For those people looking for some quick suggestions on making the most of their time, here are 12 effective time management rules:
Organize your desk. A neat desk helps a mind stay organized. People do better on exams when neatly dressed, excel in sales when well-prepared and are more productive at work when their materials are arranged in an orderly way. Keep your in-basket off your desk to minimize interruptions and distractions. If possible, have your desk face the wall.
Plan your day. If you have no objectives for the day, you will likely have a matching set of results. Plans are the handrails that guide you through the day’s distractions and keep you on course. Plan what you will do at the start, evaluate progress during the day and measure results at the finish.
Schedule your tasks. Listing jobs on a “to do” list shows your intention to work on them, but scheduling important tasks in your planner reveals a commitment to get them done. Make appointments with yourself at specific times to work on your priority tasks – and try to keep those appointments.
Don’t be a perfectionist. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. But “well” does not mean perfectly; it means it is sufficient to fulfill the purpose intended. Don’t spend inappropriate amounts of time on tasks that don’t require that degree of accuracy or completeness.
Handle paper only once. When possible don’t even look at your mail until you have 30 – 60 minutes to review it. As you pick up each piece of paper, either scrap it, delegate it, do it, file it or schedule a time to do it later. The same thing applies to email.
Don’t procrastinate. Procrastination is putting off until later what is best done now. If it’s too large a task to complete in one sitting, break it into chunks and do a little at a time. If it’s distasteful, do it now and get it over with. Putting things off wastes time, causes stress and helps make life unpleasant for yourself and others.
Say “no” more often. Some people say “yes” to others simply because they’re available or don’t want to offend. Make sure the request is compatible with your goals before you agree. Have as much respect for your time as you have for other peoples’ time. Remember, every time you say “yes” to something, you are saying “no” to something else that could be done instead.
Record your telephone calls. Don’t rely on your memory. Jot down notes while you’re on the line. Indicate any action required on your part by jotting a note on the right hand side of the page. Cross it off when it’s completed. You are less likely to be interrupted if you’re writing, your concentration will improve and you won’t forget to follow up. You will also have an accurate record of what was discussed.
Delegate more. This is the greatest time-saver of all because it frees up time for more important tasks. If you have no one to delegate to, ask your suppliers to help. Or delegate to a computer. It can retrieve information for you, fax, dial the telephone or send email. Be on the lookout for time-saving equipment and supplies that will help free up your time. Don’t delegate anything that can be eliminated.
Avoid stress. Recognize you can’t do everything or be all things to all people. Be organized, effective and efficient, but don’t go on a guilt trip just because you can’t do the impossible. It’s not the stressful environment, but your reaction to it that does the damage. Your health should be your number one priority. Without it you’re of little use to anyone.
Practice Pareto’s Principle. This 80-20 rule suggests that 80% of your results are achieved by 20% of the things you do. Focus on the priorities, and if everything doesn’t get done, let it be the less important tasks.
Put your goals in writing. Time is life. Don’t leave it to chance. Determine where you would like to be in five years and put those goals in writing. Then, schedule time for yourself to work in that direction. Where you will be in five years is determined by what you are doing today, tomorrow and next week.
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