Paper Or Plastic? What's Your Time Management Style?
Ever been curious about the different styles of time management? Some people swear by a paper-based approach, others make all their to-dos on their phone, and still others are planners with pen and paper. It's hard to know what approach will work best for you until you try it.
A few years ago, we did a series of studies that helped us identify four distinct styles of time management—and how each style affects your stress level and how productive you are.
These four styles are:
Structured Flexibility Organized Chaos Streamlined Omnipotence
The first time we uncovered these styles was in a study called "Which Time Management Style Is Best?" (download here ). In this experiment we used a paper-based time management approach that involved a month of tracking tasks and noting how you spend your time. In that study, we found that people who track their to-dos each day using pen and paper are more productive than people who use electronic tools.
Here's the true kicker though: The worst way to manage your time was without any schedule at all .
How We Found the Four Time Management Styles
After the initial research, we did a lot of digging to find out what exactly was going on here. And we came across something interesting:
Everybody is different. Even people who say they manage their time the same way can do it in different ways. For example, a person who's structured might also have some flexible elements in their system—they just may not show up as often. And an organized person often has some areas of chaos, but those elements are usually limited.
The problem is that, in our studies so far, we aren't able to identify the differences. We needed to dig a little deeper. So we decided to conduct two studies: The first was to help us find the different styles, and the second was to pinpoint what causes these styles—and what you can do about them.
The Study On Time Management Styles
Here's how we did it:
In the first study, we gathered about 30 people and split them into two groups. We then gave each group some commonly used time-tracking tools and told them to manage their time like they normally do—but not to save their progress on any of the tools.
When each group returned a month later, we noticed differences in their calendars . We also asked them to outline what they did every day on paper—and what they did every day electronically.
Then we looked at their results and found four styles of time management.
Strangely, we didn't find any one style that was always better than the others—but we did learn about some strategies for how you can use your style to become more productive.
The Four Time Management Styles
The first documented style is structured. This strategy involves prioritizing certain tasks each day—and if a task isn't completed, it's moved to the next day.
Another style is flexible—people in this group try to do several tasks at once, but if one of those tasks gets pushed into another day, that's fine.
The third style is organized. People who are organized plan their days out with specific activities and tasks—and they accomplish those goals at the end of the day.
The fourth style is streamlined. This strategy includes a few elements of structured time management, but it also includes flexibility in other areas—like letting a task slip if something else comes up later on that day.
Organized: A structured time management approach that includes a strong daily routine. This style of management helps people focus on specific tasks and goals, then feel the sense of accomplishment at day's end.
Flexible: This stress-free style of management doesn't usually have a set schedule for getting things done. It allows for spontaneous changes, but doesn't get much accomplished over the long haul.
Streamlined: A style similar to organized, but with less structure—and more available time to tackle additional tasks and projects.
Structured: People who are structured spend more time planning their day and leaving time aside for specific tasks. They usually feel the benefits of completing their tasks, but they might not be as productive as people with other styles.
Chaos: State of mind . People who don't use a strong organization system might be better in this style of management—because they're able to handle a lot of change without feeling stressed.
Omnipotence: Includes elements of all four styles. This high-energy strategy involves juggling a high number of tasks. People who take this approach can be very productive, but they don't have a strong system to guide them aside from their natural flexibility.
The Power of Structure
When we grouped the study participants into these four styles, we learned something crucial: These styles of time management affect how smart people are. In fact, it appears that the more structure in your life—the more you know that your priorities and goals for the day—the smarter you are.
Conclusion
What do you think about your style of time management? We'd love to hear from you. Send us a note at whatsthebestwayto@gmail.com , and we might include your thoughts in a future blog post.
We'll also continue to explore ways for you to use these styles of time management—and how each can lead to higher productivity and less stress. In the meantime, you can download our free e-book on how to manage your time .