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Why is time management so important when working from home?

As working from home becomes commonplace and commonplace, many people face challenges such as the difficulty of maintaining focus and time management. In the office, the eyes of others and a set schedule naturally encourage concentration, but this is not the case at home. The lure of bed, a mountain of housework, and the blurred boundaries between work and personal life...these may be the causes of your declining productivity.

But don't worry. Time management when working from home is not difficult at all. In fact, by mastering proper time management techniques, you can achieve higher productivity and a more fulfilling personal life than you could ever achieve working in an office. In this article, we'll introduce five time management techniques, along with specific methods, to help you increase your concentration and maximize your productivity when working from home. By putting these techniques into practice, you'll become the master of your time and be able to control both your work and personal life as you wish.

Time management technique 1: Visualize your daily tasks

If you're not clear about what you need to do today, your concentration is likely to be distracted. The first step to increasing your productivity while working from home is to visualize your daily tasks. First thing in the morning, write down everything you need to do that day and organize your thoughts.

To do: First thing in the morning, write down all the tasks you need to do that day.

Whether you use paper or digital tools, the key is to get all of that mental to-do list out of your head, freeing up your brain's working memory so you can focus on the task at hand.

Tip: Classify tasks using a matrix of urgency and importance to clarify priorities

It's not enough to just list the tasks you've written down. Next, use the Eisenhower Matrix to classify tasks along two axes: urgency and importance. This will help you clearly identify the tasks you really need to work on.

• Urgent and important (things that need to be done now): Work with an approaching deadline, dealing with urgent problems, etc.

• Not urgent but important (things that should be planned): learning for the future, managing your health, building relationships, etc.

• Urgent but not important (get it done as soon as possible or delegate it to someone else): emails that need a response, unexpected phone calls, etc.

• Things that are neither urgent nor important (things not to do): pointless meetings, unnecessary information gathering, etc.

This classification will help you avoid rushing into urgent tasks and instead allocate time to important tasks that will help you achieve your long-term goals.

Tip: Give specific examples of tools, such as handwritten notes or a task management tool.

To get started easily, a notebook and pen are enough. If you want to manage your time more efficiently, you can use task management tools such as Trello, Asana, or Todoist, or calendar apps such as Google Calendar. These tools make it easy to visualize task progress and share it with team members.

Time management technique 2: Create waves of concentration with the "Pomodoro Technique"

Many people who work from home struggle to concentrate. The Pomodoro Technique can be useful in times like these. This is a time management technique that allows you to maintain focus and increase productivity by alternating between 25 minutes of work and a 5-minute break.

What to do: Repeat 25 minutes of work + 5 minutes of break.

The specific steps are as follows:

1. Choose a task: Choose one of the tasks you want to work on today.

2. Set a timer for 25 minutes: This can be a kitchen timer, a timer app on your smartphone, or anything else.

3. 25 Minutes of Focused Work: Focus solely on your chosen task until the timer goes off. If other distractions occur, make a note to deal with them later.

4. When the timer goes off, stop working: take a short 5-minute break.

5. Take a 5-minute break: During your break, completely disconnect from work and do something refreshing (stretch, get a drink, look out the window, etc.).

6. Repeat: After every four sets (two hours), take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

Key point: A brief explanation of why this cycle is effective in maintaining human concentration

The Pomodoro Technique is effective because it assumes that human concentration is limited. By dividing your time into short 25-minute blocks, you can continue working without losing focus. The short breaks also refresh your brain, allowing you to maintain a high level of focus for the next 25 minutes. They're like water stations in a marathon.

Tip: Use a timer app or dedicated tool on your smartphone to consciously disconnect from work during breaks

There are many apps and tools available for practicing the Pomodoro Technique. For example, apps such as "Focus To-Do" and "Forest" are recommended because they not only have a timer function but also allow you to manage tasks and record your concentration time. It is important to consciously take a break from work. Checking social media or checking emails keeps your brain from resting, which reduces your ability to concentrate on the next task.

Time Management Technique 3: Turn Parkinson's Law to Your Advantage

Are you familiar with the law that states that "the amount of work expands until it fills the time available for its completion"? This is called "Parkinson's Law." For example, a task that you plan to complete in a week will take a week, and a task that you plan to complete in a day will be completed in a day. This law is particularly evident when working from home, and it's easy to end up procrastinating on your work.

To do: Set intentional deadlines for each task.

To take advantage of this law and increase your productivity, it's important to intentionally set a deadline for each task. For example, set a specific time such as "finish this document by the morning" or "respond to this email in 15 minutes." This will help you concentrate better and work more efficiently.

