By Megan Alexander, general manager at Robert Half New Zealand
Most professionals we deal with have experienced “time regret”— that feeling of frustration over yet another day passing by without having made a significant dent in the ‘to do’ list.
Work is easily derailed by time-eaters such as meetings, ad hoc requests and the distractions enabled by technology — including email and mobile phones. Difficulty in meeting job productivity goals is a common problem at all levels in the workplace, even the highest. The situation can be improved however, by making some simple adjustments to the way you work.
The real secret to time management — and accomplishing objectives — is better self-management. Here are six tips that can help you take control of your day.
1. Analyse your schedule
Where does your time really go? For the next week, write down what you do and when during the work day. Examining how you spend a typical day at the office will help you to identify when you are most productive, how often you sort through emails, make phone calls or engage in meetings and in what ways (or by whom), you are most often interrupted or distracted. In addition, you will learn which projects take the most time and can decide whether they deserve such a large portion of your attention.
2. Create ‘time windows’
After you’ve determined what can be changed, develop an action plan. Think about setting aside “time windows” for specific tasks, such as reviewing emails, making and returning phone calls, or catching up on articles in industry publications. Also, create a regular schedule that takes advantage of your body clock — if you are sharpest before lunchtime, schedule more difficult tasks for completion in the morning hours.
3. Let messages wait
Keeping a constant vigil on your email and voicemail can distract you from more demanding tasks. Unless your role requires it, try to avoid reading and responding every time a new message arrives. Instead, schedule times throughout the day when you focus exclusively on messages. You’ll cut down on ongoing anxiety while making your responses less hasty and more useful.
4. Rediscover single-tasking
You can’t solve a technical challenge while talking on the phone, filing paperwork and planning for an upcoming meeting. When working on a crucial assignment, give the issue at hand your undivided attention so you do it right the first time. Fight the urge to multi-task, which often impedes real productivity by leading to oversights and errors.
5. Give yourself permission to ‘check out’
If unnecessary interruptions tend to prevent you from completing important tasks, don’t be afraid to close the door, or advise your colleagues that you are off limits for the next few hours, so you can focus on your work.
6. Reward yourself
Keeping to a schedule, no matter how personalised or flexible, is challenging because it takes discipline. Give yourself credit for adhering to your agenda and accomplishing all “must-do-today” items. Be realistic too — some days you will be more productive than others, so don’t worry if you get off track temporarily. Ensure you also create a balanced schedule that makes the most effective use of your time while allowing you to do things for yourself, such as a daily coffee or a lunchtime walk. Making more effective use of your time while at work requires commitment and good communication with managers and colleagues.
By creating a flexible yet realistic plan that also takes into account how you work best, you’ll be able to keep your “to do” list from snowballing. Before long you’ll find yourself spending less time scrambling to get things done and more time enjoying a sense of accomplishment.
