Let Go and Get Going

I bet you are one of those folks who think that time management means drawing up to do lists, targeting priorities, eliminating distractions, and developing better work habits. Actually, there is nothing wrong with any of those strategies, but don’t overlook the best and most logical time management strategy of all. DO LESS TO START WITH!

Really, I mean it. Doesn’t it just make sense that if you had fewer tasks crowding your plate every day you could be more efficient at getting your most important goals accomplished? There is even a name for this strategy: Delegation. Great time managers are devoted to delegating. Let’s see how they do it.

1. Unpack Your Mental Baggage – Start your quest toward delegating by writing down every single task or responsibility that is rattling around in your head; work, home, civic, personal, everything.

2. Categorize – Quickly rank them as A, B, or C priorities based on the urgency or value they represent in helping you get your most important goals accomplished.

3. Analyze – Separate each of these priory groups into two categorizes based on which tasks can absolutely ONLY be done by you and the ones that could be accomplished by someone else with a little preparation. This can be tricky because we all have a slightly inflated opinion of our own indispensability. Be honest. After all, what if you were hit by a bus tomorrow? Most of what you do would eventually be done by someone else, so LET GO!

4. Identify the Projects – Find the projects under any of the priority levels that would be simplest or most helpful to delegate to someone else.

5. Identify Your Replacement -- Take a moment to make a list of possible candidates you could hand each of these projects off to.

6. Follow these steps to Let Go:

1. DEFINE – spell out a clear description of the job, including the goals you want accomplished
2. INSTRUCT – meet with the person who will be taking on this task and carefully review with them all of the information about this job. Give them enough information to understand what your expectations are, but don’t dictate every detail. Allow them the latitude to create their own style and find their own solutions. True delegation involves both the responsibility to get the job done and the authority to make it happen in a way that works best for the person who has accepted the new responsibility.
3. INSPECT – agree on when and how this person will report back to you on his progress. In addition, determine for yourself when you will do quick check ins with this person to make sure things are going smoothly.

Yes, I can already hear you saying, “This is just creating more work for me. By the time I do all of this I could have done it myself.” You may be right, but after you have done this one time, YOU NEVER HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN. This job is off your plate forever, leaving you more time to focus on getting your most important jobs done. If you want to get more done, empower other people to help you do it and your organization will become more productive than ever before.

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May Time Management Quick Tip of the Month – Know Your Prime Time

Athletes sometimes talk about being “in the zone,” a state of consciousness that occurs periodically when it feels like all their reflexes and skills are achieving maximum potential. Most of us experience a smaller version of this everyday; we just need to learn to recognize it and take full advantage of it. Our biological clocks are set to give our minds and bodies a boost at certain times during the day. Some of us are “morning people. Others may be night owls. Whatever the time frame might be, most of us have a period of three to four hours each day when it is easier for us to concentrate, and when our creative juices are fully flowing. If you haven’t done so already, figure out when your prime time occurs. Then, whenever possible, plan to work on your most important projects during this time. You will get more done, and the quality will be consistently better.