Time Management Tools
Coaches who coach in the areas of productivity, time management, small business, life management, and other similar topics will often have to address the issue of calendars and time tracking with their clients. So in this post we will look at several time management tools that can be helpful to your clients. If you have a lot of clients looking for time management solutions, take the time to check out each one so you will have a handful that you can choose from when you need to recommend the perfect solution to someone.
What you’ll notice about this list is that these solutions aren’t necessarily all about plunking a task into a spot on the calendar. As you probably know from your own coaching, different clients have different time management needs. Some are tied more closely to the calendar while others are more project-oriented. Some just need to keep basic lists while others need a really robust system with charts and calendars and lists.
Google Calendar. This solution is free, it’s easy to use, it’s robust enough for a lot of users, and it syncs with Gmail. Some of your users might also like that the calendar can be embedded into a website. Cost: Free.
Zoho Planner. This solution has many of the same features as Google Calendar but seems more robust. It includes notes and lists, which are pretty handy. And, if your client uses other Zoho applications, they will sync with Zoho Planner. Cost: Free, although Zoho seems to indicate that business use is charged.
RememberTheMilk. For your clients who only need to track lists and deadlines, but not in a calendar, this might be the right solution. It’s easy to add, modify, and share tasks. As far as lists go, it’s pretty robust. Cost: Free.
Action Method. Action Method is a system created by Behance based on how they believe projects are completed. For project-oriented clients, this is a great system: Every project is made up of action steps, references, backburners, discussions, and events. Cost: There is a free option but the $99/year is quite reasonable.
Skoach. This is a site I hadn’t heard of before and I stumbled over it while researching this blog. It looks really good (although I haven’t used it). What I like about it is that you create a "big picture" weekly calendar in broad strokes to make sure that all of aspects of your life are covered, and Skoach seems to fit things into those categories. There’s also a progress bar that lets you know when you’re over committing yourself. Cost: After the 14 day trial you can buy a subscription to Skoach in varying increments up to the best value of $54 every six months.
So, which one is right for your client? It depends on the kind of work they do, the price they are willing to pay, and how they like to work. And be aware that these time management tools might not be right for them. In fact, they might find that a project management tool (like Action Method, above, or like Basecamp or Zoho Projects) work better for their situation.
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