WEEK AT A GLANCE PLANNERS ARE BEST

WEEK AT A GLANCE PLANNERS ARE BEST

Robert M. Hochheiser, in his book Time Management (Barrons, 1998), claims that with day-by-day calendars you would have to turn pages four times to go from the beginning to the end of the week. He further suggests that monthly calendars usually don’t have sufficient space to allow for detailed action plans.

CONTROLLING TELEPHONE TIME

Keep telephone calls brief by directing the caller to the business at the beginning. For example, “Hi Bill, What can I do for you?” or “Good Morning Sally. How can I help you?” If you make the call, get right to the reason for the call. “Jim, I have two quick questions for you concerning the new hiring policy.”

STRESS CAN BE DEVASTATING

Everyone has heard about the traditional diseases that can be brought on by excessive stress, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and ulcers etc. but according to Woman’s Day Magazine (11/18/97, Is Stress Making You Sick? By Stephanie Wood) other illnesses aggravated by stress include: Acne, asthma, colds, diabetes, diarrhea, flu, hives, infertility, PMS, psoriasis and stomachaches.

HIGH COST OF DISORGANIZATION

Statistics reported in the May 1993 issue of Inc. Magazine revealed that 7.5 percent of documents get lost completely and 3 percent of the remainder gets misfiled. $120 in labor is spent finding a misfiled document and $250 in labor is spent recreating a lost document.

UNCLUTTER THE HOME

If you can’t bear to part with all those infrequently used possessions, rent some storage space. It’s cheaper than a bigger home or apartment. If you haven’t missed anything after one year, get rid of the stuff permanently.
 

EARLY RISERS

 

Only a few men live to old age, and fewer still become successful who are not early risers.

 

ORGANIZE MEETINGS BY E-MAIL

 

The average time it takes to arrange a meeting by phone is ten minutes compared to three minutes by e-mail.

 

THE PAUSE THAT REFOCUSES

THE PAUSE THAT REFOCUSES

 

I read that a pigeon's eyes can't focus as it moves, accounting for it's strange walk. The bird has to pause between steps In order to refocus. It reminds me that we should frequently pause to refocus as well. If we proceed at a frantic pace without pausing, we could easily lose sight of our mission. Periodically review your goals and make sure your motion is moving you towards your mission.

 

PUT A STOP TO POP-UPS

 

It takes time to close those ads that pop-up unannounced when you're connected to the Internet. If you have that problem, you might consider downloading the free Pop-up Stopper software from www.download.com.

 

COLLEGE STUDENTS PRONE TO PROCRASTINATION

 

70 percent of college students report problems with overdue papers and delayed studying.

 

MULTITASKING

 

Your computer is great at multitasking. You can write articles while performing downloads or scan for viruses as you send e-mail. But your brain is not programmed that way. So beware of trying to do two things at once, especially if they are complex or require your undivided attention. Studies indicate a drop in efficiency between 30 percent and 50 percent on the individual tasks performed while multitasking.

 

DO IT NOW

 

It's more important to do something than to do it well. Never delay something that could cause problems later simply because you're not good at it. You learn by doing, not by delaying.

 

FINISH WHAT YOU START

 

There's a limit to how many projects you can juggle at the same time. Don't start another project if the incomplete ones are already consuming most of your time. Getting the Best of Yourself, when you begin multiple projects, you usually end up with multiple incompletions.

 

WHEN IDEAS DON'T WORK

WHEN IDEAS DON'T WORK

 

If you make changes only to find that you slip back into your original time wasting habits, it could be that you have not bought into the idea. Changing your behavior without changing your mind seldom results in permanent behavior change.

 

DEFINITION

 

Ineffectiveness: Doing perfectly that which is unnecessary.

 

STICKY PAD

 

If you use your car dashboard to house sunglasses, cell phone or wallet while driving, you could be wasting time retrieving the items from the floor or under the seat after the trip. You can stop these items from sliding every time you turn a corner or come to a sudden stop by applying the new Sticky Pad. Sticky Pad is only a few inches in diameter, conforms to any dashboard, is removable, washable, reusable, and believe it or not, works!

 

BE IN THE MOMENT

 

Our mind is always working in the future or the past and that we should slow down and dwell on the present as it happens. Otherwise we will miss much of what life has to offer.

