Time Management: 11 Tips
Work more efficiently and be more productive using these time-management tips:
- Use a timer.
Pick one item on your to-do list,
set your timer for 15 minutes and get to work. Don’t worry about finishing, just get
started. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and get nothing done at all. Tackling tasks in
small chunks helps you stay focused. - Delegate.
Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of others
to complete projects that are time consuming or monotonous. Whether you have to
hire a professional or your 10-year old son, do it. - Set goals.
It’s much easier to get something done if
you know exactly what it is you’re working toward. Set long-term goals first and
then determine the short-term goals that will serve as stepping stones toward the
larger goal. - Sort mail immediately.
Mail can quickly become
beastly, taking over every nook and cranny. When you get your mail each day, open
it directly over the garbage can. Most likely, the bulk of it can be dropped right in.
For the rest, determine what action needs to be taken and deal with it
appropriately. - Make an appointment with yourself.
Schedule at
least one hour each day for “catch up” tasks such as work overflow, returning phone
calls, answering emails etc. If you pencil time into your calendar, you’re less likely
to let the mundane (but necessary) tasks pile up. - Become friends with your voice mail.
Don’t be a slave
to the phone. It really is OK to let voice mail get it once in a while. - Have an assembly line mentality.
Complete like tasks
together such as returning phone calls, answering email, sending out invoices etc.
You’ll be much more productive. - Work when you’re most alert.
Figure out your most
productive time of day and set your work schedule accordingly. - Use checklists.
For tasks that must be completed on
a regular basis, make and keep simple checklists to ensure you don’t overlook
important steps in the process. - Give everything a place.
Don’t waste your time trying
to find things that seemed to have disappeared. Organize your workspace so that
every item has a home. It’ll make locating and storing items a snap. - Be prepared.
Reserve 5 minutes at the end of each
day to review your schedule for the next. That way, you’ll have no surprises.
Amy Andrews is the owner of SimplyComplete.com, where businesses & individuals hand off their “got-to-dos” so they can focus on their “want-to-dos.”
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