7 Daily Habits to Improve Productivity and Time Management

Time is the life of a person; it is their age passing before them with every tick of a clock they may carry, perhaps without realizing its value. It is the basis of accountability, for one will be held responsible for every hour that passes without fulfilling its due rights. Time encompasses moments dedicated to prayer five times a day, a day each week for the obligatory congregational prayer, a specific month of the year for fasting, and a designated day each year for standing at Arafah. In Islam, every minute, even every second, holds significance. Allah swears by it in many places in His Book. He says: "By the ˹passage of˺ time! Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss" (Al-Asr 103: 1-2), and He says: "By the night when it covers, and the day when it shines!" (Al-Lail 92: 1-2), and He says: "By the dawn, and by ten nights" (Al-Fajr 89: 1-2), and He says: "And the night as it retreats, and the day as it breaks!" (Al-Muddaththir 74: 33-34).

Time is one of the greatest blessings Allah has bestowed upon His servants. From the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) teachings, it is reported that he said: “Two blessings which many people squander: Good health and free time” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). The meaning of this hadith is that if a Muslim has both health and free time but is idle and does not engage in acts of worship, they are considered deprived. Therefore, organizing and structuring time—and thereby life—is essential.

1-    Precisely Determining Daily Priorities ⁽¹⁾

Randomness in time management is one of the greatest wastes of life and missed opportunities. Effective time management starts by identifying tasks that are most important and impactful for long-term goals. Working on less important tasks first wastes both time and energy, while prioritizing increases productivity and reduces psychological stress.

Practical application: Use the "Eisenhower Matrix" to classify tasks by importance and urgency, focusing on those with the greatest impact:

• Urgent and important tasks: Crucial for project success, requiring immediate attention due to deadlines and significant consequences if not completed.
• Important but not urgent tasks: Necessary for success, but can be scheduled flexibly; they should still receive attention to avoid becoming urgent.
• Urgent but not important tasks: Do not significantly contribute to success but require immediate attention to reduce urgency.
• Neither urgent nor important tasks: Do not contribute meaningfully and can be delegated or minimized as they waste time.

2-   Setting a Daily Plan ⁽²⁾

Randomness kills productivity, whereas precise scheduling allows efficient time management. A daily schedule helps distribute mental and physical energy and creates a sense of control over time.

Practical application: Allocate specific times for work, focusing on major tasks, linked to prayer times, with breaks to restore energy after noon. Start the day after Fajr prayer, or even in the last third of the night if possible, ensuring prayer is performed on time. Then take a short nap at midday to boost afternoon productivity. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said while advising a man: “Take advantage of five things before five: your youth before old age, your health before illness, your wealth before poverty, your free time before being occupied, and your life before death” (Al-Hakim & Al-Bayhaqi).

3-   Practicing Focus and Full Attention ⁽³⁾

Multitasking and constant switching between tasks reduce productivity, while focusing on one task improves quality and speed. Full attention enhances performance, reduces errors, and allows more to be accomplished in less time.

Practical application: Use the "Pomodoro Technique" — work for 25 minutes on one task, then take a 5-minute break, closing digital distractions during work.

Steps:

1.     Choose a task.

2.    Set a timer for 25 minutes.

3.    Work with full focus on the task.

4.    Take a 5-minute break when the timer rings.

5.    Repeat until the task is completed.

Allah says: "Tell ˹them, O  Prophet˺, ‘Do as you will. Your deeds will be observed by Allah’" (At-Tawbah: 105).

4-  Utilizing Idle Time ⁽⁴⁾

Time lost during commuting or waiting can be turned into opportunities for learning or achievement. People who use small pockets of time to develop skills or review tasks gain more control over their time than others.

Practical application: Read a book, listen to audio lessons, plan upcoming tasks, or recite Quranic portions during public transport. Allah says: " And Allah has favored some of you over others in provision" (An-Nahl 16: 71), indicating the importance of making use of available opportunities.

5-   Eliminating Digital Distractions ⁽⁵⁾

The prevalence of digital distractions consumes significant time and reduces focus and productivity. Controlling these distractions allows time to be spent on meaningful goals.

Practical application: Keep your phone away during work, use apps to block distracting sites, and allocate specific times for checking messages.

6-  Regular Rest and Energy Recovery ⁽⁶⁾

Fatigue reduces focus and productivity. Smart rest is part of time management, recharging mind and body, and preventing physical and mental exhaustion.

Practical application: Take short breaks every 90 minutes, ensure sufficient sleep, and practice simple relaxation exercises. Allah says: "And made your sleep for rest" (An-Naba 78: 9).

7-   Weekly Evaluation and Continuous Review ⁽⁷⁾

Reviewing accomplishments weekly helps improve performance and manage time better. Continuous assessment identifies obstacles and strategies to overcome them, gradually increasing productivity.

Practical application: Write a personal weekly report: what was accomplished, what was not, and how to improve time management for the next week. Allah says: " Be mindful of Allah, for Allah ˹is the One Who˺ teaches you" (Al-Baqarah 2: 282).

Time management and productivity are not merely acquired skills but daily habits requiring awareness and consistent discipline. Determining priorities, setting a daily plan, focusing, utilizing idle time, minimizing distractions, regular rest, and weekly evaluation are practical tools that help achieve personal and professional goals efficiently and effectively.

Read Also:

-       3 Prophetic Gems for Self-Development and Success

-       Contemporary Reading of Self-Development in the Quran

-       10 Strategies for Effective Self-Development

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Footnotes:

[1] Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (p. 64): "Daily priority setting is the cornerstone of sustainable productivity."

[2] Dr. Ibrahim El-Fiky, Time Management and Achievement (p. 45): "A written daily plan reduces time wastage and increases the ability to focus."

[3] Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich (p. 120): "Full focus on a single task doubles productivity and achieves better results."

[4] Dr. Ibrahim El-Fiky, Time Management and Achievement (p. 62): "Investing small pockets of time increases productivity and continuously develops personal skills."

[5] Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (p. 90): "Reducing digital distractions is a fundamental condition for increasing personal productivity."

[6] Dr. Ibrahim El-Fiky, Time Management and Achievement (p. 77): "Planned rest enhances productivity and gives the mind the ability to innovate."

[7] Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (p. 112): "Continuous evaluation maintains control over time and increases personal productivity in the long term."