taking up all your time at work.

Get rid of your paper in-box. If a document crosses your desk that you have to take care of, handle it now—don't set it in a “to-do” pile. We all tend to procrastinate with paperwork—but the more quickly you get it done, the less you'll feel like it's controlling your life. Don't let paperwork sit on your desk for more than a day if you can possibly help it.

Make sure you have the right software. If your business management involves a lot of software—spreadsheets, documents, data management systems—you could be wasting a lot of time just transitioning from one program to the next. Look for a software solution that combines mutually compatible programs that take care of all your data management needs. The best ones include tracking features that will let you keep track of time, efficiency, defects, financial information, and other information crucial to your business's effectiveness. That way, you'll be able to manage all relevant data, track your time, and make sure you're running your business as efficiently as possible.

Crucial time management is crucial to your bottom line and to your work-life balance. Get it right, and you'll work efficiently and have time left over for your family and yourself. Get it wrong, and you can start to feel like your work is taking over your life. Follow these tips, and you should be able to get it all done—with time to spare.