Home
>
Time Management
>
Are You Really Swamped or Just Disorganized

Are You Really Swamped or Just Disorganized

"Time is what we need the most and what we use the least." Benjamin Franklin

I asked a potential client if he had received my e-mail sent out four days ago. He replied, "I've been swamped." When we visited at his office, I had the opportunity to meet one of the most stressed out and over-loaded people I'd seen for a long time. And most of it was his own doing! Of course he took a while to accept that fact until I showed him just a couple of things he did during our meeting which caused his problem.

About ten minutes into the meeting, his administrative assistant walked in and asked him to remind his friend at Kiwanis the next day to return the PowerPoint projector because they'll need it for the 3pm meeting on Friday. He said, "Sure", asked her about something else - which developed into a four-minute conversation - apologized to me, and tried to remember what he was saying before the interruption. He answered his phone three times, and agreed later that he didn't need to take the calls right there and then. It was just a habit.

So, instead of planning the customer service seminar we'd discussed, we decided to postpone it in favor of a workshop on managing time and stress. You can't give great customer service if you're not managing your time effectively.

What are some time stealers, and what can you do about them?

1. Playing it by ear ? without a plan. If you start out your day at the office or the factory not knowing the first thing you're going to do, you are setting yourself up to have your time pre-empted by others. Take a few minutes at the end of your day to determine the three or four priority actions to be taken next day. Firm up the one you're going to start with ? and make it one that is high priority.

2. Procrastination We tend to put off doing those things we know are important but are not exciting enough to get us motivated. Visualize the expected result from doing something important that you've been putting off. This morning, starting at 7am I decided to follow my own advice about procrastination, and I spent a very profitable hour and a half re-organizing the scattered files in my office into the filing cabinet - to free up desk space and reduce the tension that often comes from having many objects of work in your line of vision.

3. Activity versus Action. Do you spend more time involved in activities than in action? It happens often when I'm writing. While searching for background material, I often get sidetracked by an interesting piece of information or another article. Other "activities" might include watching TV, reading a trade magazine, talking on the telephone about nothing in particular, surfing the Net, or reading the mail ? especially junk mail.

The only way to control this is to stay focused. I have a sign in my office that says "I MUST DO THE MOST PRODUCTIVE THING POSSIBLE AT EVERY GIVEN MOMENT." I got this idea from the sales trainer and motivational speaker, Tommy Hopkins.It helps.

Learn to say NO! People avoid saying NO because they don't want to offend, they're afraid of letting someone down, or they're worried what others might think about them. Try this:

a. Say firmly and without hesitation, "I'm sorry I can't do (whatever they're asking you to do) today."

b. Give a reason, "because I'm working on this project which has to be finished before Friday"

c. Offer an alternative, "You may want to check with Stephanie, I think she's got some free time this week, now that the budget is finished.

John Madden is an international speaker, trainer, and author of "Leap, Don't Sleep" (How to get different results by doing something different). He specializes in customer service, coaching skills for managers, stress management through humor, creative problem solving, and interpersonal skills. You can reach him at 316-689-6932 or 1-800-301-2924; email at john@leapdontsleep.com; web site: john@leapdontsleep.com

Bishop Hill taxi from Midway ..

In The News:

After a recent cyberattack affected patient record systems at Ascension, one of the largest U.S. health systems, here are a few ways you can safeguard your health records.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to hide the apps loaded onto your Android device so others can't access them and violate your privacy.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson has a warning about a new type of malware that's targeting Apple computers for files that may contain private information.

NASA'S Dragonfly rotorcraft is scheduled for a 2028 journey to Saturn's largest moon, Titan, which is located 746 million miles from Earth.

Apple launched its first artificial intelligence product, the M4 Apple silicon chip in a new iPad Pro. Steve Jobs predicted the iPad would replace laptops.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Artificial intelligence has made social engineering scams more sophisticated. They are scams by which criminals exploit trust for money or information.

Quadroin AUV is an underwater research robot that mimics penguins' graceful and swift swimming, descending to depths of 492 feet at speeds up to 11.5 mph.

Will fake movie trailers made with AI become real enough to take over Hollywood? Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses more about spotting AI movie trailers and how they work.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Triton Submarines redefines the underwater experience with the Triton 660/9 AVA, which offers panoramic views and unparalleled ocean access.

If your Facebook account has been hacked and you're having trouble logging back in, Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you some steps to recover your account.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how the Aloha Unleashed project showcases a dual-arm robot system that autonomously performs tasks, demonstrating remarkable precision in robotics.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall boarded the cockpit of an F-16 controlled by artificial intelligence on Friday, before the plane entered a dogfight with a human-controlled plane.

Using a virtual private network to seach the internet has its pros and cons. It can provide more security and privacy. But users can be blocked from websites.

Dragon 12 is an underwater kite manufactured by Swedish company Minesto that promises to generate clean electricity deep under the sea.

The Federal Communications Commission slapped the nation's four biggest mobile carriers with fines totaling $200 million for unauthorized sharing of customer location information.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The fully electric Atlas 2.0 robot was designed for real-world applications, and it is capable of lifting and maneuvering heavy, irregular objects.

Rather than spending time searching for the right buttons, here are a variety of keyboard shortcuts to make your workflow easier, faster and with less clutter.

High tech video cameras seem to find their way into the hands of Peeping Toms in hotels, dressing rooms and rental properties. Here's how to keep yourself safe.

If you consider Facebook's "People You May Know" section distracting, there's a way to temporarily remove it. There is no permanent way to eliminated it.

ChatGPT is an industry game-changer — here are a few simple prompts that can easily come in handy as personal and professional life hacks.

IPhones have several voice assist options available — like Siri and VoiceOver — that can help users search the web and read articles by voice.

The X1 exoskeleton is a motorized artificial intelligence-powered all-terrain device that straps to your waist and thighs for hiking climbing and running.

Are You Really Swamped or Just Disorganized

Time Management