Introduction to effective time management
1/ Prioritise work
Potential work can be separated into four categories:
- Urgent and important: Jobs must be worked on now. These are critical and also support your goals so
make a decision to complete them. They can include
+ ◆ A genuine crisis affecting an objective that is important.
+ ◆ ‘Must do’ time-critical emergencies, e.g., a medical emergency.
+ ◆ Last minute preparations for scheduled activities.
- Urgent but not important: Jobs tend to be generated by others. Because you don't really want to spend
much time on tasks not connected with your goals delegate them to a competent assistant. Examples
include:
+ ◆ Some mail and reports
+ Many ‘pressing’ activates associated with someone else’s panic
- Important but not urgent: Jobs that need to be completed before they become urgent. Ensure you allow
adequate time to do them. This category includes many future-oriented activities such as:
+ ◆ Exercise and true recreation
+◆ Relationship building with key stakeholders and in your personal life
+◆ Most planned project activities, including taking the time to plan properly
◆ Preventative action and activities
Not important and not urgent: Jobs are probably not your work anyway. Delete as many as possible particularly
if they have been on your ‘list’ for several months. Delegate the rest to a team member.
2/ The power of “NO”
- Say NO to the jobs you want to do but do not need to do. You know these are ‘fun to do’ but really are a
waste of your valuable time - focus on what matters, delegate the rest.
- Say NO to routine jobs that ‘everyone does’ that simply do not add value to your work. You may need to
work on some process improvement to achieve this.
- Say NO to other people trying to offload their responsibilities onto you. Judgement is required, helping a
colleague in trouble, helping achieve a critical organisational deadline, an opportunity to learn new skills
or simply being a good friend may shift the balance towards taking on the work. But being a ‘nice guy’
can be taken advantage of - you are paid to deliver your responsibilities.
3/ The bright state of mind:
- Use a particular stimulus can trigger a focused concentrated work state
4/ Avoid distractions and interruptions:
There are things you can do to minimise distractions and interruptions such as:
- Switch off your mobile phone.
- Put the landline on the answerphone.
- Close your e-mail application.
If the office noise is distracting:
- Try listening to music on your headphones.
- Set up a signal (e.g. a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on your desk) to let your colleagues know they will interrupt
you at their peril.
- Keep a notepad open and write down any tasks to do with other projects that occur to you while you are
working.
- You can then consult the pad and get on with them after you have finished.
5/ Tips to combat procrastination
- Write down your goals
- Start the day with a minor achievment
