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Time Management & Productivity: Can You Really Manage Time?

Time Management & Productivity: Can You Really Manage Time?
Free Download - Time Management & Productivity: Can You Really Manage Time? By Alex Revai
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Let's get something straight: there is no such thing as "time management". You can't manage time. Time is relentless, moving at its set pace. It just ticks away, no matter what you do. Or don't do. We all have 24 hours in a day. Except, perhaps, in the Hungarian army, where the DAY consists of 24 hours...and you still have the whole NIGHT. (Hahaha.)

So why is it then, that when we talk about productivity, time management is one of the first thing that pops up? The answer is simple:

Mathematically, productivity is defined as Work done over Time. P = W/T

From the equation it follows that in order to increase productivity we must reduce the time required to do the work. I.e.: we must work faster. Faster and faster. Right? Maybe. But then, maybe not. Unfortunately, it seems that in our artificially accelerated, crazy world, the only way to improve productivity is to work at a neck-breaking speed. Often at speeds dictated by the speed of light (or electrons), as it were. Just think of email, cell phones and Blackberries.

But, there is a problem. The faster we work, the more mistakes we make. The faster we work, the less we think. The faster we work, the quicker we get tired. The faster we work, the more stressed we get. The result: productivity suffers. It actually decreases. We burn out. We get sick. Some of us, regrettably, even die prematurely. We live to work, but have no life.

The solution? Forget about the math. Or at least the formula for productivity. Stop the madness! Slow down and start managing that what you can. Let's redefine productivity in a more meaningful, personal way.

Productivity is: "Consistently completing actions that link to your business objectives" (Sally McGhee)

Once you start thinking about your work and your priorities, time management takes on a whole different meaning. Time Management will be transformed into effective Task Management. Tasks we can control. We can control what to do and when.

The "what?" will be driven by our business goals and the activities supporting them. The "when?" will, in turn, be driven by our priorities. It will all come together in our planning, our prioritizing, our realistic estimation of the time period required for the completion of tasks and our disciplined execution of what we put in our calendars.

Consider these steps:

  1. Write down all your business (and personal) goals;
  2. Collect all your tasks in a single location (ideally in the Task Pad of MS Outlook);
  3. Prioritize all your tasks and activities;
  4. Plan for tomorrow, tonight;
  5. Write all chosen activities in your calendar, reflecting the realistic time estimate for their completion. Write tasks into your calendar only if you have the intention (and commitment) to do them.
  6. Come tomorrow, let your calendar drive your day, not the interruptions. (Of course, if you must leave time for interruptions, your calendar must have the "free" spaces to accommodate them.) A calendar full of back-to-back commitments will inevitably lead to incomplete tasks, missed deadlines and frustration. Reality must rule! If a task takes 2 hours of your undivided attention, you can't "wish it" to do in ½ an hour.
Will the above eliminate the time crunch? Well, maybe not all the time, but most of the time. Develop the habit of focusing on your priorities (value-generating activities). Learn to say no. Learn to ignore (or turn off) the sources of constant interruptions when you must focus on your task. The world won't come to an end if that email doesn't get immediate attention. It wasn't that long ago thatwhen someone wanted to get hold of you, they had to knock on your door or wait till you were off the phone.





Time Management Productivity Can You Really Manage Time - To learn more about this author, visit Alex Revai's Website.

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Article Tags: can you manage time, goal setting, peace of mind, planning, priorities, productivity, say no, time management, what is time

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David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

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George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website

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Dave Kurlan is a best-selling author, top-rated speaker and thought leader on sales development.  He is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

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Alex Revai
(Visit Alex's Website)
Alex Revai, President of Productivity Solutions, is a professional organizer, who helps business people improve profit, productivity and peace-of-mind. An engineer by training and a seasoned business manager with over 30 years of high-tech industry experience, Alex considers himself primarily as a problem-solver. His passion is to teach individuals and organizations about best practices, systems and processes in order to restore sanity (and productivity) to our increasingly crazy, artificially accelerated, all work - no life society. Alex is a mentor, a coach and a trainer, who provides workshops and seminars, consulting, as well as hands-on services. Alex is a member of the Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) industry association. Alex may be contacted for a complimentary needs assessment and consultation. Tel.: 416-272-6972 email: arevai@productivity-solutions.com web: Productivity Solutions P.S.:If you reprint or quote any articles, please provide full credit to the author.


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