How often do you look up from your desk, see that it is almost closing time, and feel frustrated that, yet again, you weren’t able to complete one or more of the important tasks that needed to be finished today? If you regularly find yourself wondering where your time goes every day, you need to be on the look out for these five time bandits. Once you see them coming, you can arrest them so they will never bother you again.
1. Head off distractions and disruptions with a preplanned to-do list.
Always begin your day with a prioritized to-do list, but be prepared to defend it. There is no more greedy time bandit than unscheduled interruptions. Phone calls, drop-ins, and “emergency” projects can quickly eat up the time you had set aside for your most important work. Remember, the rest of the office or the rest of the world doesn’t know what you have on your to-do list for today, and they are not likely to if you don’t tell them. There is nothing wrong with saying, “Hazel, I would love to talk longer, but I must get this project finished before lunch. Thank you for understanding.” Treat your to-do list like an appointment list. People always understand when you say, “I wish I could help, but I have an appointment I must keep.” The fact that the appointment is with yourself and your professional responsibilities shouldn’t make any difference. Learn to say “No,” in a nice way, and you will get more done.
2. Don’t under-plan your day -- set your sites high.
One of the most lightly regarded time bandits is that of not putting enough on your to-do list. I know this may sound like a recipe for disaster, but put more on your to-do list than you will probably be able to achieve in one day. It is common knowledge that the time it takes to do a project always seems to equal the amount of time you allot for it. In other words, if you only have one project to do today, it will take all day. If you have three things to do today, you will usually find a way to fit them all in (as long as they aren’t all the scope of major annual reports). The key factor here, though, is that the more things that must be done, the more ferociously you protect your time and focus your energy. If you put eight important items on your list for today, the chances are you may only get five done, but I can promise you that if you only put three items on your list, you will get no more than three done. You tell me, which is the more productive plan?. At the end of the day, success should be measured in how much you accomplished, not in whether or not you did 100% of the items on your list. Five out of eight beats three out of three every time.
3. Keep your work area clean and well organized.
A piled-up, messy desk makes it easy to lose important papers. It also can lead to distractions, such as when you notice a memo sitting there that needs action, so you stop to do that, setting aside a more important task that you had been working on. Use desktop filing boxes for pending work, develop and use an efficient filing system, delegate the response to a subordinate, and don’t be afraid to simply throw papers away if you know that you are not likely to have an urgent use for them. At the very least, schedule the first or last 15 minutes of your day for reviewing and disposing of loose paperwork so you can concentrate on the important stuff.
4. Avoid meetings whenever possible
Some meetings are necessary and even important. However, a lot of meetings occur because someone needs to brainstorm or validate an idea or ventilate about something. Such meetings often waste your time and everyone else’s. Always request in advance a purpose and an agenda for the meeting. Determine if your participation is critical, and if it is not, decline to attend. Perhaps you can email comments or suggestions to be included in the meeting. If you must attend, set a time limit, and politely excuse yourself when your time is up.
5. Hold the phone.
The worst time bandit is the telephone. Nothing creates more distractions or delays than telephone conversations. Even when the point of the call is important (which is not always the case), the chances are high that the caller will ramble on and on about unrelated subjects, draining your time away with the deadly efficiency of a vampire. Use email for everything but high-priority, complex interactions. (Avoid instant messaging at all costs. It is like having a dozen inconsiderate people sitting at your desk interrupting whenever they feel like it.) Use voice mail and caller ID to screen ALL of your calls. Schedule return contacts – by email if you can – when it doesn’t distract from the high-priority project you are working on at the moment.
Keep these five bandits at bay and you will get more done with less stress and greater satisfaction. I guarantee it.
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April Time Management Quick Tip of the Month: Make An Agenda and Stick To It
Just like a to-do list can be a lifesaver for keeping your day or week on track, an agenda is an absolute necessity for keeping a meeting on track. If the topic is important enough for a meeting, you must stay on task and avoid useless, time wasting “bunny paths.” An agenda is the best way to do this. Send out the agenda at least 24 hours before the meeting, so people can be prepared to participate intelligently. Set a time limit and stick to it. If you limit discussion to agenda items only, and keep people focused and moving, you will get more done in less time.
