It’s always hard to get back into the swings of things after the holiday break.

For those who are having a hard time staying on top of their professional obligations, here are 4 time-management tips you won’t want to miss.

Read on to overhaul your workweek and master your schedule.

1. Set SMART Goals for Yourself

There is no worse feeling than ending a day feeling like you’ve accomplished nothing. Sure, you’ve made progress on a project, but maybe you don’t have anything to show for it yet.

What’s the problem in a situation like this? It could be that you aren’t setting SMART goals. A SMART goal is one that is:

• Specific: Your goal is something clear, precise, and not too generalist.
• Measurable: Your goal can be measured, usually with some kind of figure (“read 50 pages by Thursday“, “close 6 sales deals by Friday“)
• Achievable: Your goal is achievable, and not next-to-impossible to attain.
• Relevant: Your goal is relevant to your bigger-picture objectives.
• Timely: Your goal has a set deadline (“by Friday,” “by the end of the year“)

Are your daily goals realistic, or are they impossible for any single person to achieve in a day? Take a look at your workload and spread the work out. You’ll see measurable progress and you’ll end each day feeling a little better about yourself.

2. Make Schedules

Scheduling is key to quality time management. It isn’t just about planning important meetings for the week, but breaking up your workday into segments. This practice is known as time-blocking, and it is extremely effective.

Time-blocking keeps you on track throughout the day. By paying attention to your hourly schedule, you might even notice some patterns in your work habits. Are you more productive in the morning or the afternoon? Schedule those important tasks during your periods of peak productivity.

3. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

Rome wasn’t built in a day—and it wasn’t built by one person, either. Do you have colleagues on your term, or people working beneath you? Take some time at the beginning of the day or week to look at the work that lies ahead. Are there some people on your team who could accomplish certain tasks more efficiently than others? Utilize the strengths of your team and you’ll see how easy it is to get things done.

4. Embrace Breaks

Stressing the importance of breaks might seem counter-intuitive to productivity, but that isn’t the case. Breaks are crucial. Slot yourself down-time throughout the day. You will see just how much more energy you have when you’re at your desk or in meetings.

Research shows that people need to renew mental energy levels every 90 minutes. Sit down with a snack, go for a walk, or do whatever it is that soothes your mind.

Time Management Demystified

People who accomplish more in a workweek aren’t necessarily working overtime. More often than not, they’re just using their time more efficiently. In the world of time management, optimization is crucial.

If you’re looking for an enriching career where you can work according to your schedule, head on over to our Jobs board to see what positions we currently have available.