As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come to recognize that unless there is a focused effort to keep vigilance over priority busters, our best time management efforts will go unrealized. Our day-to-day lives demand more to resolving this than just practicing better time management principles.
The cost of a minute
Jim Miller of U.S. West tells us we experience eight interruptions an hour. American Demographics magazine says us we receive 23 paper and electronic messages an hour-each one its own type of interruption. Regardless of the type or number, remember that every time someone stands at the door and asks if you've 'got a minute?' they invite you to climb out of your priority and into theirs. Politely moving them to an alternative time enables you to remain focused on your priorities.
'Yes' is an acceptable word
Learning to say no and meaning it is difficult. Let's face it?no can sound like 'yes' and no and sound like 'maybe'. Saying it to supervisors or customers comes with its own cautionary reminder. But identifying and being committed to your priorities is what keeps us focused on when and if we should be saying 'yes'.
Fight against procrastination
A difficult habit to break. When delaying decisions is how we handle matters, we permeate our time management practices with ineffective and frustrating scenarios. Not only for ourselves, but for others as well. Making decisions to move things forward is the only way to fight procrastination. One mindful step at a time.
Today's business climate creates pressure to produce more work?with fewer people?sooner?for less money. It demands more of us. But there's major productivity gains to be realized by proactively handling interruptions, keeping commitments tethered to priorities and actively making decisions. That is when we will realize productivity gains and less stress as individuals and as an organization.
There are only 24 hours a day. It's how you use them that determines your level of satisfaction with work and life.
Copyright 2001 Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.
Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer, consultant, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit corporations. She is President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational consulting firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help improve performance in the areas of time, information, space and electronic file management.
Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of International Society for Performance Improvement ? Kansas City chapter (ISPI-KC) and consultant to the American Coaching Association.
custom home cleaning Lincolnshire ..Many of you have expressed the challenge of not having... Read More
In our time-crazed society, lots of time is what most... Read More
If you feel like your life moves faster than a... Read More
Reflect on the rewards of kicking the procrastination habit. They... Read More
The ability to be able to set priorities and deal... Read More
Whether you're a new business owner or if you have... Read More
If you can motivate yourself at will to get any... Read More
If you are like most moms I know you think... Read More
What are the most important things you should accomplish today?... Read More
When I was small, I have never considered the importance... Read More
Nowhere is the line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains'... Read More
The biggest time management mistake you can ever make is... Read More
Any habit of mind or body that interferes with taking... Read More
"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More
When you decide to become self-employed, you automatically become the... Read More
We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes... Read More
Recently I saw an advertisement for a time management booklet:... Read More
"It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to... Read More
Last week I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
Would you like to know how to get 10 times... Read More
Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
"At my back I always hear time's winged chariot hurrying... Read More
We live in a world where more is expected of... Read More
Hey - Did someone press the FFW button?Have you ever... Read More
move in cleaning service Glencoe ..There are so many books on Time Management published every... Read More
Are you drowning in a sea of unread papers? Do... Read More
If you're like most people, you want to get better... Read More
A year and a half ago I was introduced to... Read More
Recently I've experienced a barrage of time wasters. Everything you... Read More
"I find it interesting that the very cape I tried... Read More
A working manager needs more than time management.That old saying,... Read More
I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More
Reflect on the rewards of kicking the procrastination habit. They... Read More
Years ago when I started in this business, it seemed... Read More
When do you want to make time for a networking... Read More
Time and money are both very important in business. Yet,... Read More
Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number... Read More
Clarity brings accomplishmentOne of the most important things you can... Read More
Many folks tell me that they just don't have time... Read More
"Fashionably late" is no longer in fashion. In today's heavily... Read More
"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More
Yesterday, I'd just gotten comfortable at my favorite table in... Read More
We are all born equal! We all have the same... Read More
How can you get an extra hour out of each... Read More
When trying to achieve a quality education, everybody knows that... Read More
Vilfredo Pareto's Principle, or The "Pareto Principle," is more commonly... Read More
TIME MANAGEMENTWith the creation of the universe, God gave humankind... Read More
What are the most important things you should accomplish today?... Read More
Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up... Read More
Time Management |