Tips On Time Management For Product Managers

Time management can be a major challenge for most product managers. Working sixty hours a week can lead to a very hectic schedule, leaving you no time for anything else but work. And some organizations, feel hesitant in splitting the role because of the risks of incurring coordination costs or chances of losing sales. But worry not, because here are some tips on how to manage your time as PM.

Saying no can be stressful at times. Especially when you are used to getting into every single discussion, decision, and detail in the company. But politely saying no can buy you more time for yourself. Turning down meetings, calls, and shoulder tap work can be done without looking like a jerk, just remember to be polite when turning down these workloads and you’ll find your way through it. This will buy you more time and lessen the workload on your shoulder.

Shorten the length of your meetings and have them scheduled less than the regular hours. Most meetings take too long and may lead to a lack of focus during meeting hours. Cutting it down will allow more focused and effective communication from your co-workers. Your team will even be thankful enough for giving them some time off as well. Shorter meetings will allow more brainstorming ideas that can even help your team better than the usual long meetings.

Organizing and disseminating information is important for your team’s needs. Some product managers take a lot of time organizing information and getting associate product managers a hand full of load. The key here is to use all available tools that can help you move faster. Try recording meetings, or putting together an information radiator on a whiteboard so that your team can work more efficiently. It is very important to be disciplined in providing context to your team, otherwise, no one will be paying attention.

Make sure you use your lunch breaks to energize yourself. It is important to have a happy stomach at work so you could focus properly on what needs to be done rather than what needs to be eaten. Also, use this time off with your coworkers to brainstorm ideas, go outside and explore nearby restaurants, usually, a change of scenery can often create great ideas.

One of the practical things you can learn in product management training such as the ones offered by Product School is that engaging in high leverage activities can give you a fair amount of rest and creativity at the same time. This will help you do less but build more value for your customers. This includes passing new data and context to your team and being optional and dispensable for the customer’s needs. This will create a more effective working environment for your team and your customers.

Time is definitely a scarce resource for a lot of, if not all, product managers, but it’s not a challenge that you cannot manage. With the right attitude and a willingness to try more efficient practices, you will be on your way to making better use of your work hours and have enough time to spend for yourself and the people who matter in your life.