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Fourteen Kick Butt Time Management Tips

Guest post by: Marshall W. Northcott

Article Overview: This article outlines fourteen of the most common areas for concern regarding artful time management. Learn how to cut the fat and make yourself more productive so you can maximize your results and also your gains! Read on...

Fourteen Kick Butt Time Management Tips

There are fourteen questions listed below that are commonly asked when the subject of time management is being discussed. With each of these questions I have provided you with an explanation of why this question is asked. In addition, I have offered you with some suggestions for excelling in the specific areas.

1) Do you handle each piece of paperwork or email only once?

People often neglect to recognize the effect of what is commonly referred to as compounding. The topic of compounding is usually only related to money and it's accumulation over time with the multiplication factor of interest. However, when you physically handle, read and then subsequently reread the same document or email message you are compounding wasted time. To minimize waste and have more time for activities that produce results you should only handle or view (physically for paper and virtually for emails and other electronic documents) documents once or as few times as possible. Therefore, whenever you receive anything that is in paper or electronic form, ask yourself this question. Is it necessary for me to keep this? If no, then recycle, shred or delete immediately. If yes, is it something that I need to act on soon or immediately? If yes, then place it into a to do list or file. If no, is it something that I need to keep a record of for future reference? Then file it accordingly. Or do I need to pass this on to someone else? Then do so, mail it, hand deliver it and get it off your plate.

2) Do you begin and finish projects on time?

The response to this question says a great deal about your personality, character, habits, discipline and whether you can be counted on and trusted with deadlines, projects and time sensitive matters. If you struggle in this area it is possible that you either don't set a high enough priority in your mind or that you don't allow enough time and plan accordingly in order to be able to complete assignments in a timely fashion. Depending on the severity of this issue it may have cost you dearly and added a great deal of unnecessary stress and anguish to your life. This will negatively impact your professional reputation and may even create ill will in some of your relationships especially when other people are counting on you so that they are able to fulfill their time obligations to others. It is likely that you have had bad habits in this regard for some time. You need to develop some new habits and discipline yourself to get projects completed on time or ahead of schedule.

3) Do you meet deadlines with time to spare?

Refer to the response for question 2.

4) Do people know the best time to reach you?

How you respond to this question is an indication of how well you communicate with others and keep them in the loop with regard to your whereabouts. When you leave messages it is important to provide enough detail that people know when and how to reach you and what number is best during those time slots. Internally with your co-workers you should let them know what your plans are, where you will be and what is the best method and/or number to reach you at while you are away from the office. This way no one is left hanging if they need to speak or make contact with you.

5) Do you do something everyday that moves you closer to your long range goals?

Taking some form of action, no matter how small, towards your long term goals everyday is an indication of how serious and committed you are to those goals. If they are a priority to you, you are really serious about them and you believe that you can make them happen then you will strive towards their accomplishment. You must make them a priority and understand that a little bit everyday can make a difference once again the compounding effect will work in your favour.

6) When you are interrupted, can you return to your work without losing momentum?

How you respond to this question is an indication of how strong your focus is. If you know that distractions or interruptions pull you off course and impact your momentum you must do whatever you can to minimize or eliminate them because the fewer that there are the less of a concern this will be. This alone isn't the remedy however, you must learn to take measures that will help improve your ability to draw your focus back to the task at hand quickly. For instance, when an interruption is at hand, before addressing it, you should learn to make a mental note (or even a physical note) of where you are, or what you are working on. This way you protect yourself and make it easier to jump back into gear quicker. In addition to this you should remember to exercise your brain by doing more reading, working on puzzles and doing games of concentration. This expands your mental capacity to handle more, so that you are better armed for juggling of the mind.

7) Do you deal effectively with long winded callers?

The secret to managing long winded callers is to shorten the conversation in a tactful and respectful manner so that you don't burn any bridges. Get to know who the long winded callers are. Keep in mind that they don't likely set a high priority on their time, that's why they are able to be long winded. If they are people that you must speak with (an account or co-worker for instance) and listening to them is important to the relationship, try to gain more control over when you speak to them or set the time on your terms. Make sure that you give them a chance to chat occasionally without cutting them off or you may annoy or upset them. If you see their name come up on the call display, check your watch and make a quick judgment call as to whether or not you should even answer them. If you answer the call (or you have to contact them) have an exit strategy and state it early in the call. Here are some examples of what you could say:

I've only got five minutes.

