TIME MANAGEMENT
10 STRATEGIES FOR BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT
You may often wish for more time but you only get 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, 86,400 seconds each day. How you use this time depends on skills learned through self analysis, planning evaluation and self control. Much like money, time is both valuable and limited. It must be protected, used wisely and budgeted. People who practice good time management techniques often find that they are:
More productive Have more energy for things they want to accomplish Feel less stressed Get more things done Relate more positively to others and feel better about themselves
1. KNOW HOW TO SPEND YOUR TIME Keeping a time log is a helpful way to determine how you are spending your time. Determine which tasks require more time. Determine the time of day when you are most productive, and analyze where most of your time is being devoted; job, family, personal, recreation etc. Identifying your most time consuming tasks and determining whether you are investing your time in the most important activities can help you to determine a course of action. Having a good sense of the amount of time required for routine tasks can help you be more realistic in planning how much time is available for other activities.
2.
SET PRIORITIES THE TIME MANAGEMENT MATRIX
Managing you time effectively requires a distinction about what is important and what is urgent. Most people would agree that we tend to let the urgent dominate our lives. While activities that are urgent and important must be done, we should spend less time on tasks that are not as important in order to gain time for tasks that are not urgent but important. Keeping this method in mind will allow you to gain greater control over your time and possibly reduce the number of important tasks that do become urgent. One of the easiest ways to prioritize is to make to do lists. Whether you need a daily, weekly or monthly checklist depends on your life style. A helpful tip is to rank the tasks on the list in order of importance. Keep in mind that your goal is not to mark off the most items off your list but the ones with the higher priority.
3. USE A PLANNING TOOL Using a personal planning tool to improve your productivity certainly has it’s advantages. Examples of personal planning tools include, electronic planners, pocket planners, wall charts and calendars. Writing down your tasks and schedules allows you to free your mind to focus on your priorities. The key is to find one planning tool that works for you and to use this tool consistently.
SOME REMINDERS WHEN USING A PLANNING TOOL Always record your information on the tool itself. Never jot down information on different scrap pieces of paper. Jotting notes else where that later needs to be transferred later deems inefficient. Review your planning tool daily Carry your planning tool with you
Remember to keep a list of your priorities and refer to it daily If using an electronic planning device, always keep a back up system.
4. GET ORGANIZED Most people would agree that disorganization results in poor time management. Get rid of clutter and organize your desk. Implement a system that allows you to handle information more efficiently. Basically you have 5 options for handling information: 1.
Throw it away, delete it or otherwise get rid of it.
2.
Delegate it: give it to someone else to do, file or respond.
3.
Act on it yourself than file or throw it away.
4.
File it temporarily until it needs action or until additional information is received.
5.
File it permanently where you can easily find it later.
5. SCHEDULE YOUR TIME APPROPRIATELY
Even the busiest people find time for what they want to do and feel is important.
Time managing is not only scheduling things that you have to do it is also about making a time commitment for the things that you want to do. Good scheduling of tasks require that you know yourself. Evaluate the times when you are most productive and alert and plan your most challenging tasks around this time frame. Always make sure you try to protect this time from any interruptions.
6. DELEGATE GET HELP FROM OTHERS Delegation begins by identifying tasks that others can do and then selecting the appropriate person to do them. Be as specific as possible in defining the task and your expectations, but allow the person some freedom to personalize the task. Occasionally check in on the person to ensure the task is being completed and provide feedback as needed. Finally, don’t forget to thank the person or individuals that assist you as this is a gesture that portrays teamwork and comradery.
7. DON’T PROCASTINATE Some people put off tasks for a number of reasons. Perhaps the tasks seems overwhelming or unpleasant. A good way to approach this is by breaking down the task into different segments that require less time and commitment. This will allow you to approach realistic and specific deadlines for yourself. Remember let’s think back to rule number 5; where we said that evaluating the times we are most productive and alert are the best times to plan our most challenging tasks. Always make sure you try to protect this time from any interruptions.
8. MANAGE EXTERNAL TIME At times external factors may be the cause for some individuals not being able to complete their tasks on time. These factors imposed by other people or things can greatly impact your daily performance in the workplace. You can decrease or eliminate time spent engaging in these activities by implementing the following tips:
EMAIL Set a specific time to view and to respond to emails. Never let emails accumulate where it begins to get difficult to sort.
Use voicemail and set a time to return calls Avoid small talk stay focused on the reason for the call Take any necessary action immediately after the call TELEPHONE Keep phone numbers readily available near the telephone
Establish blocks of time when you available for visits. Tell the visitor politely that you are unavailable at the moment and reschedule for a convenient time. When someone comes to the door or approaches your desk stand up and have the meeting standing.
FAMILY OBLIGATIONS
Create a master calendar where everyone has an area to post their commitments Check the calendar daily as to serve as a reminder for honoring appointments UNEXPECTED VISITORS
9. AVOID MULTITASKING Psychological studies have shown that multi-tasking does not actually save time. In fact, they insist that the opposite is often true. You lose time when switching from one task to another, resulting in a loss of productivity. Routine multi-tasking may lead to difficulty in concentrating and maintaining focus when needed.
10. STAY HEALTHY Poor time management can result in fatigue or moodiness, which is why the attention and care you give yourself is an important investment of time. Scheduling time to relax is extremely important. Scheduling time to relax can rejuvenate you physically and mentally enabling you to accomplish tasks efficiently and quickly.