Mastering time management as a team

Time is one of the most valuable resources in any workplace. When managed well, it boosts productivity, reduces stress and fosters a more collaborative and efficient team environment. But managing time effectively isn’t just about individual habits, it’s about how team members work together. Here are some practical, proven strategies to help your team take control of time and make every minute count.

Planning and prioritisation

Set clear goals

Start with clarity. Define your team’s objectives and break them down into actionable tasks with deadlines. This helps everyone understand what success looks like and how to get there. Encourage team members to plan their day and week, whether at the beginning or end, so they can align their personal goals with team priorities.

Prioritise tasks

Not all tasks are created equal. Use frameworks like:

• Eisenhower Matrix: categorise tasks by urgency and importance to decide what to do now, schedule, delegate or drop.

• MoSCoW Method: classify tasks as Must have, Should have, Could have, or Won’t have this time. Personally I do this every morning - if I reach the ‘Should’ pile it’s been a good day!

• Impact vs. Effort Matrix: evaluate tasks based on how much impact they’ll have versus how much effort or time they require.

  • Quick Wins (high impact, low effort): prioritise these first.

  • Major Projects (high impact, high effort): plan and allocate resources.

  • Fill-ins (low impact, low effort): do when you have spare time.

  • Time Wasters (low impact, high effort): abort!

Create a shared calendar

Avoid scheduling conflicts and missed deadlines by using shared calendars like Google Calendar or Outlook. This ensures visibility into team availability and helps coordinate meetings and deadlines efficiently. Particularly effective in a flexible working hours’ environment.

Tools and Technology

Use project management tools

Platforms like Trello, Asana or Monday.com help teams track progress, assign responsibilities and stay aligned. This doesn’t have to come at a prohibitive cost as many project management tools offer free tiers, and you might already have access to tools like Microsoft Projects or Google Workspace that are often viable alternatives, so start off by checking your subscriptions!

Time tracking software

Tools like Toggl or Clockify help teams understand where time is going and identify inefficiencies. This can also help individuals realise how much they can realistically achieve in a day, improving efficiency and reducing overcommitment. Careful not to take this one too far though or else you risk creating an over-controlled work environment.

Automate repetitive tasks

We’re lucky enough to live in an age where progress in AI applications is mind-bogglingly rapid, and many of these applications can save your team a considerable amount of time and error. For example, use automation tools like Zapier or Microsoft Power Automate to handle routine tasks, like sending reminders or updating spreadsheets, so your team can focus on high-value work. There’s often someone in the team who is really into AI, an evangelist of sorts - why not give them an official role to stay on the lookout for tools that streamline processes and cut repetitive manual tasks?

Team Collaboration

Daily stand-ups

A quick 10–15 minute meeting each morning helps align the team, surface blockers and set daily priorities. It’s a small investment in time that pays off in clarity and momentum. Use this time to ask: What do we NEED to do today? Particularly effective in remote or hybrid work environments, and dispersed teams.

Delegate effectively

Assign tasks based on team members’ strengths and availability. Delegation isn’t just about offloading work from some people, it’s about empowering others and balancing the load. If someone’s stuck, encourage them to ask for help rather than lose time spinning their wheels.

Establish roles and responsibilities

Avoid duplication and confusion by clearly defining who does what. Running a RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) can be a game-changer for clarity and accountability, and time well spent.

Work habits and culture

Time block for deep work

Encourage team members to schedule uninterrupted blocks of time for focused work. Protecting this time from meetings and distractions can dramatically improve output, particularly if all team members block the same time slots. The Pomodoro Technique (25-minute focused sprints followed by short breaks) is a great way to structure these sessions, but it’s not for everyone.

Limit meetings

Only hold meetings with a clear purpose and agenda. Cancel any that don’t add value. Routine check-ins should rarely exceed 30 minutes. If a meeting doesn’t have a clear goal, it probably doesn’t need to happen. Assign pre-meeting prep-work to ensure everyone comes into the meeting well briefed so that it’s unnecessary to spend time on briefing or reviewing at the meeting itself.

Build productive habits

In today’s hyper-connected world, productivity isn’t just about managing time, it’s about managing attention. We live in an age of constant noise and building habits that protect focus is essential for effective teamwork.

Here are a few practical techniques to help your team stay on top of tasks and avoid procrastination:

• 2-Minute Rule: if something takes less than 2 minutes, just do it. It’s faster than writing it down or scheduling it.

• 5-Minute Rule: for tasks you’ve been putting off, commit to just starting for 5 minutes. Sometimes that’s enough to build momentum.

But productivity isn’t just about techniques, it’s also about environment and team culture.

Minimise distractions

Distractions are everywhere, especially in remote work settings. Constant notifications from mobile phones, social media or even well-meaning team chats can fragment attention. Tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack, and even WhatsApp groups, are fantastic for coordination, quick questions and maintaining team spirit, especially when people are working from different locations. But without boundaries they can become a source of constant interruption.

Encourage your team to:

• Use “Do Not Disturb” or focus modes during deep work.

• Agree on communication norms that don’t require instant replies, like posting updates or questions in shared channels or documents so others can respond when they’re available. This helps reduce pressure to always be online and allows everyone to manage their time more effectively.

• Banter and idle-chat have their place (without which is life really worth living?) but pay attention they don’t take over and agree ground rules if they do.

Respect different working styles

Not everyone works the same way. Some people thrive in a buzzing, collaborative environment; others need quiet to concentrate. Some find remote work liberating, while others struggle with isolation or home environments that aren’t ideal, whether due to noise, lack of space or poor ergonomics.

As a team, be empathetic and flexible. Support each other in finding routines and setups that work for everyone. Respect different working styles and avoid creating a culture where constant chatter or availability is expected. Productivity grows when people feel empowered to focus, and supported when they need help.

Get your White Rabbit to chill

Most teams have encountered a “White Rabbit” at some point: like the character from Alice in Wonderland, always running late for a very important date. Constantly overwhelmed and visibly frantic, this team member can unintentionally set a stressful tone for everyone else.

In a team environment, that mindset isn’t healthy or sustainable. It typically comes down to one of three things: they enjoy being busy (and perhaps complaining about it); they’re struggling with prioritisation and time management; or there’s a genuine issue with workload, staffing or how tasks are distributed.

Whatever the cause, the “White Rabbit” shouldn’t be left to operate in a perpetual state of urgency. It’s not only unhealthy for the staff member themselves, it can also make others feel inadequate or question their own contributions. At some point, they’ll need support to address the issue, whether that means better planning tools, a workload review, or simply a shift in perspective.

Review and improve

Conduct Retrospectives

Take time to reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Sticking with ineffective processes is one of the biggest time drains, so be bold about change. Even a 15-minute retrospective can uncover valuable insights.

Celebrate success

Recognising achievements boosts morale, strengthens motivation and plays a key role in staff wellbeing and retention. Take time to celebrate success, whether through a team lunch, a shout-out or simply the satisfaction of ticking off a big task. Investing in recognition now saves time and energy later, by reducing staff turnover, supporting morale and helping to prevent wellbeing issues before they arise. Just make sure you’re celebrating the right things because making a big song and dance about the wrong ones can have the opposite effect.

Encourage feedback

Open communication helps identify time-wasting practices and improve workflows. Create a culture where feedback is welcomed and acted upon as it’s one of the most powerful tools for continuous improvement.

Time management isn’t about squeezing more into your day, it’s about making space for what matters most. Teamshaper training programmes help teams build smarter habits that improve focus, reduce stress and get the right things done, together.