Building Resources for When Time is Limited

Time is one resource that cannot be replenished. While everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, competing priorities, responsibilities, and expectations often influence how that time is spent.

As demands continue to arise, managing time becomes less about finding more hours and more about using the time available effectively. By strengthening resources such as planning, focus management, energy management, communication, and personal effectiveness, you can better navigate competing demands and focus on what matters most.

Planning

Planning helps you anticipate what is ahead so you can allocate your time and resources, accordingly, identify potential challenges, and gather additional support when needed.

There are different ways to plan, including daily, weekly, monthly, by priority, by project, and for contingencies.

Daily Planning

• Review meetings and commitments

• Identify top 3 priorities

• Schedule based on estimated time to complete tasks

Weekly Planning

• Take a look at the week, reviewing deadlines and big events

• Check progress towards goals

Monthly Planning

• Schedule project work 

• Block focus times

• Reserve time for planning

• Include buffer time between commitments

Priority Planning: Not all work has equal importance

• Identify high-impact tasks

• Focus on important work first

• Align activities with goals

• Review priorities as new demands arise

Project Planning: Break large responsibilities into manageable pieces

• Create milestone steps

• Set interim deadlines

• Identify dependencies

• Define next steps

Contingency Planning: Prepare for the unexpected

• Leave room for interruptions

• Anticipate potential obstacles

• Have back up plans

• Build flexibility into schedule

Focus Management

Part of managing your time includes creating time to focus on tasks without interruptions that can delay or prolong time to complete tasks. 

Schedule

• Important or complex tasks during most productive time during the day (peak concentration time).

Reduce Distractions

• Silence your phone

• Change locations

• Closing unnecessary browser tabs

• Use do not disturbed settings

Limit Multi-tasking

• Work through a prioritization list 

• One task at a time when possible.

Improve Attention Management 

• Take short breaks between focus sessions

• Practice mindfulness

• Use concentration techniques

• Write down distracting thoughts to revisit later

Manage Information Flow

• Check emails at specific times

• Limit instant message interruptions

• Organize information systems

• Create filing methods

Align Tasks with Energy

• Compete demanding work when concentration is strongest 

• Complete routine tasks during lower-energy periods

• Learn your personal productivity patterns

Energy Management

Our energy naturally fluctuates throughout the day. When we are dealing with high demands, our energy can become depleted, making it more difficult to remain focused, productive, and effective. Learning how to manage your energy is essential for sustaining performance and reducing the risk of burnout.

Energy is influenced by several factors, including our physical, mental, emotional, and overall health. By intentionally supporting these areas, we can better meet demands and maintain our well-being. Below are examples of strategies that can help support each aspect of energy.

Physical Recovery: Give your body opportunities to rest and restoration by: 

• Getting adequate sleep

• Taking breaks during workday

• Staying hydrated

• Engaging in regular physical activity

• Maintain health nutrition

Mental Recovery: Give your brain opportunities to reset and recharge by: 

• Stepping away from work periodically

• Reducing information overload

• Taking short focus breaks 

• Practicing mindfulness

• Switching between demanding and routine task

Emotional Recovery: Manage the emotional demands of work. For example: 

• Talk through challenges with trusted colleagues

• Seek support when needed

• Practice stress-management techniques

• Engage in activities that restore positivity

• Set emotional boundaries

Energy Awareness: Recognize personal energy patterns. For example: 

• Identify high-energy times of day

• Monitor signs of fatigue

• Schedule important work during peak energy periods

• Adjust workload when energy is low

Workday Recovery: Build small recovery opportunities into the day. For example: 

• Stand and stretch 

• Take working breaks 

• Pause between meetings

• Use vacation time

• Take lunch away from your workspace

Personal Well-being: Develop habits that sustain long-term energy. For example: 

• Maintain healthy routines 

• Pursue hobbies and interests

• Spend time with supportive people

• Practice gratitude

• Maintain work-life boundaries

Communication

Communication can be a valuable resource for managing demands. Creating clarity and reducing unnecessary work helps ensure that everyone understands what needs to be done, why it matters, and how it can be accomplished based on individual and team needs.

Clarify Priorities 

• What is important

• Confirm deadlines and expectations

• Review priorities regularly with manager

Communicate Capacity

• When your workload exceeds available 

• Time to discuss concerns early

• Share competing priorities

• Be realistic on deadlines

• Set expectations by communicating timelines upfront

• Confirm responsibilities

• Clarify who owns tasks

Ask Questions Early 

• To avoid delays and rework 

• Seek clarification when instructions are unclear

• Verify assumptions before starting work

• Confirm requirements before completing projects

Limit Unnecessary Communication

• Everything doesn’t require immediate attention 

• Batch email responses

• Use communication channels intentionally

• Establish response-time expectations

Coordinate Work Effectively

• Share updates proactivity

• Communicate dependencies

• Alert others when obstacles arise

Personal Effectiveness

Personal effectiveness is a valuable resource that can help individuals navigate competing demands. By strengthening habits, skills, and routines that support productivity and organization, individuals can use their time more intentionally and proactively.

Goal Setting: Create clear direction for your work by: 

• Setting daily priorities

• Establishing weekly goals

• Defining success before stating a task

• Breaking large goals into smaller steps

Planning & Organization: Develop systems that help you stay on track by:  

• Maintaining a tasks list

• Calendar management

• Project planning

• Checklists and workflows

• Organizing digital files

Prioritization: Focus on what will have the greatest impact by: 

• Identifying high-value tasks

• Distinguishing urgent from important work

• Reviewing priorities regularly

• Eliminating low-value activities

Follow-Through: Convert plans into action by:

• Completing tasks before starting new ones

• Tracking commitments

• Building accountability habits

• Establishing routines

Decision-Making: Make timely and effective choices by: 

• Gathering necessary information

• Avoiding overthinking

• Taking action when decisions are needed

• Escalating decisions appropriately

Adaptability: Adjust effectively when circumstances change by: 

• Reprioritizing work

• Shifting plans when needed

• Managing unexpected interruptions

• Remaining flexible during change

Accountability: Take ownership of responsibilities and outcomes by: 

• Meeting commitments

• Addressing problems proactively

• Seeking solutions instead of waiting,learning from mistakes