Time Management Tips: Unlock Your Flow and Potential

Learn how to increase productivity and get things done.

Arielle S. Alonso, Executive Coach and Owner of Revel & Awe

“Time is money.” “ Time is of the essence.” “Every second counts.” We hear these phrases almost every day at work, in school, and even in our personal lives. Mastering time management skills has become more crucial than ever to thrive in today’s fast-paced environment.

Whether you're juggling multiple projects, leading teams, or building your career, understanding the best ways to manage time can make the difference between feeling overwhelmed and achieving peak performance. Tufts University invited Arielle Alonso, the executive coach and owner of Revel & Awe, to share her time management tips and professional productivity techniques to help you unlock your full potential.

Understanding Flow

The first step to mastering time management is understanding the concept of Flow. Created by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow is a state of mind in which a person is fully immersed in an activity. When you are in Flow, you operate at peak productivity and creativity levels, and time passes by unnoticed. 

This optimal state of mind amplifies your ability to think, execute, and create. Here are some of the benefits of Flow:

• Enhanced performance
• Increased learning and skill development
• Greater enjoyment and satisfaction
• Lower anxiety and self-doubt
• Stronger intrinsic motivation  

However, achieving Flow isn't always straightforward. Common barriers include distractions, unclear goals, inadequate challenges, fear of failure, and environmental factors. 

Leverage Time Management Tools and Strategies

To foster Flow, we need to address these barriers with strong time management skills. Arielle shared some of the most effective strategies and tools to help you create and maintain your Flow.

1. The Power of a To-Do List

While it might seem basic, making a to-do list empowers you to sketch a clear roadmap of your tasks. There are many ways to organize your to-do lists—on physical notebooks, digital apps, or project management platforms like Asana or Trello. 

No matter the format of the to-do list, the key is breaking down a complex project or your goal into manageable steps. For example, if your task today is to put together a presentation deck for your monthly sales report, you can divide it into smaller steps, such as creating an outline, pulling sales data, drafting a template, and finally filling in the details. 

2. Prioritization: The Eisenhower Matrix

After breaking your project down into manageable pieces, you can decide what critical tasks need your focus most. It’s important to know the prioritization of the list of tasks on your to-do list so that you spend your time wisely on tasks that yield the highest results.

“How can I determine which task has a higher priority?” you may ask. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to manage your work priorities. This tool helps you categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance.

Important and urgent: Handle these tasks immediately with dedicated focus time.

Important but not urgent: Schedule these tasks for later to execute these valuable tasks with a holistic game plan. 

Urgent but not important: Delegate these tasks to someone else who can do these tasks for you or look for automation opportunities.

Neither important nor urgent: Consider taking these tasks off your to-do list to free up your time and mental space for other higher-priority tasks.

3. Zero-Based Blocking

Zero-based calendar blocking will transform how you approach your daily schedule. Unlike traditional time management methods, this system requires you to account for every minute of your day, leaving no time unplanned and preventing procrastination. 

The beauty of this approach lies in the fact that it allows you to schedule time for fun and relaxation. It balances the need between productivity and personal care. Another benefit of this method is that it helps you understand the time spent on each task so that you can budget your time appropriately.

To implement zero-based calendar blocking effectively, begin by mapping out your non-negotiable commitments, such as meetings and recurring tasks. Next, you can allocate the rest of the time strategically. Reserve focus work sessions for two to three hours for tasks you need to concentrate on, or block off 20 minutes for an afternoon coffee break to restore your energy. 

The real power of zero-based blocking emerges through an interactive process of implementation and refinement. When you review how you spent your time at the end of the week, you might notice that certain tasks take longer to complete than you expected, and some tasks require less than you budgeted. You might also notice that you are more productive and focused during particular hours of the day. Use these insights to make your calendar more realistic so that you can get things done more efficiently.

4. Staying Focused and Reducing Distractions

Even if you have a perfectly prioritized to-do list and a well-organized calendar, you can’t achieve Flow without undivided attention. Try this systematic approach to eliminate distractions.

