We only have so many hours in the day. It appears with the advancement of technology to make us more productive expectations on individual performance is increasing also. How much is too much, and when it comes to managing our time, are we actually in control?
1) Is time management a myth?
You can't actually manage time.
What you can do is manage yourself, your energy, and your productivity.
It's what you do with the time you have available that counts.
2) What are the top time wasters in a business?
Time wasters vary from person to person. It's essential to understand your own circumstances before you look for solutions.
An example is email. Some strategies say to schedule access time and check emails only three times a day. Suppose you are front line staff and urgent response to emails are important for the business. In that case, emails should be a high priority.
Miscommunication is a top "time vampire". Making sure communications are clear with emphasis on agreed outcomes and tasks saves repeated messaging and risks related to relationship breakdowns.
We are not developing the habit of planning. Unstructured days, lost time looking for files, or material objects erodes valuable time. Some daily structured planning is useful.
3) Do I need to say "no" more often?
Relationship wise, the word "No" has negative connotations.
Before you say no, look for the conditional yes.
An example of this is when you are being put in the position of unrealistic expectations, i.e. workload dumping. You could say "Yes, of course I can do that Boss, but I will have to delay work on the invoicing to get this done, is that acceptable?". This passes the responsibility of the No back to the instigator, gives a signal that you are in control of your workload capacity, and willing to be helpful within acceptable time constraints.
4) Is delegation a skill, or is it passing the buck?
There is a fine line here between delegating and work dumping.
If a task is no-value, then get rid of it.
If a task is low value consider is there is another way, i.e. could it be automated or outsourced.
Is a task is high-value then delegate. Investing time in training someone else may seem time counterproductive but will save time in the long run.
For all the perfectionists out there - if you think you are the only and best person for a task, you are likely the best person to train others.
Time Mastery Workshop – Increase your Efficiency
Tuesday 20th October at 2:30 pm or
Thursday 22nd October at 6:00 pm
Take back control by improving productivity in this 3-week supported learning journey. Enjoy a real-world and online approach to pace your learning and put into practice the skills needed to create behavioural change. A blended learning opportunity with self-paced, and live online workshopping will give you back the most important resource you have available, you.
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