Time Management Secrets Of 4 Top Leaders You Need To Know

It is the responsibility of the manager to get things done on time, so managers should know how to manage their time effective to get things done by themselves and the team members. But as we all know, it is very easy to lose track of time in today’s scenario when we have so many distractions in our surroundings. Are you a manager who has a lot on their plate and never has enough time to complete it? We understand your frustration.

In this blog, we will discuss why time management is important and share examples the time management secrets of 4 top leaders worldwide who have mastered the art of time management. Be sure to read on to learn how you can apply these techniques to your career!

What is time management?

Time management is knowing how and where to spend your time effectively. Leaders can get things done quickly and generate quality work by planning and dividing the time. There are many benefits once managers learn to manage their time; it increases productivity and helps achieve goals. 

Mastering time management is a process that starts with understanding what and why it is crucial. Once there is clarity, managers should start planning their time, organizing tasks based on urgency and needs, learning to delegate tasks, setting deadlines, and taking action. By just following these simple steps, managers can manage their time, have a little less stress, and work will get done faster.

Why is time management important for managers?

Time management is the key to being a successful manager. It helps managers be efficient at their work, achieve goals, stay on track, and record progress. Efficient managers understand that time is a valuable resource and take steps to conserve it. Managers who practice time management have:

• Less stress and anxiety about work.
• Quality of work.
• More opportunities.
• Tend to grow faster in their careers.

4 Examples of Time management for managers

Effective time management is crucial for managers as it allows them to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and lead their teams efficiently. Here are a few examples of time management strategies for managers:

1. Prioritization: Managers should start their day by identifying the most critical tasks requiring attention. Using techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix (categorizing tasks into urgent/important, important/not urgent, etc.), they can focus on high-priority items first.
2. Delegation: Delegating tasks to team members is a crucial time management strategy. Managers should identify tasks that can be assigned to others based on team members’ skills and capabilities. This frees up time for more strategic responsibilities.
3. Use of technology: Leveraging time management tools and software can be beneficial. Managers can use project management software, calendar apps, and task management tools to streamline work, set reminders, and track progress.
4. Regular review and adjustments: Periodically, managers should review their time management practices to identify areas for improvement. They can assess how they’re spending their time, adjust their strategies, and adopt new techniques if necessary.

These time management practices help managers stay organized, make the most of their work hours, and lead their teams effectively.

Time management examples you need to avoid as a manager

• They are not punctual.
• They are constantly rushing.
• They cannot set goals and achieve them.
• They have a substandard quality of work.
• They are unable to submit projects on stipulated deadlines.
• They always have a lot of unfinished tasks at hand.
• They have a team of confused and clueless members.
• They are constantly under stress.
• They are generally tired and burned out.
• They are easily distracted.

Do you relate to the few examples mentioned above, or do you still need clarity about the effectiveness of your time management skills? You can find the answer just by attempting the free time management assessment.

Time management secrets of top leaders for managers

These days working overtime is glorified by influencers and career coaches. But is working round the clock as effective? Are employees being productive? In the majority of cases, the answer is no. Top leaders believe that a hustle culture reduces the productivity and creativity of an employee. Instead, successful leaders vouch for a work-life balance and managing their time effectively to accomplish their goals. So let’s have a look at the time management secrets of 4 top leaders of the world and identify time management examples that we can follow!

Bill Gates

Bill Gates is a renowned businessman and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Microsoft. Bill is a time management master. He knows how to balance work and life, which is why he is so successful. Here are two techniques he follows to manage time more effectively:

Planning your week or days to know what and how you want to achieve your goals. Planning gives managers:

• The clarity to set their goals in advance.
• Limit time wasters and distractions.
• It keeps them organized and focused.
• It boosts productivity and keeps the workflow going.

Divide your time into different buckets: Bill divides his day into four buckets and spends 25% of his workday on each bucket. So each bucket is divided based on the various tasks he wants to attend to, and he adjusts the time spent on each bucket based on the requirements. Following this technique will help you optimize time, strategize for goals, identify the possible roadblocks and help you be more productive at work.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk, the billionaire founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is the busiest man in the world. He is known for being one of the most influential and innovative minds in his domain, having developed several ground-breaking ideas. He uses the “Time Blocking” technique to manage his professional and personal life.

Time Blocking Technique: This is an easy technique to preplan your day. This technique divides the whole day into blocks based on the required time assigned to each task. There should be some buffer time around each job to incorporate adjustments or unexpected activities.

Benefits of Time Blocking Technique:

• It makes decision-making easier.
• It keeps you focused.
• Keeps the motivation high to achieve the goals.
• Keeps the priority list short and crisp.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos is an American entrepreneur, investor, and commercial astronaut – is one of the best time management examples from which any manager can learn. He is the founder and former CEO of Amazon. He is one of the wealthiest men in the world. However, when it comes to time management, Jeff acts like a true savage! He has two fascinating time management secrets that he has shared:

He does nothing: Strange. So, Bezos likes to start his day early but only plans professional meetings after10:00 am. Before that, he wants to take it easy and spend time with his family and loved ones. 

           This technique allows to:

•  Rejuvenate and recharge for a long day at work. 
• It helps in decluttering his mind.
• It helps in making more informed decisions.
• It increases creativity.
• It helps in creating healthy boundaries between personal and professional life.

The 2 pizza rule: This is quite a unique technique wherein Bezos limits the team members of an internal team based on if the group can be fed from two pizzas. It may sound like a strange way to decide how many members should be on the team. But it has many benefits :

• It maximizes the effectiveness of the meetings.
• Communication is carried out efficiently without misunderstanding.
•  Everybody on the team works to their best capabilities.
•  Increases productivity.
•  Faster decision-making.

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffet is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett’s time management secrets can be summed up in his statement – “time is the most valuable resource we have.” By learning from his strategy, you can improve your time management skills.

The 5/25 Warren Buffett rule is interchangeably used to manage time and increase productivity. The 5/25 rule is a simple three-step process :

Step 1: Start by noting 25 goals for your career. 

Step 2: Narrow those goals to the 5 most important ones you want to achieve. These goals can be long-term or short-term. 

Step 3: The last step is to get rid of those unimportant 20 goals. Plan, strategize and focus on the 5 most important goals you want to achieve. 

Benefits of using the 5/25 rule:

• It gives you the top 5 goals to focus your energy and resources on.
• It eliminates distractions.
• It frees up time to have a work-life balance.
• It helps get more tasks done in less time.

Are your time management strategies prepared to rival global leaders? Or is there something missing? Test now with Risely!

Risely’s free time management self-assessment for managers thoroughly examines the time management habits of managers to draw an accurate picture of your strengths and weaknesses. Take the test now to save your team from the calamities of poor time management. 

Conclusion

In this blog, we have reviewed the importance of time management and its techniques from the perspective of 4 top leaders. We have shared each of these leaders’ unique time management secrets and tips on how to effectively manage time and achieve the goals that you’ve set for yourself. By learning from the time management examples outlined in this blog, you can gain a better understanding of how to manage your time and achieve your goals. Make sure to bookmark this page and revisit it later to learn more about time management techniques!

---