Are you looking for time management questions to help you get a handle on the clock?

Do you want to better manage your time as you work at the office?

Saving time at work sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?

How can you possibly save time at work when your time is limited, and you’ve got a million things to do?

The easiest way to save time at work is to ask a few simple questions regarding your work.

The goal here is to anticipate any time problems or challenges before they get out of hand.

In this post, you’ll find a collection of different types of questions you should ask whenever you’re assigned a project or task.

You can potentially save hours, possibly even days or weeks, using this method!

Over time and with practice, you’ll know exactly the right questions to ask when it comes to working on a project or task.

Deadline-Related Questions

Deadlines can be tremendously helpful when it comes to completing your work. Having work due dates in mind can help you better structure your work responsibilities and days in general.

Now, depending on where you work, you may or may not have clear instructions as to when your projects and assignments are due. If you have a clear and defined deadline, you can plan your work around that deadline.

But what if you don’t have an explicit deadline? In this case, you may want to take some initiative and ask your supervisor or boss for more clarity.

Here are some sample deadline-related questions you can ask:

• When’s the final deadline for this task/project/assignment? On what day and at what time is it due?
• Are there any prior deadlines, such as working drafts, that need to be made? If so, what are they?
• To whom should I send the finished task/project/assignment in order to make the deadline?

Work Style-Related Questions 

Work guidelines should be followed to the letter so that the final product can be completed to specification or code.

The sooner you can clear up any issues when it comes to work styles, the better off you’ll be when it comes to managing your time.

Knowing exactly how work should be completed will save you a lot of time. You won’t waste hours working on a project, only to have to redo your work from the beginning. You’ll be doing things the right way from the start! 

Here are some sample work style-related questions you can ask:

• Is there a style guide/specification manual that I should follow for this project?
• What materials, instruments, programs, or tools should I use for this work?
• Is there a certain location or area in which I should work?
• Do you want me to work with anyone in particular for this project?

Performance-Related Questions 

We all know work gets busy. That’s why it’s so important to have an idea as to what you can and cannot do when working on a project. You need to have some boundaries or structures in place.

Of course, you may need to make adjustments or modifications while working on an assignment. It’s just something that comes with the territory of work.

But when things start to get messy, complicated, or out of control, the best thing you can do for yourself, and your time, is to ask a couple of questions.

Here are some sample performance-related questions you can ask:

• What is the latest date and time I can contact you with questions about my assignment?
• Is there any part of this project that will require approvals, other information, or materials?
• Is it okay to turn in the project as-is when I’ve finished my allotted work time?

Time Budget-Related Questions

Effectively managing a budget requires careful monitoring and planning. This holds true whether you’re budgeting time or money in the workplace.  

Time budgeting can be major concern if you are billing your time for a client or keeping track of your hours for internal use.

The key is to have crystal-clear direction before you begin your work.

Here are some sample time budget-related questions you can ask:

• How much money should it cost to do this work?
• How long do you estimate it will take me to complete this work?
• How long do you want me to spend working on this project?
• Do you want me to track my hours as I work on this project?

How about you? What time questions do you wish you’d asked before starting a recent (or not-so recent) time-sensitive project? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!