 

STAY SEATED

 

Once you commit yourself to work on a task for an hour or so, you should stay seated until the time is up. Resist the urge to interrupt yourself, even to get a coffee. Self-discipline is the key to personal productivity.

 

EASY ACCESS MORE IMPORTANT

 

We have been trained to focus on neatness at the expense of accessibility. Make sure your materials are accessible first, then consider neatness as a secondary factor.

 

E-MAIL OBSESSION

 

Unless both parties can type faster that they speak, it's usually more time effective to schedule a phone call or a meeting rather than carry on lengthy discussions by e-mail.

 

QUIET HOURS ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE

QUIET HOURS ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE

                           

If your office is as busy as a bus terminal, you may try being unavailable at a specific time period each day. This may involve closing your door between 11 AM and noon or disappearing into a vacant boardroom. Make sure your staff is aware of your routine.

 

CONTROLLING MEETINGS

 

Procedures be drawn up for meetings. For example, the maximum length of time, limits on the number of participants and blackout times when no meetings are to be called.

 

LACK OF TRAINING WASTES TIME

 

If you find you are searching the office for the one person who is able to clear a paper jam or change the voice mail message or repair the fax machine, it's time to start training. There should be more than one person who is able to perform the various tasks around an office.

 

NO LONGER LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

 

Don't ease up on your stress-relieving activities during the summer months. Everyone's more prone to stress during the summer than at other times of the year.

 

LESS IS SOMETIMES MORE

 

When he was younger he thought that living life to the fullest meant doing as much as possible. But  later he felt empty and dissatisfied. He realized that while he was doing more, he felt as though he were experiencing less.

 

SELECTIVE READING

 

More information is generated in a 24-hour period than you could take in for the rest of your life. We are being swamped with information. Recreational reading aside, zero in on information that serves a productive purpose; don't feel you have to read the entire book, article or report.

 

ALWAYS KEEP A SPARE

 

When you install the last copier cartridge, printer ink, projector bulb etc., always replace it immediately. Don't

Be caught running to the office supply store to keep a piece of machinery going.

 

Plan of (in)action?

Haven't you termed that 'completely organised' colleague of yours as a 'perfectionist'? We think you did it  more  out of jealousy than jest. There is a reason for it though: it is that far from being perfect, you know you aren't 'completely organised' either. There is a way through which you emulate the perfectionist though, if you are ready to put in some efforts and have a knack of pursuing your goals. Be assured, what follows is no gyaan on developing a new skill, rather these are just tips to organise your skills so you and your team fare better at the workplace. And by the way, it's still not late to make a New Year resolution. So we suggest you read on…

CONTROL SHIFT

With full schedules, there are daily problems that will occur and will need immediate attention. This means that other tasks will have to be kept aside. Impromptu meetings, absence of fellow team-members and other situations can make getting through the workday almost impossible. Staying organised i.e. having a time-plan is essential if you want to stay true to your deadlines. If you're a team-leader, your schedules will assume more importance. This will help you delegate additional responsibilities when necessary. The following tips will help you (and even your colleagues and superiors) stay on track even on the stormiest days at your workplace.

• Invest in a planner or calendar with big blocks so that you can write down not only your schedule, but also your team members' schedules. Ideally, this should be on your desk all the time, but many prefer to make use of software for this. You will only have to use it regularly to realise how it helps you to keep track of your projects, deadlines and productivity in general.

• Get into the habit of 'separating' things according to their importance or priority. Using files and folders would do you quite some service (if you don't care about people calling you 'boring'). Make sure you file all material in designated spots. Each morning, take out what will be needed and keep it close by. Carrying things to office in a bulky bag is something worth doing on days of presentations – since you have materials ready, you will feel a sense of completeness, which in turn will also boost your confidence.

• Use technology! Pen drives, flash drives and several other USB-based devices are now available in our markets at dirt-cheap prices. And since it is a matter of a right click to create virtual folders, why not do it? USB drives (which double up as key chains, bottle openers and even neck pieces these days) are a cool, convenient option to carry all your contacts, presentations, files and a load of things with you – all the time.

• Enlist your daily tasks and reminders and mark them off as you complete them. If you own a funky cellphone, we're sure it'll have a pretty decent 'organiser' too! Why not feed it with alarms and reminders everyday on your way to work? It will not only catch you napping, but also let you know what all you have done and what remains.

