Balancing coding, meetings, debugging, and staying up to date with the latest technologies can be overwhelming for developers. Time management isn’t just about squeezing more tasks into the day; it’s about working smarter, maintaining focus, and avoiding burnout. Over the years, I’ve refined a few strategies that have helped me stay productive while keeping a healthy work-life balance.
1. Prioritize Deep Work
Context switching is a productivity killer. Emails, Slack messages, and notifications can break concentration and slow down meaningful work. I schedule my meetings in the morning to align with team discussions and collaboration. Then, in the afternoon, I block off a few hours for "Focus Time"—a dedicated period where I can dive into deep work like coding, problem-solving, or architecture planning without distractions.
2. Use the Right Productivity Framework
Rather than using a rigid system like the Eisenhower Matrix, I take a straightforward approach: I write down the most important tasks or things to focus on, ensuring they take priority. Anything that lingers but isn’t urgent gets tackled after my main tasks. Throughout the day, I also balance reviewing PRs, participating in meetings, and discussing architecture with the team—considering my role as a lead engineer, staying hands-on is essential.
3. Automate and Optimize Repetitive Tasks
As developers, we automate workflows for users—why not for ourselves? I leverage scripts, aliases, and automation tools to handle repetitive tasks like setting up environments, running deployments, or even formatting code. Investing a little time in automation upfront saves hours in the long run.
4. Learn to Say No (or Defer)
Every feature request, bug fix, or meeting invite might seem urgent, but not all of them are important. Learning to push back on unnecessary meetings or delegate non-critical tasks keeps you focused on high-impact work. A simple "Let’s revisit this next sprint" can often save hours of wasted effort.
5. Avoid Overloading Your Schedule
Overcommitting is a fast track to burnout. Developers often underestimate how long tasks will take—factor in buffer time for unexpected bugs, refactoring, or context switching. I aim to keep at least 20% of my schedule open to handle unforeseen issues without feeling overwhelmed.
6. Make Use of Asynchronous Communication
Not every discussion needs a meeting. I often go deep into Slack threads with people or discuss in direct messages with specific individuals to keep discussions targeted and efficient. When necessary, I hop on a quick huddle to align faster. This keeps communication effective without excessive meetings.
7. Take Breaks (Seriously)
Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. I don’t follow a strict work-break cycle, but I make sure to take a break after 1-2 hours of work—walking around, stepping away from the screen, or just resetting. I tend to take lunch a few hours into work, and if I start feeling burned out in the afternoon, I shift my focus or take a break before diving fully back in.
Final Thoughts
Effective time management isn’t about cramming more into the day—it’s about structuring time intentionally. By prioritizing focus time in the afternoon, tackling high-priority tasks first, and using async communication strategically, developers can stay productive without feeling overwhelmed. Small adjustments, like scheduling breaks based on energy levels and keeping room for flexibility, help maintain long-term efficiency. If you’ve found any other time management strategies that work well for you, let’s discuss them!
If you have any questions or want to reach out, send me a message through my website or my instagram!
Instagram: @Lzctrl (Posting daily content of my work)
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