Is Thinking About Time Management Worth Your Time?

Everyone has heard about “time management.” Some people actually take courses on time management, while others may just let the term pass them by, as something they don’t have time for!

What’s very important to know is that the principle of time management is very important and can really set you free and reduce everyday stress.

Time management is simply the arrangement of tasks within a specified time frame. If you have a lot of tasks to complete each day, managing your time is a way to organize your tasks so that everything gets done when it should.

If you don’t think about how to manage your time, you can wind up with a very disorganized household, or be an ineffective employee in the workplace.

The term “time management” sometimes intimidates people because they feel that it is yet another thing they have to “do.” However, effective time management will actually bring freedom from stress and a greater sense of accomplishment in finishing important tasks.

How can you practice time management in the workplace?

There are many training programs that focus on different aspects and practices of time management. Some of these programs focus on the use of a “daily planner” or PDA, but there is more to time management than just keeping a schedule.

Here are some basic practices that can help you accomplish all that you need to do in the workplace…

• Prioritize your work, and know the deadlines for each task. You should start out your day understanding what you should work on first depending on priority and deadline, and set a target date and time for completion that is in advance of the actual deadline. If a project is due on Friday, set a goal to have it done by Thursday afternoon.

• Make a “to-do list”, for the day, and for the week. Categorize your “to-do’s” by type of task and priority: phone calls to make, reports to be completed, meetings to be set up, etc. Each day, as you accomplish each task, check it off.

• Keep an up-to-date calendar. Make sure every meeting, phone meeting or otherwise, is on your calendar and in front of you. If you use Outlook, make sure you use the meeting reminder feature. While most workers today depend on e-mail reminders and PDA’s, a weekly calendar on your desk is one of the best ways to take a broad look at what is coming up.

• Take care of the smaller, easier tasks first. If someone at work asks you for something that will just take a few minutes to complete, don’t put it off. Do it right away and get it out of the way. This will pave the way for you to concentrate better on the more difficult tasks.

• If you are in a supervisory or management position, delegate where you can. Don’t be afraid to delegate the tasks that a secretary or assistant can effectively handle to free you up for the more critical and difficult part of a project.

• If you run into a problem with a project you’re working on, take a breather and go to the next task. Sometimes you run into a snag and it is counterproductive to keep trying. You may get frustrated and not do things right. Stop the task, and go on to something else that’s important, or, even take a brief walk around the office. Then, go back to the project. Chances are your mind will be refreshed and you’ll be able to continue on that project more effectively.

• At the end of the day, review your “to do list”, check off items completed, and add “to-do’s” for the next day. You’ll find you have accomplished some things, and will be more prepared for the next day.

Time management is really about organization. If you organize your work, you will manage it well.

There are many resources for time management skills training. As an example, check out:

• Worklifebalance.com for the various programs they offer. Some of these programs are on-line.

• My previous article on PositivityBlog.com:
  4 Keys to Help You Make the Most of the Time You’re Given

• SuccessElixir.net time management category page

Free yourself by thinking about managing your time more effectively.

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Photo by ToniVC, flickr.com