Time management at work: keys to improving productivity

Did you know that 89% of employees admit to getting distracted and wasting time during the workday? Moreover, 31% confess to losing at least half an hour a day, and 6% waste over three hours daily. This lost time accumulates and begins to affect not only productivity but also your daily energy and motivation.

Research confirms exactly this: efficient time management improves professional performance and enhances psychological well‑being. The ability to organize tasks, prioritize effectively and take appropriate breaks is directly linked to higher job satisfaction .

At Planeta Formación y Universidades, we teach students to approach time management consciously. We understand that organizing tasks, setting priorities, and taking breaks aren’t just efficiency tools—they help people work more effectively.

Importance of time management for productivity and workplace well-being

According to the Workforce Trends Report 2025, companies that embrace well‑being strategies—including effective time management—see tangible gains in productivity and employee retention. When time is well‑structured, everything flows more smoothly: stress decreases, backlogs shrink, and you finish the day feeling you’ve achieved meaningful results.

Setting clear and measurable goals

Clarity makes a big difference. Instead of vague statements like “I want to be more productive,” try specific goals such as “I’ll complete this report by 1 pm” or “I’ll spend an hour clearing my inbox.” Precise goals help structure your day and guide your decisions.

Task planning and prioritization

It’s important to know what needs doing—but not all tasks are equal. Sort them by urgency and impact before diving in.

Prioritization techniques

Some tasks can block progress, affect others, or snowball if delayed. Two powerful tools can help:

The Eisenhower Matrix is one such method. It categorizes tasks based on two criteria: urgency and importance. This creates four quadrants, each indicating a specific course of action. Tasks that are both important and urgent should be done immediately. Those that are important but not urgent should be scheduled. Urgent but less important tasks are best delegated. And tasks that are neither urgent nor important should simply be eliminated.

Another key concept is the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule. It suggests that roughly 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. This means that most outcomes stem from a small number of high-impact activities. Identifying and focusing on that small percentage is what really drives progress.

By combining the Eisenhower Matrix with the Pareto Principle, you can distinguish between what’s truly important and what’s merely urgent. This makes it easier to pinpoint the vital 20% of tasks that will generate 80% of your results—saving time and increasing efficiency and productivity.

Time allocation for each task

A smart approach is to schedule everything. Rather than working from a never-ending to-do list, allocate specific time slots to each task: 30 minutes for calls, an hour for writing, 20 minutes to review a presentation. This helps you stay on track and work with more focus and intention.

Time management tools and techniques

Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro Technique is one of the most popular time management methods. It breaks work into focused intervals of 25 minutes, separated by short 5-minute breaks. After four work sessions, you take a longer break. It’s ideal for people who get distracted easily or find it difficult to stay on one task for long periods.

Timeboxing and time blocking

Timeboxing and time blocking are two similar but distinct methods.

• Timeboxing means setting a fixed amount of time for a task—for example, “From 10:00 to 10:45, I’ll prepare for the meeting and do nothing else.”
• Time blocking takes it further by planning your entire calendar in blocks: deep work, meetings, calls, breaks—even time to reflect or review your day. It’s a structured way to bring clarity to your schedule and stay focused on what matters at each moment.

GTD method (getting things done)

Getting Things Done (GTD) is another widely used method, created by David Allen. The core idea is to unload your mind by capturing every task, idea, or commitment in an external system—whether it’s an app, notebook, or calendar. Then, you process, organize, and decide on the next concrete action for each one. This reduces mental clutter, helps you stay clear-headed, and is especially useful when managing multiple priorities at once.

Use of automation tools and management software

Time management apps

Good time management apps help you stay organized without overcomplicating your day. ClickUp, for example, allows you to keep your tasks, calendar, and time tracking all in one place. Other apps like Engross combine task lists, reminders, Pomodoro timers, and a calendar view—making it easy to get a clear overview of your schedule.

Time and productivity tracking software

When you need to know exactly how much time you’re spending on each project or client, time-tracking tools like Toggl Track or Clockify are very effective. With just one click, they record your work and generate reports showing how your time is distributed. These tools are especially helpful when working on different projects or collaborating with teams. They also help identify tasks that are taking longer than necessary, so you can adjust your planning and improve productivity.

Task delegation and adaptation to employee profiles

Delegating effectively can save time and prevent unnecessary stress. But delegation is not just about offloading tasks—it’s about assigning the right tasks to the right people, based on their skills, experience, and workload. Some people are more analytical, others excel in teamwork, and some are more productive in the morning. Taking these factors into account when planning helps everything run more smoothly and efficiently. It also fosters trust, motivation, and a sense of value within the team.

Optimization of the work environment

Where you work has a huge impact on how you work. An uncomfortable chair, constant noise, or poor internet can make even simple tasks feel exhausting. Having a clean, well-lit workspace, with your screen at the right height and minimal distractions, improves focus. It’s also important to have areas where you can stretch, move around, or take breaks without leaving your work zone completely.

Time management in remote work

Working from home has many advantages, but it also requires greater discipline. Without the clear boundary of commuting, it’s easy to stretch your workday or blur the lines between your personal and professional life. That’s why it’s important to establish a routine: decide what time you’ll start, when to take lunch, and when to shut down for the day. It also helps to let your team know your availability and to set up a designated workspace at home—even if it’s just a small desk in the corner.

Importance of regular breaks to maintain productivity

Rest isn’t wasted time—it’s time well invested. Taking a short five-minute break every hour to stretch, look away from the screen, or just breathe helps you stay sharp. It’s also crucial to step away for a proper lunch, instead of eating in front of your computer. These small pauses recharge both your body and your brain, reduce the risk of errors, and help you avoid burnout. They also create space for new ideas and problem-solving that tired minds might miss.

Conclusion

Getting more organized doesn’t mean filling your day with more tasks, meetings, emails, calls, and notifications. It actually means the opposite: simplifying your workflow, removing distractions, and focusing on what really makes a difference. And you don’t need to be obsessed with time management or have a perfectly color-coded planner to do it. Often, small decisions—like using a helpful tool, delegating wisely, or simply knowing when to take a break—can make a big impact.

At Planeta Formación y Universidades, we believe that professional development begins in the classroom. That’s why our educational model emphasizes the development of essential soft skills—such as organization, focus, and self-management—that students can apply right away to improve their academic performance.