Time Management
Ranked #233,912 in Business & Work, #1,643,362 overall
10 Ways to Manage Your Time
You have only a limited amount of time and energy. You cannot do it all, you can only do some of it.
That means you need to be budgeting and prioritising your time.
Here are some pointers to help.
That means you need to be budgeting and prioritising your time.
Here are some pointers to help.
1. Operate according to your plan, not your mood
Many people are driven by the their mood, or by circumstances
A smaller number operate according to their plan.
Be part of the last group.
Have a written plan and use the plan to guide your activities.
If you do not have a plan you will be, by default, driven by circumstances or by mood.
Neither will take you towards your goals
Set your goals, write your plans and let your plans dominate in your mind.
Be part of the last group.
Have a written plan and use the plan to guide your activities.
If you do not have a plan you will be, by default, driven by circumstances or by mood.
Neither will take you towards your goals
Set your goals, write your plans and let your plans dominate in your mind.
2. Judge tasks, not people
Judge the value of the task, not the likability of the asker.
When judging what tasks you will do and which ones you will put off, do NOT use the likability of the asker as your method of deciding.
Use the value of the task as your guiding principle.
Many people do the things for people they like and put of the things for the people they do not like.
As a result the important tasks are delayed.
Use the value of the task as your guiding principle.
Many people do the things for people they like and put of the things for the people they do not like.
As a result the important tasks are delayed.
Keep your goals, constantly in mind and work toward being productive and not busy.
Is there a difference between being busy and productive?
Is there a difference between being busy and productive?
Yes
Do you have busy but non productive days?
Yes
Do you ever feel like you have been working hard but have got no closer towards your goals?
Yes.
Then learn to distinguish between busy and productive activity:
Busy is defined as " a measure of activity"
Productive is defined as "a measure of achievement"
Decide your goals and realise that anything not directly related to the achievement of your goals is relatively:
A waste of time.
Keep your goals, constantly in mind and work toward being productive and not busy.
Yes
Do you have busy but non productive days?
Yes
Do you ever feel like you have been working hard but have got no closer towards your goals?
Yes.
Then learn to distinguish between busy and productive activity:
Busy is defined as " a measure of activity"
Productive is defined as "a measure of achievement"
Decide your goals and realise that anything not directly related to the achievement of your goals is relatively:
A waste of time.
Keep your goals, constantly in mind and work toward being productive and not busy.
4. I will keep asking "What is the most valuable use of my time right now?"
Write out the question and pin it where you will see it.
Ask and answer the question once every hour and act on the answer.
Notice that the question is not:
What is the most pleasurable use of my time right now?"
What is the easiest use of my time right now?"
Notice that the question is not:
What is the most pleasurable use of my time right now?"
What is the easiest use of my time right now?"
5. In relation to other people
Mark out in your mind, two people who continually interrupt you and keep you busy but without any added value.
Then avoid them.
Then avoid them.
6. Notice your own time wasting habits
Analyse yourself and identify two bad habits that you have that cause you to waste your own time.
Then stop doing it.
Replace it with the opposite virtue.
For example
My bad habit is putting things down and losing them.
Opposite virtue: to have one place for my keys, mobile phone and wallet.
Replace it with the opposite virtue.
For example
My bad habit is putting things down and losing them.
Opposite virtue: to have one place for my keys, mobile phone and wallet.
7. Improve office systems
Good systems can make you, Bad systems will break you.
Look at the systems you have and notice those that:
1. Are out of date and need improving
2. Do not even exist
3. Have failed to deliver the promised results.
Then make the necessary changes.
1. Are out of date and need improving
2. Do not even exist
3. Have failed to deliver the promised results.
Then make the necessary changes.
8. Make priority decisions by means of a decision matrix
Do your meetings ever drag on too long and then end with no decision being made?
That is probably because nobody is running a decision matrix.
Look on the web and seek out the three kinds of decision matrix
1. The "what order of priority decision matrix"
2. "Yes or no" decision matrix
3. "Which one/ what kind" decision matrix.
These are not hard to find.
They are not hard to do.
They will make your meetings faster and more productive.
Look on the web and seek out the three kinds of decision matrix
1. The "what order of priority decision matrix"
2. "Yes or no" decision matrix
3. "Which one/ what kind" decision matrix.
These are not hard to find.
They are not hard to do.
They will make your meetings faster and more productive.
9. Delegate as much lower value work possible for the right reasons only
Do not try to do it all.
Do the important things.
Ignore some.
And delegate the rest.
Delegation is a good tool because:
1. It frees you up to do higher value work
2. It develops the skills of the person to whom the task is delegated
3. It spreads the load
4. It uses the talents of the team more effectually
Make your delegation aligned to the following four principles:
1. Specific: Give exact details to the person.
2. Achievable: make sure the person has the necessary skills and knowledge
3. Realistic Make sure the person has the resources to achieve success.
4. Deadline driven: let the person know by when the task must be completed.
Do the important things.
Ignore some.
And delegate the rest.
Delegation is a good tool because:
1. It frees you up to do higher value work
2. It develops the skills of the person to whom the task is delegated
3. It spreads the load
4. It uses the talents of the team more effectually
Make your delegation aligned to the following four principles:
1. Specific: Give exact details to the person.
2. Achievable: make sure the person has the necessary skills and knowledge
3. Realistic Make sure the person has the resources to achieve success.
4. Deadline driven: let the person know by when the task must be completed.
10. Interrupt the interrupter
Some people interrupt you.
Do not let them talk for too long without considering asking them the following two questions.
Question One: I know you have lots you want to tell me, but isn't it true, that of those things some are much more important than the others?
Pause. Look at them and wait.
Wait for him to agree.
What is happening in the pause?
Question TWO: "I am really pushed for time right now, so could you tell me briefly, in a nutshell, the top (one/two) things only and then let me focus on this?"
Don't let anyone interrupt you for too long.
Stay focused on the most productive activities.
Then go home rest...
And grow stronger.
Question One: I know you have lots you want to tell me, but isn't it true, that of those things some are much more important than the others?
Pause. Look at them and wait.
Wait for him to agree.
What is happening in the pause?
Question TWO: "I am really pushed for time right now, so could you tell me briefly, in a nutshell, the top (one/two) things only and then let me focus on this?"
Don't let anyone interrupt you for too long.
Stay focused on the most productive activities.
Then go home rest...
And grow stronger.
Corporate Coach Group Blog
New YouTube vids
Corporate Coach Group
Management Training Courses
We all have to manage others, and ourselves irrespective of our position. Corporate Coach Group provide management training programmes including: The emphasis is on helping you increase your confidence and develop your personal effectiveness. by chrisfarmer
Chris Farmer is the leader of The Corporate Coach Group, who provide UK management training courses, and a publichsed author in Business Coaching. His... more »
- 23 featured lenses
- Winner of 6 trophies!
- Top lens » 20 Key Elements for Leadership Skills
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
Explore related pages
- Job Interview Questions and Answers Job Interview Questions and Answers
- Emotional Management Emotional Management
- Visionary Leaders - inspiring and leading change Visionary Leaders - inspiring and leading change
- Customer Service Reader Customer Service Reader
- Michael E. Gerber Michael E. Gerber
- Nursing Books @ Amazon.com Nursing Books @ Amazon.com
