Why time management is important

Fun Fact: In the year 2000, the average attention span was 15 seconds, and now, it’s less than 8 seconds. That’s less than the attention span of a goldfish.

Now, you’re wondering why you’re reading about attention spans in an article about time management. It’s because you can’t manage your time well enough if you can’t pay attention to a task for more than 8 seconds. And time management’s popularity has only increased as our attention span has become shorter.

You’re reading this article because you wish you were more productive, especially if you are an independent consultant or freelancer.

Being successful in the gig economy means better time management. And sometimes when juggling clients, it can be difficult to meet deadlines, have a life, and avoid burnout.

Therefore, if you’re going to undertake all of this and make more money, time management is a necessity. And time management tools help.

But what is a time management tool?

Time management is the ability to use one's time effectively & productively, especially at work. This makes time management tools the devices we use to maintain or enhance that ability.

Time management tools could be simple: a pen and paper, an Excel sheet, or a stopwatch timer on your phone.

They could also be more sophisticated applications, like a time tracker, an application blocking software, or a task manager.

This article presents to you different time management applications that I’ve enjoyed using and find helpful.

Keep in mind that:

• There is no one or absolute way to manage your time better. This article is only a guide.
• The bulk of time management is mindset. You could get the most sophisticated software, but it can’t help you manage your time better if you don't use it.
• The applications listed here are of different types. They may interlap, and I do find that it’s best to use them in pairs.
• Each listed tool has a how-to-use guide to help you make the most of it.

5 time management tools to increase productivity and grow your income

1. Pomofocus (free Pomodoro timer)

Why it stands out:

I use the Pomofocus timer on days that I’m feeling anxious or finding it difficult to concentrate on a task.

I find it easy to focus on work for the 25-minute bursts because I know that it’s followed by a 5-minute break. The 25-minute period goes by rather quickly and so does the break.

I can also get an activity summary at the end of my workday to see how long I worked. The Pomofocus timer can be accessed on the browser of your mobile device and desktop.

Who should use it:

The Pomofocus timer is great for freelancers and consultants who

• are easily distracted.
• don’t feel inspired to work but need to meet deadlines.
• suffer from anxiety.

How to use it:

• Go to the website, pomofocus.io, and start the timer.
• When you exhaust the 25 minutes, the alarm will go off and you’ll receive a notification.
• Go back to the website and start the timer for the 5-minute break.
• Start another 25-minute stop time after the break.

2. Forest (mobile application blocker)

Why it stands out:

I’ve used Forest for a few years now and I love that it’s gamified. After completing a focus session, you get a fully grown tree (in your forest) and earn credits you can use to uproot withered trees from uncompleted sessions.

But the best part is that during a focus session, you can’t access any other application on your phone unless it is an emergency.

So it stops you from mindlessly scrolling through your social media feed when you should be working. It has both free and paid options.

On the days I use Forest, I aim to have more trees for vanity points. This increases my productivity.

Who should use it:

Forest is suited for freelancers and consultants who

• indulge in doomscrolling.
• are distracted by their phones.

How to use it:

• Set the duration for your session.
• Tag the session. It could be work, study, sport, or entertainment.
• Choose a tree from the available options.
• Click “Plant” to start the session.
• You will be notified once that time has elapsed.
• Repeat this process as many times as you like.

Pro Tip:

• Use Forest with the Pomofocus timer. Set both timers for 25 minutes so you won’t get any distractions for those 25 minutes.

• Silence your phone to stop noisy notifications.

3. Trello (task management software)

Why it stands out:

Trello's Kanban boards help me visualize my to-do list, see what’s in progress, what’s stuck, and what I need to do next.

I have 7 active project boards on Trello, some are for clients and others are personal.

I like Trello because I tend to forget what I need to be doing. So the daily check-ins show me what I work on next. Trello has free and paid options.

Who it is for:

Trello is great for remote teams, freelancers, and consultants working on extensive projects.

How to use it:

• List out everything you need to do for a project.
• Create a new board and as many columns as you need. Title them like this: To Do, Doing, Done, In Review, and so on.
• Place the tasks in the most fitting column.
• You could also write notes for each task, assign them to different people, and add pictures.
• Review your active boards daily.

4. Google Calendar (Scheduling and calendar application)

Why it stands out:

Google Calendar has made me so productive in the past few months. It’s easy to navigate and customize.

I use it to plan my day. I add in the tasks I need to do for a designated time, then set notifications to remind me.

Each task has a time limit, and I can readjust when I need to. I find that I do more things when they are on my calendar.

Who it is for:

It’s for freelancers and consultants who

• want to get a better handle on their day.
• would like to improve accountability.

How to use it:

• Click on the time you want to start a task on your calendar.
• Add a title.
• Set how long you want the task to last.
• Set a notification to remind you before the assigned time.
• Add in the location, customize the color.
• You can always edit the task at a later time.

Pro tip:

Review your Trello boards to see what you should be doing the next day. Then use the information to create tasks in Google Calendar. Avoid distractions by activating Forest for that time slot.

5. Clockk (automatic and AI-powered time tracking software)

Why it stands out:

Clockk shows me how many hours a day I worked and what I worked on during that time. It's an automatic time tracker, so I don't have to start or stop a timer when I switch between tasks or clients.

At the end of the day, I review my timesheet and the Reports tab to see which clients I spent the most time working for. I use that information to either reduce or increase my time for a particular client the next day.

Clockk's AI automatically fills in my timesheets, so filling my timesheets takes less and less time the more the AI studies how I attribute time. I get a star anytime I lock in my timesheet and I can convert these stars into actual money.

I also get an overview of the previous day delivered to my inbox. The interface is sleek and really easy to use, plus I can manually add in tasks that I completed elsewhere.

Another thing that makes Clockk stand out for me is that I get to uncover more bits of time that add up into chunks every day that I’d otherwise have ignored if I tracked time manually.

Who it is for

Clockk is best for freelancers and consultants who

• handle multiple clients.
• want to send invoices that reflect the true cost of their labor.
• can’t be bothered to start a timer or won't remember to.
• Managers of remote teams will also enjoy it because they can automatically see the submitted timesheets of their team members.

How to use it

• Install both the desktop application and browser extension.
• Register and set up a password.
• Sync the desktop app with your calendar and email applications.
• Enter the names of your Clients and individual projects.
• Train the AI by assigning tasks to the right Client and Project for the first few days. Once it understands your workflow, it’s easy peasy from there.

Conclusion

The best time management tool isn’t the flashiest one; it’s the one you use consistently.

For freelancers and consultants, automatic time trackers like Clockk will uncover more billable hours that would otherwise be lost and help you make more money; task management tools like Trello will keep you on top of your projects; apps like Forest and Pomofocus will keep you focused; and a calendar will help you organize each day.

Investing in the right tool doesn’t just help you manage time; it grows your income.