If you're like most people, you want to get better at managing your time, whether at work or at home. The question is, do you know where to start?
Unless you have a clear idea of where you are right now, no road map is going to help you get to your destination. That's why, before you can think about managing your time well, you need to analyze how you're using your time today.
Let's backtrack a bit. Have you ever made statements like these?
"I'll come over in a minute."
"Just give me a couple of minutes to get dressed and finish breakfast."
"I'm on my way; I'll be there in two minutes."
If you think about it, all the above statements are probably false. There's no way most folks will get dressed and finish breakfast in two minutes. And arriving at your destination in a minute or two is usually quite unlikely.
Yet we make such statements regularly. That's because we often do not realize the amount of time we actually take to finish certain tasks.
To get a better grip on your time usage patterns, try and estimate the time you take for the following activities.
* Draft a letter to a customer
* Look through a file and sign it
* Have a cup of coffee
* Hold a meeting to brief your team
* Confer with your boss
* Prepare a presentation to senior management
* Lead a seminar
* Chat with colleagues
* Read emails
* Respond to emails
* Read through a one page letter
Feel free to add to the list above. Include activities you do regularly.
Have your time estimates ready? Here's what to do next.
Pick out the three fairly time consuming activities you do repeatedly. Get a stopwatch and time yourself when you do those activities. Take care not to try to speed up those tasks while you're timing them. Just work as usual.
Now compare the results with your estimates. Surprised? Most people are, when they discover that doing certain tasks takes much longer than they imagined.
The previous exercise had one goal -- to convince you that you need to take some effort and find out how you actually use your time.
Your next step is to maintain a running log of all your activities and the start and end times of each. Do this for a full week. Don't stop and analyze your performance in between.
You can get your secretary to help you do this. But it works just as well if you keep the records yourself.
It's not important to get your timing down to the microsecond! Just note down the approximate start and end-times of each activity, in serial order as you do them. The objective is to get a snapshot of what you do and how long it takes you to do them.
At the end of one full working week, sit down with your logs. Make a list of each of the tasks you do. Jot down the amounts of time you took to do them, for each day of the week.
Which are the repetitive activities? Which ones consume the most time? Are the tasks that consume the maximum time also the tasks that contribute the most to your performance? If not, is there any way you can eliminate those tasks -- perhaps by delegating them?
Are you taking on work that is not yours to being with? If so, perhaps you need to say no more often.
Take the time to think through what your log reveals about your work habits -- and about you. By doing so, you've taken a big step towards managing your time excellently. Repeat this process every few months and you'll get far better results that others whose notion of time management is limited to writing a to-do list.
Burt Carlson is a top corporate executive whose passion is helping people get more out of life by managing their time better. He has written on time management and work, time management and work, time management and work for better results and many other topics.
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..From Potential to PerformanceOne of the great things about life... Read More
Many of the world's most driven and successful people sleep... Read More
We are all born equal! We all have the same... Read More
There are the golden rules that apply to time. If... Read More
Having a home based business can be overwhelming. When you... Read More
This past Friday I was asked to speak with a... Read More
Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More
One question a lot of people ask me recently is:... Read More
When trying to achieve a quality education, everybody knows that... Read More
Work life balance is the new Holy Grail; that search... Read More
When I was small, I have never considered the importance... Read More
It's been said, "That no one has enough time yet,... Read More
Here's some time management tips to try:1) Set strict office... Read More
Time management consultant Stephen Young claims that the average time... Read More
This may not sound like a big deal. But it's... Read More
An expert in time management was speaking to a group... Read More
"You will never find time for anything. You must make... Read More
Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
How often have you tried to manage your time in... Read More
Do you manage your time or does your time manage... Read More
Years ago clients would tell me they could not identify... Read More
How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More
Whenever you have projects that can't be done in one... Read More
When you decide to become self-employed, you automatically become the... Read More
One of the most challenging situations people face when planning... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
Goal Planning-Achieving balance in a person's life requires assessment of... Read More
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More
Setting goals is the easy part -- but sticking with... Read More
How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More
Determine Your Procrastination PersonalityBrook Noel is the author of The... Read More
Not 1 in 10 people can tell you where money... Read More
Does it seem like there is never enough time in... Read More
41 practical and quick ways to get on top of... Read More
Many people want to be coached to manage their time... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More
This past Friday I was asked to speak with a... Read More
Too much to do, too little time, constant stress. Most... Read More
As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come... Read More
Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is... Read More
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow... Read More
When I was small, I have never considered the importance... Read More
Frustration is when an obstacle blocks your ability to achieve... Read More
As a small business owner, does the following paragraph sound... Read More
Years ago clients would tell me they could not identify... Read More
Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
How do you eat two elephants? The same way you... Read More
It is common knowledge that creating and living according to... Read More
If you're like most people, you want to get better... Read More
Time Management |