Time management is one of those essential work (and life) skills that always pops up in job interviews and performance reviews. Recruiters and managers know that how well an employee manages their time can make or break almost any project. And research backs this up—studies show a direct connection between time management skills and job performance, especially in fields like events management and beyond.
Trending Searches
- Software Engineering Jobs
- Data and Analytics Jobs
- Business Operations Jobs
- Human Resources and Recruitment Jobs
- Sales Jobs
- Project Management Jobs
- Account Management Jobs
- Healthcare Jobs
SEARCH ALL JOBS
The issue? While most people know time management is important, many don’t actually know how to learn—or teach—these skills. Some even think you’re either naturally good at it or you’re not, with no room for growth.
But that’s not true. Time management is made up of multiple skills—meaning you might excel in some areas while needing work in others—and you can improve them. Doing so boosts productivity, leads to better performance reviews, and helps create a healthier work-life balance.
What Are Time Management Skills?
Even though “time management” gets thrown around a lot at work, most people can’t easily define it.
According to Eileen Roth, time management expert and author of Organizing for Dummies, a time management skill is anything that helps you save time and work more efficiently. This includes:
- Goal setting
- Planning
- Prioritizing
- Using your calendar effectively
- Creating routines
- Making decisions
- Delegating
- Avoiding time-wasters (like procrastination and distractions)
- Running productive meetings
- Keeping your workspace organized
These skills don’t just make you more efficient—they also help you meet deadlines and expectations. Alexis Haselberger, a time management and leadership coach, puts it this way: “Time management is about using your time in a way that supports your goals. It’s being proactive instead of reactive.” In other words, strong time management lets you plan ahead so you’re not constantly rushing to finish things at the last minute.
Why Are Time Management Skills Important?
Good time management has tons of personal and professional benefits. Most obviously, you’ll get more done. But it’s deeper than that, says Haselberger, who’s coached hundreds of professionals and taught over 34,000 students in time management courses.
“When you lack time management skills, you often feel out of control—like you don’t have a say in your own time,” she explains. This leads to overwhelm, rushing, missed deadlines, and lower-quality work.
Poor time management also creates stress—both for you and those around you. “Others can’t rely on you, and you’re more likely to burn out from overwhelm,” Haselberger adds. “Without good boundaries, your mental health suffers.”
People who struggle with time management often let work bleed into personal life—staying late, bringing tasks home, or worrying about work during downtime. The result? No clear separation between job and life, making it hard to truly unwind.
On the flip side, strong time management lets you hit goals and leave work at work, so your personal time stays yours.
Types of Time Management Skills
There are dozens of time management skills, but here are some of the most important—and how to use them at work.
1. Goal Setting
In time management, goal setting isn’t about long-term dreams—it’s about breaking projects into smaller steps with deadlines. For example, planning an event might include:
- Setting a budget by 4/15
- Finding a venue by 4/25
- Finalizing the guest list by 4/28
- Sending invites by 5/1
- Booking vendors by 5/15
Roth suggests tying rewards to goals (like ordering lunch after finishing a tough task) to stay motivated.
“Goals should be a stretch, but not impossible,” she says. To set realistic goals, use the SMART method:
- Specific (Clear and well-defined)
- Measurable (Trackable progress)
- Achievable (Realistically doable)
- Relevant (Aligns with bigger objectives)
- Time-bound (Has a deadline)
Example: A salesperson’s SMART goal could be “Sell two cases of Product X by month-end.”
Successful goal setting involves:
- Breaking big projects into smaller steps
- Estimating how long each step takes
- Setting achievable targets
2. Prioritization
Every day, you do prioritize—but often by default (whatever’s in front of you gets done). Good time management means being intentional.
“Prioritization depends on importance, urgency, complexity, and deadlines,” says Haselberger. “It also means learning to say no—we can’t do everything.”
For example, if you have three big projects plus daily tasks, prioritization means:
- Breaking projects into smaller tasks
- Deciding which tasks to tackle first based on urgency/impact
- Balancing recurring tasks (emails, calls) with project work
Haselberger teaches task realism—being honest about how much you can actually finish in a day.
Successful prioritization involves:
- Managing expectations
- Breaking projects into smaller tasks
- Assessing urgency, impact, and difficulty
- Estimating task duration accurately
3. Scheduling
Using a calendar isn’t enough—effective scheduling involves time blocking.
For meetings, ask:
- What’s the goal of this meeting?
- Could this be an email/call instead?
- How can we make it as efficient as possible?
For time blocking:
- Assign chunks of time to specific tasks (e.g., 30 mins for emails, 1 hour for Project X).
- Schedule breaks and lunch too.
- Stick to the plan (use alarms if needed).
“Time blocking helps you estimate time better, stay realistic, and refocus when you get off track,” says Haselberger.
Successful scheduling involves:
- Knowing how long tasks take
- Being intentional with time
- Redirecting focus when distracted
4. Delegation
“Delegation means passing tasks to others so you can focus on higher-level work,” says Roth. It’s not just for managers—any team member can delegate.
Example: Handing off a client update meeting to a teammate who knows the client well.
People avoid delegating because:
- “I can do it better/faster myself.” (Short-term thinking—delegation saves long-term time.)
- “I don’t want to burden others.” (Done right, delegation is a growth opportunity for them.)
Key rule: Never delegate last-minute because you mismanaged time. Instead, ask: “When could you reasonably do X?”
Successful delegation requires:
- Knowing what only you can do vs. what others can handle
- Trusting your team
- Strong communication
5. Task Management
Daily, you juggle 20+ tasks—some quick (a phone call), others time-consuming (research). The key? A trusted system to track everything.
Haselberger’s method:
- Funnel all tasks (emails, meetings, brain dumps) into one system (e.g., a to-do list, app like ClickUp).
- Include recurring tasks (emails, budget updates) so you don’t forget them.
- Leave room for new/unexpected tasks.
Successful task management involves:
- Breaking goals into actionable tasks
- Building a reliable tracking system
- Accounting for routine and surprise tasks
How to Improve Your Time Management Skills
Want to get better? Start with awareness, says Haselberger. “Track how you spend your time for a week.”
- Record everything: breaks, calls, focus time, distractions.
- Use apps like Toggl or Clockify if manual tracking feels tedious.
Then, ask:
- Am I spending time on the right tasks?
- How long do tasks actually take vs. how long I think they take?
- Which meetings are truly necessary?
- What could I delegate?
- Where do distractions creep in?
Next, audit your calendar. If it’s packed with meetings, cut the low-value ones to free up time.
From there, pick a skill to improve—scheduling, delegation, etc. “Take a class, hire a coach, or ask that always-on-time coworker for tips,” Haselberger suggests.
Finally, practice. Choose one strategy (e.g., daily to-do lists, SMART goals) and stick with it for a month until it becomes habit. Then add more tools.
“Learning new skills is hard,” Haselberger admits. “But practice is the only way forward.”