How To Stay Organized When You’re Busy
UX designers often have limited time and a lot of tasks. In such circumstances, staying organized organized and as focused as possible is very important.
So, how do you stay organized? I’ve collected seven actionable tips and added apps to help you organize and schedule your time.
Make a to-do list
Write down everything that needs to be done — Prioritise tasks by importance. Making to-do lists in the evening is better so you don’t waste time prioritizing in the morning and get straight to the functions.
Best apps for to-do lists:
- Todoist — an app that combines simplicity and functionality.
- TickTick is a handy to-do list app with exciting functionality. It has an inbuilt Pomodoro timer and integrates with different calendars.
- Google Tasks — for those who prefer to work with Google products.
- Apple Reminders — for those who use Apple.
Use planners or apps
One of the best ways to manage your time is to use timetables and weekly calendars with timeboxes.
What are the best timeboxing apps in 2024?
Akiflow is an app that helps you optimize your working day with a simple and intuitive interface. I like that it has a focus mode. It brings the current time-slotted task to the forefront and reduces the impact of distractions.
Fantastical is not just a calendar app;t offers dyc timeboxing features. The app aggregates your tasks and appointments, making it easier to plan your day effectively. If you have recurring events or tasks, you can quickly create templates to speed up the planning process.
Motion is an AI-powered online scheduler that reinvents the concept of timeboxing. With this app, you can customize your schedule to the minute.
Morgen is a sleek and versatile solution for effective time management and overcoming the pitfalls of perfectionism. It easily synchronizes with different calendars (personal, work) and allows you to schedule your time.
Divide your time into blocks
Allocate specific hours for work, leisure and personal activities to stay productive.
How do you create a time block?
The idea behind creating time blocks is to group similar tasks and allocate a section of time to complete them.
Basic principles include visual scheduling on your calendar and grouping similar tasks.
For example, you could create a block to answer emails for 60 minutes from 9:00 am, then allocate a block from 10:00 am to 11:30 am to work on the day’s project. This lets you focus on tasks, avoid switching between them frequently, and increase efficiency.
Set deadlines
It’s essential to set deadlines for to-do’s and tasks, lunch breaks, sports and even a walk.
When planning time for work tasks, you can use these tips:
- Add 20–30% to the total time estimate for complex (team) tasks. This is an allowance not only for time estimation error but also for force majeure.
- Take into account interdependencies between different tasks. When planning, remember that the total time to complete a project is not the sum of the time for all its tasks. You will be able to start some of the tasks only when others are completed.
- Analyse and evaluate how other team members set task deadlines and monitor the margin of error, especially if you are a team leader.
Avoid multitasking
Focus on one task at a time to get it done well. Switching between tasks frequently increases the chances of making mistakes.
Don’t switch from a more critical task to a less important one. If you are managing multiple projects, prioritize each task. Work on the one with the highest priority first. If you can’t finish a task, finish it at least until it’s intermediate.
Remember to take breaks
Remember to take breaks to rest and recuperate.
Be flexible
Sometimes plans can change; accept this fact. Be ready to adapt and change plans when necessary.
What do you find helps you focus on projects and be productive? Share in the comments.
