Last week I listened to an audio interview podcast by Laura Vanderkam provided on the daccidential innovation channel. During this session they where speaking about several questions on time management. This remembered me about a workshop I joined. So I decided to write a quick article about it.
First message your receive in these workshops is it is not about time it is about importance is. Everyone has the same amount of available time so we decided on what to do with it. So you will always decide what to do. If someone asks you for an appointment you can send a respond telling the requester you do not have time. But if you think about it, this is not true. You got the time but you decided to do something else. Maybe something more important at that moment. This sounds quiet unfair but it is true. And of course you should never say it so someone: Sorry if got something more important to do. This would not be beneficial to your relationship. But thinking about time in this way can help you to organize your day more effectively. Think about what is most important to do now and then arrange it.
There was a wonderful quote involved in the Interview.
A week has 168 hours – subtract 40 hours for work and 56 hours for sleeping – so there are 72 hours left. What is happening with it?
Another important topic about time management – use the available time effective.
Do no try to do many things at the same time. Working on too many tasks at the same time will lead to an ineffectiveness at each task.. Studies have shown that the available performance to solve tasks will decrease dramatically if it needs to be separated into many tasks.
Try to focus on one tasks. It is helpful to create a list and set priorities on every task. After prioritizing, start to work on the first task and solve it. When this one is done, take the next one. Very often this is difficult at work but maybe you can arrange something close to that.
Make your self aware of the work disrupters you have. Phone, mail, mobile phone…..
Try to manage them that they can not district your work.
Actively monitoring and arranging your work will help you to get things done more effectively and will safe you a lot of time. But as we learned already you can use your time and schedule them to new less important tasks. Keep the methods about time management in mind will help you get your tasks done more effective and structured. Also help to avoid stress.
Keep this in mind.
