Time Management Techniques for Better Time Utilization
Since time is the only real resource that one has, it has often been said that people who have managed this resource are also usually good at managing other things. The time management techniques that they have applied to themselves are also the parameters that they apply in other modes of their behavior. Some who have observed these effective people has common approaches to time saving and management techniques.
Professionals have these common responses that makes them effective at time management:
– Their workspaces are free from clutter. Except for the laptop and papers that is being worked on the general atmosphere in their offices is organization. The organized clutter that we usually hear about are known for what it is. Trully organized people and workplaces do not need those. They rarely have fat files as files that are not so relevant are discarded or kept in the general circulars. The reality here is that fat files are seldom looked upon. They consume so much time just browsing through them. Studies show that 85% of office files are not really relevant but is kept anyway contributing to inefficiency.
– Aside from the yearly plans that are broken down into quarterly and monthly plans, action steps and other supplemental steps are covered and prepared the day before they leave their offices so that it is the first things that will be worked on the following day. Employees of all ranks can benefit much from this very simple time management technique.
– The to do list are prioritized according to its importance on the operation. It also takes into account time allowances for daily interruptions whether these can be avoided or not. While they are very sociable they also avoid small talk.
– They assign specific time frames and deadlines for doing things and sticks to them. When they start on a work, they rarely stop until it is finished, doing the most difficult things first thing in the morning. Phone calls and mails are done in one lump of time. Breaks and easier jobs are usually done on times that they know they are least effective. The main idea is to plan time spent for each job section and protect the plan.
– They practice effective delegation. The rule is, if the other person can do the job 80% as well, the job will be delegated.
This is one of the main reasons why very effective people very seldom look and feels stressed and fatigued. The things that we do, do not cause stress and fatigue. Often it is caused by the constant worry of the things that we must still do and there is little left time for it. It is the constant cramming for time for things that matter and the cropping up of fire fighting actions that should have been avoided if time was better utilized.