6 Effective Time Management Strategies for Software Engineers
This is the part 4 of Software Engineering Soft Skills series, where I’ll discuss yet another very critical skill, Time Management. Many people struggle with managing their time and calendar from time to time. It is no different if you are a student, a junior developer, a director or even a CEO or CTO. This is a common problem for all, but why is this happening? Let me explain my thoughts and share my experience on managing time.
What is time management?
If you ask me what is time management, I will say it is the ability to do prioritisation properly and knowing when to drop things from your plate.
It took me a bit of time to grasp, but trust me, the work never stops. The demands of your job always seem to climb higher, your personal tasks keep piling up, and unexpected situations pop up on top of it all. You have limited energy, time and focus so use it wisely.
Ok what do we do then? As a software engineer, you are expected to juggle multiple tasks, meet tight deadlines, and stay up-to-date with the latest technologies. In such a fast-paced environment, time management becomes critical to ensure that you can handle your workload effectively. Here are seven time management strategies that can help you boost your productivity and achieve your goals:
1. Prioritize Your Tasks
One of the most effective time management strategies is to prioritize your tasks. You can use the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize your tasks based on their urgency and importance. This will help you focus on the tasks that are critical to your job and ensure that you are not wasting time on less important tasks.
Remember, the goal of an Eisenhower matrix is to help you focus on the tasks that are most important and require your attention first, so you can effectively manage your time and accomplish your goals.
The upper left part is the ‘Do it now!’ part, where obviously lists the tasks you should do immediately. Put items that are critical but not urgent into the upper right section and if you have time left after the green section, start working on them. The below part of the matrix are the not important part and the section on the left is ‘Delegate’. Ok let’s talk about it a bit more.
How to delegate tasks?
Specifically for software engineers, we have technical debts, unit tests to write, bugs to fix, documentations to add or some projects that are not impactful for your level but might be a good project for a junior or mid level engineers. For these tasks, it is better to get a second hand and let them do the job. This is beneficial in multiple ways. Firstly, the jobs is done, secondly you experience managing other people or delegating tasks and that is a bonus point for you and thirdly other people will benefit by doing the tasks and learn from those.
The last section in the matrix is the ‘Delete’ part. This section will help you to put items that you have in mind, but when you think about them they don’t have any value for you. Put items here and then delete them with confidence :)
2. Set Realistic Goals
Setting achievable goals is crucial for time management. When setting your goals, make sure that they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. This will help you stay motivated and focused on your work.
Personally I use markdowns to set my daily goals before I start each day and when I finish a task I mark it. That gives me motivation to continue working and keep pushing everyday. I also set stretch goals in case I finish my initial goal earlier than planned.
3. Avoid Multitasking
While multitasking may seem like a good idea, it can actually reduce your productivity and increase your stress levels. Instead of trying to do several things at once, focus on one task at a time. This will help you complete your work more efficiently and with fewer errors.
Like many people out there, I tried doing multitasking for some years. However, recently I realized how harmful it is for productivity. Human brain is not designed for multithreading basically and you shouldn’t force it for this. Try focusing on one things at a time and you’ll see the increase in your productivity.
4. Take Breaks
Taking regular breaks can help you stay focused and refreshed. You can use the Pomodoro Technique to break your work into 25-minute intervals, followed by a five-minute break. This will help you avoid burnout and maintain your productivity throughout the day.
There are many youtube videos or mobile apps out there to help you manage your time with this technique.
5. Learn to Say No
As a software engineer, you may be asked to take on additional tasks that are outside your job description. While it may be tempting to say yes to everything, it is essential to learn to say no. This will help you focus on your core responsibilities and avoid overloading your schedule.
One of my colleague has a very good rule or suggestion when it comes to applying a new methodology for our team. What he says basically is: if our team want to adopt a new method or rule we should drop one of the existing ones. This is to prevent getting overloaded with many tasks and burnout. Same is true for your personal and professional life and time management. You should have your list prioritised and if somethings are not that critical just drop them and you should say no, or find a different way to say no, like this one ;)
6. Stay Organized
Staying organized is critical for effective time management. You can use tools like Trello or Asana to create a to-do list, set deadlines, and track your progress. This will help you stay on top of your tasks and ensure that you are meeting your deadlines.
Personally, I don’t use those fancy tools and have friends who use them and get benefits. I use VS Code to create a mark down file and use it to list my to-do items for each day. This technique helps me to not forget items, add and remove items from the to-do list and mark completed items easily. Managing a file feels easier for me instead of dealing with yet another productivity tool but I might be old-fashioned :)
In conclusion, time management is a crucial skill for software engineers. By prioritizing your tasks, setting realistic goals, avoiding multitasking, taking breaks, learning to say no, and staying organized, you can boost your productivity and achieve your goals. Remember, effective time management is not about doing more, but about doing the right things at the right time!
Let me know what you think from the comments and ping me if you have other useful techniques!