• If you're a team-leader, here's something worth doing: create a list of your team members and their strengths and skills in a particular area. When planning a project, refer to the list when deciding which roles people will fill. If a team member specifically asks for a role, write it down on their list so that next time, you will remember to consider them for it.

OUT OF WORK

While all the above is important to help you save the blushes at work, planning time for your family, work or a hobby too is crucial. For, the work-free time balance itself will let you be more organised and keep stress levels low. If you are taking work home everyday, even more planning needs to be done to keep your near ones happy.

 DEADLY SINS OF TIME MANAGEMENT

Keeping Too Many Things in Your Head

A common time management mistake is trying to keep track of all the things you need to do and places you need to be at. The fact is that you simply cannot rely on your memory alone to keep track of all these details without getting overloaded. Use technology, or simply a pen and paper. Most urban officers think the overload is a part of their life, but they can be more productive only if they use a well-designed productivity system to conquer the chaos.

Doing Whatever Grabs Your Attention Next

Many people don't stop long enough to even think about what to do next when one task is accomplished, they just jump right in and do whatever grabs their attention next (experts call it "tyranny of the urgent"). Working on impulses may be cool enough for your personality, but your company might like you more if you prioritise smartly. Instead of doing whatever grabs your attention next, use your plan to figure out the best way to use your time based on your top priorities for the week.

Doing Very Efficiently That Which Need Not Be Done At All

Surely one of the worst ways you can waste your time, experts say. Having a to-do list and a weekly plan really helps because you automatically assign more time to important things and less time to trivial ones. And if you say that's the way 'you are', don't expect increments.

Poor Planning

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Poor planning is one of the main reasons projects fail, fall behind schedule or miss their deadlines. (And why you and your company, even the biggest governments of the world stumble on this one). The best way to escape the practice of poor planning is to learn how to plan effectively, and to do it consistently. If you don't want to read those fat 'help-yourself' manuals, simply start emulating a meticulous planner at your workplace!

 

IF IN DOUBT, ASK

IF IN DOUBT, ASK

Nothing wastes time more than poor communications. Never guess, assume or interpret when receiving incomplete information. Get clarification when following instructions.

TIMELY QUOTE

"People who can't be punctual can't be trusted."
- Dan Kennedy, author of No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs

PUT DEADLINES ON ALL TASKS

More work is accomplished when there are deadlines to meet. So put deadlines on your personal tasks. Set deadlines so they are challenging, but realistic.

HAVE TWO E-MAIL ADDRESSES

With most people spending an hour each day on e-mail, it becomes practical to have two addresses, one for work related communications and one for personal messages that don't have that high a priority.

DELAY THE ELECTRONICS

Complete at least one priority task before turning on your computer, getting involved in e-mail or listening to your voice mail messages. Once you get involved in your electronic world there may be little time left in the day.

PURGE THE FILES

In 1992 Kathryn Alesandrini reported that nearly half of all file cabinets house duplicate records. (Source: Overloaded, by Baha & Margaret Habashy, Integrity + Consulting, 2003)

TIMELY QUOTE

"Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through trying to save." - Will Rogers

AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION

AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION

Jeff Davidson, author of The 60 Second Procrastinator, suggests you ask the following question when you are tempted to delay an unpleasant task. "Will it be any easier later?"

ADDING TIME TO YOUR LIFE

People who survive longer do similar things at the same times most days, such as go to bed, and rise at the same time each day, eat, exercise, do routine jobs etc. They also don't rush, but pace their lives without losing time. (Source: Matthew Edlund, author of The Body Clock Advantage.)

BEST TIME FOR MEETINGS

Since companies employ both early birds and night owls, the best time for a creative meeting when everyone is alert is about 11:00 a.m.

E-MAIL OVERLOAD

The volume of e-mail has increased by 2000% between 1998 and 2003 and is expected to double over the coming years. (Source: Overloaded? by Baha and Margaret Habashy, Integrity+Consulting, 2003, www.integrity-plus.com)

DON'T KEEP PAST DIRECTORIES

As soon as you receive a new directory, catalog, or telephone book, get rid of the old one. How useful are the last ten years of an association membership directory for instance?

 

QUICK NAPS INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

According to Matthew Edlund, in his book, The Body Clock Advantage, short naps of 10 minutes seem to do the most for promoting alertness at work, especially in the mid-afternoon.