Ways to Manage Your Time

In order to overcome you time wasting you can try to adopt a few of the strategies listed below:

Analyze how you currently use your time

Think about how you actually spend most of your time. If you do not know what you spend doing the most then just use a time management log.

You can easily create one yourself just make sure you include these aspects in the table: what the activity is, what time you started and finished the activity, total time spent on the activity, state whether you planned to do this activity or not and lastly leave a column to leave any additional notes on the activity.

By doing this you will easily be able to identify where you are spending or wasting too much time.

Always define your objectives or goals daily

You must ensure that you set objectives and goals that have to be reached on a daily basis. Take time in the morning to do this because it is worthwhile and will benefit you immensely.

It may also be a good idea to order these goals or objectives in what has to be done first, second, third etc. It is also a good idea to word your goals specifically.

Do not just write a huge task that has to be done like “Do the accounts for today”, break it down into little chunks like “Check January accounts by 10am”. By doing so it encourages you to complete the task because if you just see one huge goal to achieve then you will put off doing it.

Follow these up with a things to do list everyday.

Manage your emails and phone calls

Ideally you should check your email at planned times and not continuously throughout the day.

Try to limit the time you are available to take unplanned phone calls especially when you are in management. By planning time slots when you are not available to take phone calls will enable you to get other things that are more important done.

Ensure meetings are well planned

You must ensure that meetings start on time, have a clear objective that has to be achieved at the end of the meeting and everyone at the meeting is clear on all the information that is given.

Use a diary and activity planner

You must use a diary and activity planner to write all your plans down on a weekly basis. Also use it to include all the time slots for when you need to be doing things and responding to people, as well as allocating time slots for unplanned activities and adequate breaks.

Do not start lots of jobs at the same time

Do not start lots of jobs at the same time this will only lead to things being have finished and will increase stress levels because no tasks will be fully completed.

Delegate as much as possible

In order to cope with all of your work delegate as much work as possible to others and make sure that the work is completed correctly.

Try to delegate 25% of your work to others if you are sure the work will get done on time and correctly.

Keep you desk organized

Ensure that your desk is kept tidy and organized so that you can locate everything you need quickly.

Ask questions to clarify

Ask questions about specific deadlines so that you are absolutely sure when something has to be completed by.

Communicate effectively

Make sure that all information that is being passed on to other colleagues is accurate and correct.

Learn to say “No”

You must learn to say “no” to nonessential demands. Do not feel bad saying no to people because what they want you to do is normally not as important as what you have to accomplish yourself.

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