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Late at night, scrolling through my phone and looking at the mountain of work tasks, I really want to cry! Every day I'm spinning like a top, but looking back, I feel like I haven't accomplished anything meaningful. This feeling is way too familiar! As someone who just started working not long ago, I totally understand this pain. However, after two years of learning the hard way, I've finally found some particularly effective time management methods. Today I'd like to share my journey and practical tips with everyone.

Time Black Holes

When it comes to time management, we have to talk about "time black holes" - something we have a love-hate relationship with. Have you ever had this experience: lying in bed, opening TikTok saying you'll watch for just ten minutes before sleeping, but then one video leads to another and you can't stop, until you realize it's 3 AM? Most terrifying is that according to the latest report from a data analysis organization, domestic users in China spent an average of 154 minutes per day on short video apps in 2024! Oh my goodness, what does this mean? It means we're giving about two and a half hours every day to short videos! Just think, if this time were used for learning, exercise, or developing a side business, how much better that would be!

It's not just short videos - games, binge-watching shows, and browsing Taobao are all activities that make time slip away quietly. I remember once I opened Honor of Kings saying I'd play two rounds, but when I checked the time it was 1 AM, and I almost missed the morning meeting the next day - absolutely mortifying! So, to improve efficiency, we first need to identify and control these "time black holes."

The Four Quadrants Method

When it comes to managing time, we must mention the famous four quadrants method. This method was invented by Eisenhower and is absolutely a workplace essential! Specifically, it divides all tasks into four categories based on "importance" and "urgency."

Important and urgent matters, like the quarterly report due tomorrow or the proposal the boss needs this afternoon, definitely need to be handled immediately, otherwise there will be serious problems. Last month I was criticized by my boss in front of the whole team for delaying an urgent report - the level of embarrassment was indescribable.

Important but not urgent matters are the easiest for us to overlook, but actually deserve the most time investment. Like learning a new skill, planning career development, or exercising. I have a colleague who persisted in studying programming for two hours after work every day last year, and now has successfully transferred to the technology department with doubled salary - I'm so envious!

Urgent but not important matters, like colleagues suddenly asking you to help find files, or the boss asking you to organize the meeting room on short notice. These things seem urgent but don't really help your long-term development. I've now learned to say "no," sometimes saying "Sorry, I have an urgent project to handle, so I might not be able to help right away."

Neither important nor urgent matters are the "time black holes" we mentioned earlier. Scrolling through short videos, watching variety shows, playing games - honestly these things are quite fun but can easily become excessive. I've now set a rule for myself: maximum 30 minutes of short videos per day, after which my phone automatically locks.

Based on my experience, putting 80% of your energy into important but not urgent matters is most worthwhile. Why? Because these things often bring long-term benefits without giving you too much pressure. That's how I planned last year, and looking back now, the gains were truly substantial.

The Pomodoro Technique

Speaking of the most practical time management methods, the Pomodoro Technique is absolutely my favorite! This method is super simple: work for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes - that's one Pomodoro. Scientific research shows that the human brain can concentrate for about 25 minutes before needing a break.

Last year I did a small experiment, using the Pomodoro Technique for an entire month. The results were amazing! Not only did work efficiency increase by at least 30%, but I felt much more relaxed overall. Previously, writing reports always felt particularly painful, and I'd procrastinate until the last moment. Now I think: "It's just 25 minutes, I can endure it." And then I can really settle down and write seriously.

I've also found that the 5-minute break is particularly important - you can get up and walk around, stretch, or drink some water. Once when I was rushing a project, I worked through several Pomodoros without breaks, and as a result, my neck was killing me by evening, and my efficiency was even lower the next day.

Time Blocking

Time blocking is a technique I learned from the book "Deep Work," and it's super useful! It involves dividing your day into several large blocks, with each time block focused on one task. For example, my current schedule is: 9-11 AM is deep work time, during which my phone is in airplane mode and I focus on the most important work; 2-4 PM is for meetings and communication; 4-6 PM is for handling emails and other miscellaneous tasks.

Research shows that after being interrupted, it takes an average of 23 minutes for someone to get back into focus. I used to experience this often - I'd be working seriously, then a colleague would come chat for a bit, and I'd completely lose my flow. It's much better now - I tell colleagues: "I'm in deep work time this morning, can we chat in the afternoon?"

