5 Top Time Management Techniques For First Time Managers
Tags: beginners, career, management, tutorial
Published: 2022-03-22 14:08:21

In this [article](https://blog.getace.io/all-posts/time-management-techniques), you’ll find 5 top time management skills to help first time managers to organize their work and the work of a tech team effectively, as well as advice from experienced tech leads on how they plan their time.

## Time management techniques 

The biggest challenges for a software engineering manager aren’t technical, but personal.

When taking a position as a manager, one should cover lots of business processes. And this can be very challenging for those who have difficulties planning their time. That’s why first-time managers should improve their time management skills - set correct goals, both personal and the team’s, prioritize and eliminate time wasters.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/3kcekmzng5dm06k8jvuc.png)

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/toakrg6ddff6altnusro.png)

To help managers, we have gathered the most popular and effective time management techniques.

**1. Pareto’s Principle**
The so-called 80/20 rule is a time management method that helps to prioritize the tasks that are most effective for solving problems. It’s the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of outcomes.

For this, the following steps are suggested:

- List the problems you are facing. For example, performance metrics are declining.
- Determine the root cause of each problem. Perhaps your metrics are deteriorating due to the fact that you have incorrectly allocated time and human resources on a project, or something else.
- Assign a score to each problem. Give the most important problems higher scores.
- Group problems by cause. Problems caused by you making mistakes in resource allocation should be in the same group. for example.
- Add up the scores for each group. The group with the highest score is the problem you should work on first.
- Take action.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/gbcj9afixb8pzjq5y9hx.png)
_Pareto Principle_

**2. The Eisenhower Matrix**
 
This method is based on an urgent-important matrix. According to this method, you need to sort the list of tasks by:

- important
- unimportant
- urgent
- not urgent

Ideally, you should only work on important and urgent tasks. Delegate the rest of the tasks or even reconsider the need for their implementation.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/yfjsjg0pan67lquvw7me.png)
_Eisenhower matrix_

**3. The Pomodoro Technique**

This technique uses a timer to break down your work into intervals — Pomodoros. How it works:

- Formulate a task.
- Set a timer, for example, 25 minutes.
- Concentrate on the task at hand.
- When the timer rings, check the box.
- Take a short break from work.
- Repeat steps two through five: After you've completed this process four times, you can start taking longer breaks (20-30 minutes).

This method will help you concentrate and, at the same time, not feel overwhelmed.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/bqdsbu9gyvarx1n5viav.png)
_The Pomodoro Technique_

**4. Getting Things Done (GTD) Method**
Helps you complete tasks by recording them and then breaking them down into workflows. It works like this:

- Capture the actions that have your attention.
- See if there are tasks among them that require action. If an item requires action, perform or delegate it.
- Prioritize your to-do list.
- Cross off the tasks you completed.
- Complete tasks that you can solve right now.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2a9dohksgc7xuva1229a.png)
_Getting Things Done (GTD) Method_

**5. Eat That Frog Technique**
Start the day with the most difficult task (the “frog”), gradually moving towards the easier ones:

- Clearly define the goal.
- Fix it.
- Set a deadline.
- Make a list of what you need to do to reach your goal.
- Prioritize the tasks on this list. The first ones on the list are your "frogs".
- Eat the nastiest frog first, so it will be easier to approach each new task that is left behind.
- Repeat this process every day.