I need to make this quick.

I must get this information to .... Department or person right away.

I know you are probably busy and I am just on my way to an appointment.

You must also have a sense of urgency in your voice.

8) Do you focus on preventing problems before they arise rather than solving them after they happen?

An individual who solves problems after they happen on a frequent basis can be referred to as a Crisis Manager. The secret is to dig deeper when you encounter issues and get to the root of the matter rather than provide band aid solutions. In addition you must take a sincere interest in preventative measures prior to problems arising. Although this requires an upfront investment of time it can save greater amounts of time down the road, not to mention the harm that it can prevent. It is purely a matter of being focused on the responsibilities of your role.

9) Are you on time to work, to meetings and to events?

How you responded to this question is a reflection of the priority that you set on actual time. It is an indicator of how well you plan ahead and make accommodations for any stalls or delays that may prevent you from arriving at your destination on or ahead of schedule. In addition it may be an indication of how important you think you are in comparison to others or the esteem and respect that you have for their time and schedule. If you have challenges showing up on time you must allow more time to ensure that you arrive at your destination on schedule. You must learn to plan ahead and elevate your thinking about traffic, weather conditions, etc. You must understand that chronic lateness is disrespectful and has an extremely harmful impact on your reputation. Being consistently late is unacceptable and has to stop!

10) Do you delegate well?

Spreading the load by delegating is a wonderful way to accomplish more in less time. Proper delegation requires a willingness to relinquish your trust to others. You must make sure that you set people up for success when delegating, clear communication is vital and ensuring that they are capable of handling the assignment in the required time frame is a must!

11) Do you write daily to do (must do) lists?

For people who have little to do or someone else telling them what needs to be done there isn't a need for to do lists. However, if you are a busy person with many different responsibilities on your plate, a to do list is a must. You must discipline yourself to write tasks, assignments and associated thoughts down. Then they must be prioritized. If you are not doing this then you are relying on your memory too heavily and likely making emotional decisions about the completion of tasks. The busier you are and the more responsibilities that you have the more you risk forgetting something important or doing less important tasks ahead of priorities. This will eventually come back to create issues which are totally avoidable.

12) Do you finish all the items on your to do list?

If the response to this question is sometimes or rarely then it is possible that you are adding unnecessary tasks to your list or that you are procrastinating items. Having tasks on your list that you are not committed to, negatively impacts your psyche. You mentally beat up on yourself by continuing to delay or procrastinate the tasks. You are only faking yourself out if you have no intention of completing a task, therefore, do not add tasks to your list that you are not going to complete. For the tasks that remain on your list, prioritize them and complete them in order. This way you will get them done and avoid procrastination and emotional decision making.

13) Is your desk (workspace) clean and organized?

Your response to this question can also be a reflection of your personality make up and personal disciplines. Discipline is required to stay on top of potential messes. Disorganization and chaos usually happens over a time period, not typically in a single day. The fact is, it takes an investment of time to keep yourself organized and maintain cleanliness. People who do this naturally don't need to be told or trained. Those who struggle with this don't place a high priority on cleanliness and organization. A no response to this question is an indication of an individual who may not understand the negative impact that this can have on their mental frame of mind, how they are perceived by others and how it can cost them financially. If you have allowed your personal situation to get out of control you must invest the time to get things back into an orderly state. Even better, pick up and clean up after yourself as you go to avoid a compounded mess. If you're not sure how to go about this, ask someone else in your office who excels in this area.

14) Can you easily find items in your files?

The purpose of a filing system is to make the retrieval of information quick and easy. This question could refer to both physical and electronic files. Do you have or use file folders? If not, begin! Label your folders in a manner that makes it easy for retrieval and be consistent. If you are using last names, use last names throughout. Once you have file folders in place, use them! Immediately file physical and electronic documents as soon as you receive them which relates back to question 1. Staple multi-page documents together in page order and do the same with any documents that are interlinked or related to each other. Always have or make multiple copies of any documents that you may require that are also needed by other individuals or departments.

By leveraging this information you can become a master time manager effectively finding more hours to work with and also to enjoy your rewards with as well!

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Article Tags: Prioritization, Procrastination, Sales Coaching, Sales Leadership, Sales Managment, Sales Training, Time Management, Time Management Tips, Time Management Training



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