Key point: Explain the law that "the amount of work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion" and convey the importance of setting a tight time frame.

Humans have a tendency to try to use up all the time they have been given. Therefore, by deliberately setting a tight deadline, you can reduce wasted time and complete tasks quickly. This also puts pressure on yourself, which helps bring out your potential.

Tip: We introduce a technique called "time blocking," which involves using a calendar app or similar to block off the end time for each task.

Time blocking is a technique in which you assign blocks of work time to each task on your calendar or planner. For example, you could link specific tasks to time, such as "creating materials for Project A" from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and "replying to emails to Client B" from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This makes your daily schedule visually clear, allowing you to see at a glance how much time you should spend on each task. It also helps prevent interruptions from others.

Time Management Tip 4: Block out the distracting "digital noise"

In a work-from-home environment, there is always "digital noise" that distracts from your concentration, such as notifications from your smartphone or computer, or the temptation of social media. These may seem trivial at first glance, but breaking your concentration each time can significantly reduce your work efficiency.

To do: Turn off unnecessary notifications while you're working

The easiest and most effective way is to turn off unnecessary notifications while you're working. Review your smartphone's notification settings and turn off all notifications from apps that aren't work-related. On your computer, you can also use the settings to temporarily stop notifications from email software and chat tools.

Key point: Learn how smartphone notifications, social media, and browsing unrelated websites can distract you

Every time we receive a notification, we unconsciously turn to our smartphone or computer to check the content. This act of "checking a notification," even if only for a few seconds, distracts us from the task we were concentrating on. Research has shown that it takes an average of 23 minutes to regain our concentration once it has been broken. The same goes for browsing social media or unrelated websites. While we may intend to satisfy our curiosity, before we know it, we are losing valuable work time.

Tips: Introducing tools such as "Do Not Disturb" mode on smartphones and restricting access to specific sites

By using your smartphone's "Do Not Disturb" or "Focus On Mode," you can set notifications to not be sent during certain times or locations. Also, when working on a computer, it's effective to use browser extensions or apps such as "StayFocused" or "Freedom" that restrict access to certain websites. Make good use of these tools to protect yourself from digital noise and create an environment where you can concentrate.

Time management technique 5: Recommendation for "strategic breaks" to give your brain a rest

In order to increase productivity, it is very important to not only spend time concentrating on work, but also to take quality breaks. When working from home, it is easy to continue working without taking a break, but this will actually decrease your efficiency. Make a conscious effort to take "strategic breaks" to give your brain a rest and restore your concentration in the afternoon.

DO: Take intentional quality breaks

Instead of just lazing around during your break, think of it as time to refresh your mind and body. Even a short break of around five minutes can have a surprising effect if you take it consciously.

Key point: Rather than just resting, emphasize the importance of proactive breaks to restore focus in the afternoon.

The purpose of strategic breaks is not only to recover from fatigue, but also to improve your concentration on the next task. To do this, it is important to refresh your mind and body through activities that are completely unrelated to work. For example, you could get away from your desk and do some light exercise, listen to your favorite music, or meditate.

Tips: Learn specific ways to refresh yourself that have been scientifically proven to be effective, such as taking a short nap, taking a light walk, or meditating.

• Short naps (power naps): A 15-20 minute nap can help recover from brain fatigue and improve memory and concentration. However, naps longer than 30 minutes can actually make you feel sleepy, so be careful.

• A short walk: Taking a short walk outside in the fresh air can refresh your mind, get your blood flowing, and even spark new ideas.

• Meditation: Simply sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing for a few minutes can reduce stress and improve focus. There are many meditation apps available these days.

• Stretching: Working in the same position for a long time can cause stiff shoulders and back pain. By incorporating simple stretching into your breaks, you can relieve tension in your body and refresh yourself.

Use these tips to find the strategic breaks that work for you and boost your productivity while working from home.

Find the time management method that works for you and make your ideal work-from-home job a reality

In this article, we've introduced five time management techniques to maximize your productivity when working from home.

1. Visualize your daily tasks

2. Create waves of concentration with the Pomodoro Technique

3. Turning Parkinson's Law on its head

4. Block out the distracting "digital noise"

5. Recommendations for "strategic breaks" to give your brain a rest

All of these techniques can be put into practice right away. You don't have to try them all at once. Start with the ones that seem best for you and that you can easily incorporate. Then, adjust them to your liking and find the time management method that works best for you.

Time management is not an easy skill; anyone can improve with practice. We hope these tips will help you make your work-from-home experience more comfortable and productive.