As a busy construction professional, it can be a struggle to find enough hours in the day. You have a to-do list a mile long, you're juggling multiple calendars, and struggle keeping on top of it all. More time is spent figuring out what needs to be done than is spent actually doing it. Here are the top 10 time management tips every construction professional should know.

1. Time Management Tips
for Construction Professionals
TOP 10

2. 40% of adults say if they had more
time, they would spend it with family.
Source: Day Runner Survey
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3. • Write them down. Write or type your goals
someplace where you will see them daily.
• Break them down. Break down larger, complex
goals into individual steps that can ultimately
work their way onto a daily to-do list.
Set clear, achievable goals on a yearly, monthly,
and daily basis.1
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4. Create your to-do list first thing every day (or
before bed the night before). Prioritize the items
listed based on importance, with “importance”
defined as what will make the biggest positive
influence on your productivity.
Create a To-do List2
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5. Block Your Time
Use “time blocking” to allocate a fixed time period (a start
and end time) for each item on your task list.
This will ensure that you don’t lose track of time, you’re able
to complete each task, and you’ll meet your deadlines.
Examples: “8:00am-9:00am: Read bookmarked articles. 9:15-
10am: Write blog post.” Give yourself a little buffer between
each task and use a timer to keep on schedule.
3
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6. Block out “heads down” time by removing distractions.
• Log out of social applications like Facebook, LinkedIn, and
Twitter.
• Shut your email, instant messaging, and chat applications down
temporarily.
• Turn off your phones and let messages go to voicemail.
Remove Distractions4
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7. Time Management Tips
for Business Owners
4 Remove Distractions
Block out “heads down” time by removing distractions.
• Log out of social applications like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• Shut your email, instant messaging, and chat applications down temporarily.
• Turn off your phones and let messages go to voicemail.
People who multi-task decrease their
productivity by 20-40% and are less
efficient than those who focus on one
project at a time.
Source: University of Michigan
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8. Use customer contact and calendar software (such
as Act!) to manage your daily tasks and activities.
• Choose a tool that enables you to sync your activities and
calendar on your computer to the one on your smart phone.
• Make sure to use your calendar’s built-in reminder feature to
alert you 15 minutes or more before any important meeting
or activity starts.
Use a Calendar5
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9. Take a few minutes after each call or meeting to
jot down a summary of key points and action
items. Be sure to date it and highlight any action
items that you need to add to your to-do list.
Write it down6
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10. • Use magazine organizers for papers
• Create sub-folders on your computer
• Set up filters in your email to automatically
move emails that meet certain criteria to a
specific folder in your inbox.
Organize Your Workspace7
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11. The average American spends one year
of their life looking for lost or misplaced
items at home and in the office.
Source: US News and World Report
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12. Make sure that you’re investing the appropriate amount of
time into a single task, project, or deliverable.
Follow the 80/20 rule. If you spend 40 hours on project that
yields high quality results, is spending another five hours to
“make it perfect” a good use of your time? That extra five
hours can usually be used more effectively, such as tackling
other items on your list.
You Don’t Have to be Perfect8
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13. Many of us resist saying “no” to avoid appearing
less competent, less devoted, or less of a team
player. But when requests from others are of truly
lower priority, they can drain your productivity.
Learn to Say “No”9
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14. Delegating can be especially hard for business owners who
tend to be do-it-yourselfers, but you can’t focus on
important tasks if you’re trying to “do it all.”
Start by delegating tasks that are less important and have
less risk associated with them, and gradually ramp up
responsibilities as individuals prove capable. This has the
added benefit of developing your employees professionally.
Delegate!10
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15. Recap
1. Set Goals
2. Create a To-do List
3. Block Your Time
4. Remove Distractions
5. Use a Calendar
6. Write it Down
7. Organize Your Workspace
8. Don’t Be Perfect
9. Say “No”
10. Delegate!
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16. About Act!
About Act!
The #1 best-selling Contact & Customer Manager for over 25
years, Act! is the trusted choice for individuals, small businesses,
and teams to drive results and create customers for life.
• Organize all your client and vendor details in one place.
• Create, send, and track professional emails from within Act!.
• Quickly tap into all relationship details, both in the office and on
popular mobile devices.
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Click here to try Act! for free:
www.act.com/try
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