Task management can be difficult to master. But if you’re a small business owner, task management skills are the secret to success. If you can implement effective management strategies through the full lifecycle of a particular task, you can grow your company and launch exciting new initiatives. You can become better at task management through leadership training with Williams Education Consulting! In the meantime, here are a few ways these key task management skills can help you achieve your goals in your professional and personal life.
 
Delegation and Communication
 
When you’re running a business, it’s tempting to try to tackle your entire workload on your own. But learning to delegate and communicate are essential aspects of being a great leader. For example, you could delegate event planning and scheduling, invoicing, or social media management to employees or contractors. In addition, if you’re starting a business in Texas, you could use a formation service to establish your company as an LLC and free up hours of your own time during the process.
 
Delegation can also come in handy in your household. For instance, creating a chore chart so that your family members take on certain domestic chores can shrink your to-do list, and hiring cleaners could be a great investment!
 
Organization
 
In order to efficiently manage a task through its full lifecycle, you can’t overlook the importance of organization. To stay organized in the workplace, Sling recommends using a cloud-based project management app so that you don’t lose track of any moving parts while working on a project.
 
You can use digital project management tools to stay organized in your personal life, too! Alternatively, you can keep planners for your business tasks and your personal responsibilities and goals. This makes it easy to note your progress and stay on top of everything you need to get done.
 
Understanding Energy Cycles
 
Everyone’s energy cycle is a little different - but understanding your own can improve your time management capabilities. For example, if you’ve noticed that you’re more productive in the morning, tackling your most pressing tasks at the start of the workday can help you make the most of those hours.
 
This is also useful knowledge for your personal goals. For instance, if you want to focus on self-care through exercise, you could choose to work out in the morning or evening depending on when you feel more productive and energized.
 
Dealing With Pressure
 
When you’re leading a particular project, it can feel like the pressure to deliver great results is overwhelming. That’s why learning to thrive under pressure is integral to task management. Harish Saras recommends taking walks, meditating, and breathing deeply during workday breaks.
 
Dealing with stress in business can also help you manage stressful situations when you’re off the clock. When you’re dealing with conflict at home or setting boundaries with a family member, you can utilize similar coping techniques.
 
Choosing Priorities
 
Finally, knowing how to prioritize what’s most important over small subtasks that can wait can help you complete tasks in a timely manner. Identifying which tasks are truly urgent, as well as evaluating the value of each individual task, are both skills you’ll need in order to prioritize accurately.
 
Prioritizing what you focus on in your personal life can help you reach your goals faster. For instance, you might prioritize spending time meditating or journaling rather than scrolling through social media. This mindset will allow you to make progress on the goals that matter most in life and at work.
 
Polishing your task management skills won’t just benefit your business. It will also enable you to meet your self-improvement goals outside of work. By applying these task management tips, you’ll be able to grow in all areas of your life.
 
Are you interested in pursuing leadership development training? You can grow as a leader through courses with Williams Education Consulting! Reach out to us through the contact form on our website to learn more about our services.
 
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During the holiday season, leaders may notice that their teams may not be as productive as they are during other times of the year.  This may be an issue that is dependent upon the industry, but can affect any organization or team at any time.  Some of the contriburing factors for decreased productivity during the holiday season include;

• increased stress
• holiday blues
• financial strain
• increased time off/vacation time
• family conflict
• much more...

There are preemptive measures that leaders can take to encourage and motivate their employees at the close of the year.  Leaders can:

• set attainable year-end goals
• recognize and reward achievements 
• shift focus back to the mission and vision
• talk with team members individually to learn about their personal challenges and provide accommodations where possible
• be aware of those in financial need and offer assistance if possible
• be inclusive
• be positive

Teams will follow the direction of their leader.  If the leader is positive and productive during this time, team members will keep in step.