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Time Management Tips

Written by: Alan McLaren

Article Overview: A few basic tips to stay on track in the office.

Time Management Tips

Do you ever wonder where your workday goes? Well, here are some interesting statistics on the use of time. See how you compare.

According to research, the average person gets one interruption every eight minutes or approximately seven an hour. The average interruption takes five minutes, totaling about four hours, or 50 percent of the average workday. Eighty percent of those interruptions are typically rated as "little or no value". This creates approximately three hours of wasted time per day. Wow! No wonder everyone feels so time pressured.

It’s obvious that controlling interruptions is critical to making the best use of your time, especially in the sales industry where time literally is money. Why don’t you start by gathering everyone on your team together and discussing interruptions and make a plan on how you can control them in your office?

Maybe you could all agree to put signs on your desk when you need uninterrupted work time, or make an agreement that interruptions would only come at certain times of the day. Some offices have agreed that every morning from nine to ten and every afternoon from three to four is designated as "no interruption" times. Other times are okay for interruptions. Decide what will work for you.

Another interesting statistic on the matter of time use is that 20 percent of the average workday is spent on "crucial" and "important" things, while 80 percent of the average workday is spent on things that have little or no value. Occasionally, we all tend to do the things we "feel like" doing and neglect some things that are more important. That’s one reason why deadlines are so energizing. It makes us have to put that task at the top of the list.

A way around that is to ruthlessly prioritize your "to do" list. Put an "A" by the things that are the most critical and important and then number them in the order of priority. Stick with this list until something else comes along that is even more urgent. Then, when you have put out that fire, you can return to your prioritized list. This technique will help keep you focused on the things that are really critical and help you avoid procrastination.

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