Time Management Part 1

Organization and Prioritization

It seems that the whole world is asking us to do a lot more with a lot less (money, time, etc.). Many people are hoping that when the economy fully rebounds, we can go back to the good old days of having enough resources to get the job done without feeling perpetually stressed. I believe that the good old days are gone forever and we are about to enter a new, and maybe even better, reality. A new reality that is forcing us to figure out innovative ways to get things done. A new reality where time is more precious than money. What we are really saying about the new reality is… when the whole world changes, we also have to change, and change quickly.

The first step to improved productivity is organization: this includes the organization of your time and your supplies. Below are 10 tips to help you become more organized and get the most out of your time.

1. Plan and prioritize. Plan for tomorrow before you leave today. You will sleep better tonight and have an even more productive day tomorrow. Categorize your time by: A’s: High Priority and Urgent; B’s: High Priority, Not Urgent; C’s Low Priority: Urgent; D’s, Low Priority, Not Urgent. And last, Category E’s, Leisure Time. If all your tasks are A’s, then decide which one is your A1 task and do it first. While prioritizing, ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?”

2. Multi-task C and D Category tasks. Multi-task on things that do not require mind time. Category C or Category D tasks. Folding laundry while watching TV is a great use of your time. Checking email while you are just listening on a required conference call may also be a great opportunity to multi-task.

3. Eat your brussels sprouts first. There is an old saying, “If you have to swallow a frog, don’t sit there and look at it.” If you have something you can’t stand doing, do it first and get it done so you don’t waste any more time worrying about it. The only thing worse than a hot brussels sprout is a cold one. Unfortunately, my mother taught me this lesson many times when I was a kid.

4. Carve out time to solve problems. Come in early or stay late when most people are not interrupting you so you have time to think. Or, tackle solving your problem or difficult task when everyone else has gone to bed.

5. Chunk – Set hard time frames. If you think something will take an hour, give yourself 50 minutes. Some people are more productive under time pressures.

6. Leave margin. Leaving unscheduled blocks in your schedule takes stress out of your life. If you have a meeting scheduled from 8:00 to 9:00, instead of scheduling your next meeting at 9:00, leave margin and schedule the meeting for 10:00. That way, if unexpected stuff comes up, you have time to fit it in.

7. Manage meetings. Set a time to start, a time to end and an agreed upon goal or outcome before you agree to go.

8. Follow up meeting outcomes. Ensure an agenda is produced in advance and the follow up actions, complete with dates for completion and who is accountable for the result, is distributed to all stakeholders.

9. Develop place habits. Organize both your home and work space. According to the US News and World Report, the average American spends one year of his or her life looking for lost or misplaced items at home or in the office. This time cannot be earned back and can become expensive for organizations and individuals. If you make $50,000 a year, one minute of time costs you $.56. If you make $100,000 per year, the same minute costs you $1.12.

10. Make technology work for you. Utilize technology and machines to their fullest potential. Whatever you do manually, there is probably a way you could do it technologically that will save you time in the future. Remember, any time you make a change from manual to technological, almost always, it takes more time the first few times to make the change. Programming your phone with frequent contacts and quick texts takes time, and then saves time. Downloading your music and favorite movies to your iPod, iTouch or iPad takes time, and then saves time. Putting your auto-signature at the end of your email takes time, and then saves time. Set a goal to incorporate new technology into your life, take the time to save time.

If a few of these tips can help you save just 15 minutes a day, at the end of the year, you will have gained 11 full eight hours of productivity. One hour a day, you will have gained 44 full eight hours of productivity. That means that in one year, you will have out produced the average person by an additional two months. What is your goal to be even more effective at managing both your time and multiple priorities?

Check back with us on Wednesday for the second part of this blog: Focusing for Better Productivity.