The Art of Time Management: 5 Habits of People Who Get Twice as Much Done in Half the Time

I’ll be honest with you. Over the years, I’ve tried just about every time management hack you can imagine.

I’ve experimented with the Pomodoro Technique, played around with complex scheduling systems, and even attempted to wake up at 4 a.m. like all those CEOs you read about.

Some of these helped. Many didn’t stick.

But through trial and error, mentorship, and diving into books by people who seemed to have figured it out, I eventually discovered a handful of habits that actually made a real difference. These weren’t just slight improvements. They genuinely transformed how much I could accomplish without feeling burnt out.

Today, I’m sharing the five habits that have been absolute game-changers for me. The ones that helped me get twice as much done in half the time.

They might just help you too. 

1. Planning the night before

Sounds basic, right? 

It is. But when you plan in the morning, you’re using precious mental energy that could be better spent actually doing the work. By planning the night before, you show up knowing exactly what needs to happen.

I now do this every evening before I shut down my laptop. I write down my top three priorities for the next day and roughly block out when I’ll tackle them. That’s it. Nothing fancy.

The difference has been massive. I wake up with clarity instead of anxiety. No more wasting that crucial morning energy on decision-making.

If you’re someone who finds yourself spinning your wheels at the start of each day, give this a try for a week. You might be surprised how much smoother your mornings become.

2. Protecting deep work time like it’s sacred

When I worked in a traditional office environment, I used to get so frustrated. I’d be deep into a project, really in the zone, and someone would tap me on the shoulder with a “quick question.”

Those interruptions would completely derail me. What should have taken two hours would stretch into four because I kept getting pulled out of focus.

The concept of deep work really clicked for me after reading Cal Newport’s book on the subject. It reinforced what I already suspected: our most valuable work happens when we can focus without interruption for extended periods.

These days, I block out specific chunks of time for deep work. During these periods, I turn off notifications, close my email, and make it clear I’m not available unless there’s an emergency.

For me, this is usually two to three hours in the morning when my energy is highest. That’s when I tackle my most challenging or creative work. The stuff that actually moves the needle.

Here’s the thing though. Protecting this time requires saying no to things. Meetings that could be emails. Slack messages that can wait. The constant pull to check your phone.

It’s not easy, especially in work cultures that expect instant responses. But the productivity gains are so significant that it’s worth the occasional awkward conversation about boundaries.

3. Batching similar tasks together

I stumbled onto this one by accident.

A few years ago, I noticed I was spending an absurd amount of time switching between different types of work. I’d write for twenty minutes, then jump into emails, then hop on a call, then back to writing.

Each switch required my brain to completely change gears. It was exhausting and inefficient.

So I started grouping similar tasks together. I’d have a writing block where I’d work on multiple articles back-to-back. Then a separate block for all my administrative stuff. Another for calls and meetings.

The improvement was immediate.

When you batch tasks, you get into a rhythm. Your brain doesn’t have to keep switching contexts, which means you work faster and make fewer mistakes. You also tend to get better at whatever you’re doing as you move through similar tasks.

These days, I batch everything I can. I do all my email responses a few times a a day rather than constantly checking. I schedule all my meetings on specific days when possible. I even batch my errands and life admin into one afternoon a week.

This isn’t revolutionary advice. But it’s one of those things that sounds simple until you actually implement it consistently. Then you realize how much mental energy you were wasting on context switching.

4. Saying no to almost everything

This was probably the hardest habit for me to develop, but it’s been one of the most impactful.

I used to say yes to everything. Coffee meetings with people I barely knew. Projects that didn’t align with my goals. Committees and groups that sounded interesting but weren’t actually important to me.

I thought being busy meant being productive. I was wrong.

Now, I’m ruthless about protecting my time. Before agreeing to anything, I ask myself: Does this move me toward my actual goals? If the answer isn’t a clear yes, it’s a no.

This doesn’t mean being rude or unhelpful. It just means being honest about what deserves your limited time and energy.

The result? I accomplish way more of what actually matters and feel less scattered and overwhelmed.

5. Working with your energy, not against it

This might be the biggest lesson I learned. 

For years, I tried to force myself to be productive all day long. I’d push through the afternoon slumps, trying to do demanding work when my brain was foggy.

It would work well for a day or two and before I knew it, I was burning out. 

Eventually, I realized that time management isn’t just about managing time. It’s about managing energy.

We all have natural rhythms. For me, I’m sharpest in the mid morning. By mid-afternoon, my ability to do deep, creative work drops significantly. 

So I stopped fighting it. I structure my days around my energy levels instead of trying to maintain constant productivity.

My most important, challenging work happens in the morning. Afternoons are for easier tasks like emails, admin work, and routine stuff that doesn’t require peak mental performance. Evenings are for winding down and planning the next day.

I also learned that taking real breaks actually makes me more productive overall (experts back this up, too). A 20-minute walk in the afternoon does more for my output than pushing through another hour at my desk.

This approach requires knowing yourself. When are you at your best? When do you naturally dip? What recharges you?

Once you figure that out and structure your day accordingly, you’ll find you get more done with less effort.

The bottom line

Time management isn’t about cramming more into your day. It’s about being strategic with the time you have.

These five habits have helped me accomplish significantly more without working longer hours or burning out. They’re not flashy or complex, but they work.

Will they work exactly the same for you? Maybe not. We’re all different, and what works for me might need adjusting for your situation.

But I’d encourage you to try them. Why not? Pick one or two and commit to testing them for a few weeks. See what happens.

Credit: geediting.com