For any business to grow successfully, productivity is of the essence – and this means accomplishing goals right on schedule. In today’s workplace, employees set themselves apart from the rest and make themselves ahead of the rat race by establishing their ability to handle information for the improvement of corporate projects and their capacity to manage their time efficiently. Careers are made or broken by the skills that allow employees to carry a heavy workload and still come out on top.

But managing one’s time in the workplace is different from managing one’s time in another setting, such as in the family (including the division of labor or domestic chores) or in school (including doing research for papers and attending extra-curricular activities). The workplace today is a highly competitive environment that demands a lot from its subjects, including ideas, effort, and – most important and taxing of all – time.

That is why it’s imperative to put to practice tried and tested time management techniques in business. Knowing how to manage your time even in the smallest ways can contribute greatly to how you perform over time. Time management is also an effective way to get rid of stress and make your office a more livable place – a space where you can breathe easy because the pressure of catching up is reduced.

One of the most basic things you can do is to check your email on a regular basis so that your inbox won’t get too crowded and you won’t have a hard time sorting out messages. The ability to process and synthesize information quickly and turn said information into action is an emergent skill that is highly appreciated in the professional world these days. In order to make your email time more efficient, have your email organized neatly in file folders. This way, when a message needs more consideration and thought, you can simply transfer it to your to-do list, which by the way you should organize too. On the other hand, when a message needs to be referred, you can print it out. When a message reminds you of an upcoming meeting, you can move it to your online calendar and have yourself updated every time you log in. Email is the most common means of communication these days, so you’re sure to save time when you check your email on schedule and manage your email system accordingly.

Multitasking is the trend these days. However, studies show that multitasking is not advisable in the workplace and is not one of the recommended time management techniques in business. Multitasking may get things done but not in a manner that promotes excellence in the workplace; thus, it only provides a meager solution to lack of an efficient time schedule. More often than not, results of multitasking come out half-baked and unprofessional. Experts recommend responding to important things slowly and with deliberations. This means that when you’re out doing a high-priority task, you should refrain from doing about anything else, including making phone calls, answering emails, or writing memos. This produces faster and better results in the long run.

These simple time management techniques in business can make you a better contributor to the efficiency, productivity, and overall performance of the company.