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Time management is self management
We would all like to get more done in a day, and often we hear people talking about "not having enough time". Yet, some people do get everything they need to get done in a day, and have the same amount of time as we do. Time can't be managed; it is uncontrollable. What we can manage is ourselves and our use of time. The skills we need to manage others are the same skills we need to manage ourselves: The ability to plan, delegate, organise, direct and control. However, there are some common time-wasters that may be stealing our days. Here are some of the most frequent reasons for inefficiency in the workplace: Interruptions - desk telephone Interruptions - mobile phone Interruptions - personal visitors Meetings Tasks you should have delegated Procrastination and indecision Acting with incomplete information Dealing with team members Crisis management Unclear communication Unclear objectives and priorities Lack of planning Stress and fatigue Inability to say "no" Personal disorganisation (messy desk/office) Not getting through e-mails daily Promising more than you can deliver - and knowing it Taking on extra work because."no one else can do it like me" Tick the ones which are the major obstacles to your own time management. These are your "Time Stealers". Now that you have identified them, try to do away with them, reduce them or change the way they affect you. Print this and place it where you can see it in your office, to remind you of the distractions you can't afford. |
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