We all need more time... Research shows that most managers spend more than 60% of their time on tasks which are not part of their 'core' activity. Whilst you may be highly skilled and effective in your current role, successful time management is what sets a productive employee/business owner apart from the rest.
“Time management” refers to the way that you organise and plan how long you spend on specific activities. Time management is critical when faced with multiple tasks that demand a seemingly equal amount of attention. So here are our Top 5 Yellow Consulting tips for managing your time...
Tip 1. Create a Daily Plan
Plan your day before it unfolds. Do it in the morning or even better, the night before you sleep. The plan gives you a good overview of how the day will pan out. That way, you don’t get caught off guard. Your job for the day is to stick to the plan as best as possible.
Tip 2. To Do Lists
To do lists are simple yet effective tools. They are a great way of mapping out all the tasks you need to do.
To make your lists more effective, estimate how much time each task may take; so that when you are making your daily plan, you can set aside the right amount of time for each task.
Tip 3. Prioritising
With every list and plan you need to know your deadlines. When do you need to finish your tasks? What tasks weigh more, or are more important than others? Mark out deadlines clearly in your calendar and organiser, so you know when you need to finish tasks by.
Tip 4 . Knowing your Resources
When making a plan it is important to consider the resources available or involved in your plan to ensure everything works cohesively, starting with people, and more specifically the people in your team. For example, knowing the abilities, availability and specialisation of the different people in your team, will enable you to make an effective plan to manage your time.
Tip 5. Schedule Time for Interruptions As we all know, unforeseen things tend to pop up during the day which may interrupt our schedules and plans. Plan time to be pulled away from what you're doing so that you can assist where you need to. When something interrupts your plan, try and think of whether it can wait til later, or if you can delegate the task to someone else so that you can carry on with the work you have scheduled.
Disclaimer
This article, and any information contained on our website is necessarily brief and general in nature, and should not be substituted for professional advice. You should always seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters addressed.