 So much to do and so little time! It’s a familiar cry. The endless list of tasks to be done seems to far exceed the time available. Time is perhaps one of the most valuable resources you have and yet, so many people do not value it.
Just as you carefully manage your money to get the most value, you also need to manage your time. Time is money - so essentially, wasting time is wasting money. Most people don’t think of time as money because they make no cash outlay. Careful time management will improve your productivity and your bottom line. And best of all, you will be able to cross things off that ‘to-do’ list. Australian Business Author and Industrial Psychologist Kris Cole offers some great practical tips for managing time better. The ‘to-do’ list It seems so simple but really is essential. Listing tasks helps you to ensure that you don’t forget anything and also allows you to prioritise your activities. If they are all listed together, you can see which are most important or will require the most time and you can then determine the timeframe for activity. The ‘to-do’ list will also help you group the activities to be completed. This will allow you to schedule complementary tasks together. If you have a few different phone calls to make for example, do them all at once. Chopping and changing will likely cause confusion and encourage disorganised work space. Make a Due Date Always give yourself a due date. It is important to set a due date particularly when the task does not have a completion date set by an external party. Tasks with no due date tend to be continually pushed back by higher priorities. Know Your Limit Sometimes it will be impossible to please everyone and you will have to say no to more work. It is also important to ensure that you are in control of your own workload before you take on tasks for others. Know Your Optimum Work Time Some people tend to work better in the morning and often lose some focus during the afternoon - for others it is the reverse. Schedule the most important and demanding tasks at a time when you work best. Keep Track of the Time While Surfing the Web It is very easy to get carried away surfing the Net and before you know it, you have just spent 2 hours without a benefit. Set yourself a time limit and a clear task objective when you log on. Only Keep the Documents You Need There is no need to keep everything - particularly documents that have been superseded many times. Maintain files of relevant information and nothing else. Delegation This is not easy and if done incorrectly will only waste time as you have to back track over tasks you delegated - re-do them correctly or better. However, if tasks are correctly delegated - expectations, timeframes and standards clearly communicated to the right person - it will save you time. Meetings Only hold or attend meetings where it is necessary and then only discuss the relevant issues. If there is nothing specific to discuss, or you don’t need input from others, then there is no need for a meeting or lengthy discussion. Look After Yourself Eat properly and exercise regularly. Physically fit and healthy people have more energy, concentrate better and generally maintain better moods. Interruptions All the time management and planning in the world can fly out the window when you throw a few unplanned interruptions into the mix. Workers in busy offices are interrupted an average of once every eight or nine minutes. This causes you to lose time, throws your schedule out, disrupts your thoughts and breaks your concentration. An essential part of time management is learning to deal with interruptions. Try the following techniques: n Implement a screening process to determine as quickly as possible what the issue is and whether you or someone else needs to be involved n Schedule a time for interruptions. Set consultation hours at various times throughout the day and request that, as far as possible, people see you in these times n Encourage workers to keep their visits short. Keep looking at your watch, stand up to talk, continually mention your priorities and deadlines, and do not bring up personal matters or enter into general conversation n Keep the visit focused on the work issue and close off the conversation once the solution has been given n Try to minimise phone tag. Leave an e-mail and fax number for people to contact you. Also, try to make calls in the first two hours of the morning and the last two hours of the afternoon as people are more likely to be at their desks and available at these times. n Set specific times to check your emails and voice messages. Don’t allow them to be a constant interruption. Implementing a few of these ‘tricks-of-the-trade’ will allow you to make the most out of your day, increase your productivity and bottom line whilst reducing your own stress and anxiety. Samea Maakrun is the Managing Director of Sasy n Savy Pty Ltd. Her range of lifestyle products are exported to 12 countries across the globe. W: www.sasynsavy.com.au E:
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