3 time-management tips to be more productive in 2025, according to a brain expert
Time management is something we all think we've come to terms with as adults. But do you really know how long you should be mapping out in your day to write your work reports, or do you just wing it every time? Do you have grand ideas about ticking off your to-do list, only to get distracted with a task you hadn't prepared for that swallows the whole day?
All that's despite the fact that time management education never seems to go away. On TikTok, productivity hacks and early morning routines go viral as we seek out better ways to plan our days. New organisation apps and tools are launched regularly, each promising us better ways of getting on top of what we need to do so we can enjoy the things we want to.
So what's going on? According to Neeltje van Horen, one of Europe’s top economists and a professor at The Donders Institute of Brain Cognition and Behaviour, the answer is a lot. She uses her skillset to apply economic principles, like sunk costs and trade-offs, to reframe how we manage time and mental energy (and even had the time to write her upcoming book, Ignite: Unlock your brain's true potential - and change your life).
Why is managing your time so difficult?
This is question we have likely all asked as we jolt between scrolling on TikTok, working and WhatsApping (maybe you already see the problem?).
According to van Horen, there are four key things standing between you and better planning:
Overcommitting
Hands up if you say yes to too many things without fully considering what is required of you to meet all of those demands? 'Economists call this opportunity cost – every time we say yes to something, we are, by default, saying no to something else. And too often, what gets sacrificed are the very things that matter most,' says van Horen.
Likely, that's time with family or friends, a personal project or simply self-care.
Prioritisation
'One of the biggest traps we fall into is prioritising what feels urgent in the moment – like answering an email the second it arrives – instead of first identifying what truly matters. As a result, we spend too much time on tasks that seem pressing but ultimately have little impact, leaving too little time for the work that actually moves the needle,' says van Horen.
Multitasking
Many of us – particularly women – pride ourselves on multitasking. 'However, our brains are wired to handle only one task at a time. What we think of as multitasking is really switching our attention from one thing to the next,' explains van Horen.
'We’re forcing our brain to constantly switch gears, resulting in what psychologists call task-switching costs. We incur switch costs when shifting between any tasks, but they are higher when we switch between complex tasks. According to a study by psychologist David Meyer, this task switching can cost us up to 40% of productive time. And it’s not just about lost time – multitasking lowers work quality, increases mistakes and weakens our ability to retain information.'
Lacking concentration
'Many of us struggle to concentrate, and the cost is steep. When our attention is scattered, tasks take much longer — if we complete them at all.
'A key reason we keep our phones within reach and notifications on is that we’re addicted to the rewards of distraction. Our brain has a novelty bias, meaning it’s designed to ignore the old and focus on what’s new, a survival mechanism that once helped us detect potential threats.
'Today, that same instinct works against us. When an email or notification pops up, our prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for focus – gets distracted. The novelty triggers a dopamine release, encouraging us to explore further. And each time we give in, we strengthen the habit, making it even harder to resist the next interruption.'
Why managing your time matters: The health argument for better productivity
Obsessing about productivity reeks of podcast business gurus who spout that you don't need sleep or friends, just work, to thrive. That's obviously a toxic message – but not being productive enough can be just as bad for you, argues van Horen.
'Having enough time for things that truly move the needle, rather than getting lost in busywork, not only means that we get more done but we also tend to feel more satisfied and motivated. It’s like a virtuous circle because when we’re motivated we tend to perform better and can push through longer,' she says.
'When we manage our time well, we also create more space to relax and do the things we enjoy – an essential factor not just for productivity but for long-term wellbeing. Our brain, much like our body, has its limits; it isn’t designed to be 'on' all the time.
'Just as muscles need rest to recover and grow stronger, our brain needs downtime to recharge and function at its best.'
Poor time management often leads to feelings of overwhelm which can escalate to chronic stress. 'Over time, chronic stress takes a toll on both our physical and mental health, contributing to cardiovascular problems and weakened immunity, to name a few. Inside the brain, it inhibits the growth of new cells in the hippocampus – the brain’s memory centre – and causes the prefrontal cortex to shrink. The amygdala – which plays a key role in processing emotions – grows larger and becomes more active. These changes impair clear thinking, can lead to memory problems and make it harder to regulate emotions, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression over time.
'This cycle is aggravated by poor sleep, which often accompanies stress. Sleep plays a crucial role in emotional regulation, and without enough rest, we become more irritable, anxious and emotionally fragile – making it even harder to manage stress effectively.'
3 ways to manage your time better
1. Stop multitasking and embrace single tasking
'A simple yet highly effective technique to help with this – named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer – is the Pomodoro technique,' says van Horen. It works like this:
Pick a task
Set a timer (traditionally for 25 minutes but can pick any time)
Work uninterruptedly on your task until the time is up
Take a three-to-five minute break
After four Pomodoros, take a 15-30 break
Repeating this process not only improves productivity but also trains the brain to focus for longer periods.
2. Schedule your most important tasks – and protect those time blocks
Put your important tasks in set times of the day, suggests van Horen. 'Treat them as non-negotiable commitments, the same way you wouldn’t casually reschedule a doctor’s appointment or a flight.
'Break large tasks into smaller, manageable pieces and block out focused time to work on them. Without dedicated time, urgent but less important tasks – often driven by others' demands – will take over. When possible, batch email checks into designated windows (e.g. 30 minutes in the morning, after lunch and at the end of the day) rather than letting them pull your attention away constantly.'
3. Estimate how long a task will take – then multiply by five
This counteracts the planning fallacy – our natural tendency to underestimate the time needed to complete a task, even when we have done a similar task before. Giving yourself this buffer can prevent frustration, reduce last-minute stress, and help you plan more realistically.
For example, if you need to finish writing a presentation, and you think you threw one together in 30 minutes last time, allow yourself at least a couple of hours to do it. That way, if something goes wrong (you can't get into the system, you panic and don't know what to write or you realise you need more research time, etc), you don't forego other tasks at its expense.
Here's to happy, realistic productivity.
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