There is not a day goes by when I do not hear someone tell me they do not have enough time to do what they need to do. Or some people will blatantly tell me that they are terrible time managers and waste a lot of their time (not to mention the waste of others time also). Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach recommends that you take a good look at the ways you waste time and the ways others cause a waste of your time and then develop a plan to get rid of those time wasters. In order to facilitate and guide you in this effort, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of eleven (11) strategic actions to combat and defeat time wasters.
Strategic Action #1: Prepare a time log of how you spend your time every day for a one week time period. You may do this in 15 or 30-minute increments, dependent upon your individual situation. Let me assure you that you will probably be surprised at the results. This is a critical first strategic action because it will define your existing expenditure of your time and this information can be used to develop a strategic time management plan.
Strategic Action #2: Plan, prioritize and focus your work and activities. Planning, prioritizing and focusing your time to accomplish specific objectives will be very effective in moving you toward your vision and your goals. You will accomplish much more in a shorter amount of time.
Strategic Action #3: You avoid procrastination. You commit to and discipline yourself to take action in a timely manner on what needs to be done and by when it needs to be done.
Strategic Action #4: You manage the handling of interruptions. This means that you manage the time when you receive telephone calls, have people drop into your office, and other things that will interrupt you and prevent you from focusing on what you need to do at that time. You establish the parameters and inform people of the circumstances when you can be interrupted (e.g. some type of emergency where immediate attention is needed).
Strategic Action #5: You learn to say “NO” and commit to saying “NO” when you do not have the time to responsibly respond to a request for the use of your time.
Strategic Action #6: You make sure that if you plan a meeting, there is a specific purpose for the meeting, a designated start & stop time for the meeting, an agenda, a record of the meeting and assigned specific follow-up actions. You use those guidelines to inquire about meetings you are asked to attend and ensure that your attendance at the meeting is required.
Strategic Action #7: You schedule specific times to return telephone calls, check and respond to your email and to use the Internet. This is a very effective time management technique and will save you from wasting time by haphazardly doing these tasks.
Strategic Action #8: You commit to and then delegate tasks that someone else can do. You learn to separate those tasks that only you can do or that you are the most appropriate person to do those tasks.
Strategic Action #9: You commit to and establish time for yourself. This is time you set aside that is totally for and about YOU!
Strategic Action #10: You commit to get rid of your “clutter” and to become very organized so you will not waste time looking for items and will not be distracted by the “clutter.”
Strategic Action #11: Develop a strategic time management action plan that incorporates the above strategic actions.
Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach encourages you to make the most strategic use of your time each day. If you would like to learn more about how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at www.businesscoach4u.com or by email at jgecoach@aol.com
11 Strategic Actions To Combat and Defeat Time Wasters From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach - To learn more about this author, visit Glenn Ebersole's Website.
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