• Create an environment that works for you
  Start by reflecting on the requirements for you to get into the zone. It might be after having a cup of coffee in the morning. It might be taking a lunch break to decompress. It might be a tidy desk and soothing music. Whatever it is, create the conditions for you to concentrate on your tasks.
• Master notification management
  The constant stream of notifications can derail even the most focused professional. Rather than being at the mercy of these interruptions, take control of your communication channels. Try putting your phone on silent mode and turning off the email notifications when you need to focus for a few hours. Instead of checking your inbox every five minutes, you can schedule a dedicated block of time to read and respond to messages.
• Protect your focus time
  It is not uncommon for other people to book a meeting during your focus time. Don’t compromise your focus time to accommodate unnecessary meetings. You can share your calendar with your coworkers and explain the importance of your scheduled productivity block. Discuss the urgency of the meeting request with your coworkers and provide alternative contact methods.
• Set healthy boundaries
  Know your limit and communicate it openly with your coworkers. Collaborate with your manager to set a reasonable workload and learn to say “no” if there is too much on your plate.

Embracing Flow in Your Daily Life

Once you implement the time management strategies with the tools mentioned above, you can be more confident in taking ownership of your work and your life. While improving your productivity, don’t forget to practice mindfulness and maintain your mental well-being. Accept that there is always a next task and release the stress of checking everything off your to-do list.

Giving yourself positive self-affirmations could be helpful. If you believe in yourself and your ability, you are more likely to achieve momentum. Whether it’s meditating or putting a sticky note mantra on your screen, find a way that works for you to foster self-trust and inner peace.

Continue Amping Up Your Time Management Skills

Time management skills are essential not only in our careers but also in our daily lives. Use the tips and strategies we shared to improve your productivity and keep practicing to achieve your professional and personal goals.

Want to learn more about time management and get guidance on your career? RSVP for our upcoming webinars through Tufts University’s Professional Development Series.

FAQs

How do you handle conflicts when your manager or co-workers have different ideas about what's urgent or important?

The key to resolving these conflicts lies in creating transparency about your workload and commitments. Remember that your manager and coworkers might not have full visibility into your daily workload. Therefore, having a conversation with them to review your list of priorities can help resolve these conflicts. In your meeting, you can discuss:

• Your current high-priority projects and their deadlines
• The potential impact of shifting priorities on existing commitments
• Specific resources or support needed to meet competing demands

What can you do to cope with time blindness?

Time blindness—the difficulty in accurately perceiving the passage of time—can significantly impact productivity, especially for individuals with ADHD or similar challenges. One of the most effective strategies is implementing external time management structures. Using timers is particularly helpful: set them for the maximum duration you can dedicate to a task before needing to transition to other commitments.

How can you hold yourself accountable to time blocks?

Successful time blocking requires both realistic planning and consistent execution. Start by being accurate about how long tasks actually take—many people overestimate the time needed for simple tasks while underestimating complex projects. For example, responding to an email might feel like it requires 20 minutes, but it often takes just three to four minutes when focused. If you don’t know how much time it actually takes to complete the task, you can use a time tracker to help your estimation.

Another common scenario is a task might take longer than you expected. In this case, move on to the next scheduled task even if the current task is incomplete and adjust future time blocks to reflect the accurate amount of time you need to finish the task.

How can business owners help their team manage time effectively in a hybrid work environment?

Ensure all team members understand project timelines and customer expectations. Then, create transparency around workload and capacity by:

• Implementing clear project tracking systems
• Establishing regular check-ins to discuss progress and challenges
• Creating opportunities for team members to communicate obstacles
• Developing realistic timelines that account for the hybrid work model

Remember that challenges with meeting deadlines often indicate underlying issues such as unclear expectations, insufficient resources, or process inefficiencies rather than poor time management. Business owners can use the project management triangle—time, cost, and quality—to improve overall team performance. For example, if the expected timeline is reasonable, but the team still cannot deliver on time, the culprit could be the lack of human resources or unrealistic quality standards.