Most dramatically, I had a colleague who was constantly interrupted by various meetings, feeling exhausted at the end of the day but feeling like nothing was accomplished. After she started using time blocking, scheduling all meetings in the afternoon and focusing on important tasks in the morning, her work efficiency literally doubled!

The Two-Minute Rule

In professional life, we often encounter many small tasks - though each is simple, there are just so many! This is where the two-minute rule comes in handy: if something can be done in two minutes, do it immediately.

I used to often leave emails unanswered, waiting until they piled up before dealing with them, only to find some emails had already expired - super awkward. Now my approach is to quickly assess emails when I see them - if I can reply within two minutes, I do it immediately; if it needs more time, I mark it and wait until my dedicated email processing time.

The same goes for printing documents and organizing my desk - if I think of it, I do it right away. This not only prevents small tasks from piling up into big problems but also gives you a sense of efficiency that feels absolutely great!

Energy Management

Honestly, I think managing energy is more important than managing time. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you sit at your computer all day but feel like you haven't accomplished anything meaningful? This is because you haven't managed your energy well.

According to biological clock research, most people are most alert between 10 AM and noon. I now schedule my most important work during this time period, and it works really well. For tasks requiring creativity like writing proposals or making PPTs, everything flows smoothly in the morning, but if left to the drowsy afternoon hours, efficiency drops significantly.

Additionally, I pay special attention to work-life balance. Every noon I go out for a walk and get some sun, which makes me feel much better in the afternoon. I also try not to work overtime on weekends, resting well so I can start the new week with full energy.

Once I worked overtime for a week straight, and ended up falling asleep during an important Monday meeting - that mortifying scene still haunts me. So really, energy management is crucial!

Batch Processing

Batch processing is absolutely magical for handling repetitive work! Take replying to emails for example - rather than responding to each one as it comes in, it's better to accumulate a certain number and handle them all at once. Research shows this can save about 40% of time.

That's how I do it now - collecting all emails that need replies and processing them together at 4 PM daily. This not only improves efficiency but also leads to better quality responses because the thinking is more coherent.

It's not just emails - many tasks can use batch processing. Like approving documents, organizing data, updating reports, etc. When I used to work on financial reports, doing a little bit each day often led to numbers not matching up. After switching to concentrated processing every Friday afternoon, efficiency improved significantly and error rates decreased.

List Culture

The habit I can't live without now is making lists! Spending 5 minutes before bed each night listing what needs to be done the next day. This not only makes the next day's work more organized but also helps the brain relax and improves sleep quality.

I use notes to categorize: work lists, study lists, life lists. Checking off each completed item - seeing more and more checkmarks on the list gives such a sense of achievement! Plus, making lists helps us set more realistic goals. I used to set too many goals for myself, resulting in never completing them all and feeling very discouraged. Now I plan based on reality, scheduling at most 3-4 important tasks per day, pushing everything else back.

Most amazingly, since developing the habit of making lists, my sleep quality has noticeably improved. I used to lie in bed still thinking about what to do the next day, but now with tasks written in lists, it feels like the responsibility has been unloaded, and I feel much more relaxed.

Regular Review

To be honest, when I first started doing reviews, I thought it was super troublesome and felt like a waste of time. But after persisting for a while, I discovered it's really important! Spending half an hour each week reviewing how time was used, summarizing what went well and what needs improvement.

Now I specifically set aside time on Friday afternoons for review, recording the week's achievements and lessons on my phone. For example, last week I noticed I was constantly interrupted by impromptu meetings, so this week I deliberately scheduled all meetings in the afternoon, and efficiency indeed improved significantly.

The most important part of reviewing is being honest with yourself. Sometimes you'll find you spent a week busy with unimportant things, or wasted too much time scrolling on your phone. Although discovering these issues can be a bit discouraging, you can only fix problems after finding them!

Concluding Thoughts

After such long practice, I deeply understand: the core of time management isn't about filling every minute with activities, but about improving the efficiency of time use. When we truly focus on doing one thing, not only is efficiency particularly high, but time feels especially fulfilling.

Sometimes I think, time management, in the end, is actually about managing ourselves. Through these methods, we can not only improve work efficiency but more importantly make life more quality-focused. After all, who doesn't want to both do well at work and have time to pursue their interests?

Finally, I want to ask you all, do you have any unique time management methods? Or any interesting experiences in practicing these methods? Welcome to share in the comments section, let's improve together! Remember, time management isn't the goal - making life more meaningful is our ultimate pursuit.