BLOGS

DYNAMIC DOZEN: STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE TIME USE

Assume ownership of your time
•    Most people would be surprised if someone reached in their wallet without asking and helped themselves to the money found there. But how different is that from letting others help themselves to your time? Take ownership of your own time and do not allow others to make commitments of your time without your permission. It is not selfish to keep others from squandering your time. Give your time freely when you want but don't make the mistake of undervaluing this resource, or feeling guilty when you do not allow others to waste it. Think of a time recently when someone wasted your time. How could you have handled the situation better?

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize:
•    Continually check yourself to see that you are working on the most important things that need doing on any specific day. Helping your child talk through a problem he/she is having or discussing the day's events with a spouse or friend may be more important than getting the dishes done or a load of laundry completed. Don't think of priorities only as jobs that need doing. As you remind yourself to direct yourself to the most important tasks first, you will find yourself letting go of tasks that really did not need doing after all.

Learn to say "no"
•    It is not that saying the word is so difficult. It is more the feeling of guilt that many experience as soon as they use the word. Try focusing on the important things that will get done because you used that two letter word to decline something which was not a part of your priorities. Looking at your past week, what are some things you should have said "no" to?

Protect your blocks
•    Think of your day as several large blocks of time (the morning block, afternoon block, after-dinner block) with the blocks separated by natural interruptions. Where you have control, keep your blocks whole, scheduling appointments and meetings, running errands at the beginning or end of a block rather than in the middle. Having an appointment in the middle of a block leaves little time at either end to tackle a major piece of work. Keeping your blocks of time as large as possible gives you a sense of having more available time.

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  Delegate

•    There's that "D" word. Delegating means assigning the responsibility for a task (not just the work) to someone else. That means you no longer have to do the job, nor do you have to remind someone else to do it. Being able to delegate some tasks is a way of freeing up some of your time for the jobs that only you can do. You may have to use your standard shifting skill when you delegate. As someone else learns to do a task, do not be tempted to take over if they are not doing it quite right. You have to learn that "done" may be "good enough."

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  Think in terms of buying time

•    Each individual has a peak time of day when their energy is at its highest and concentration at its best. Determine which time of day is your peak performance time and plan your work accordingly. Keep meetings and routine tasks for other parts of the day when you have the choice. What part of the day is best for you to do a task which takes real concentration?

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  Learn to work with your biological clock

•    Think of your day as several large blocks of time (the morning block, afternoon block, after-dinner block) with the blocks separated by natural interruptions. Where you have control, keep your blocks whole, scheduling appointments and meetings, running errands at the beginning or end of a block rather than in the middle. Having an appointment in the middle of a block leaves little time at either end to tackle a major piece of work. Keeping your blocks of time as large as possible gives you a sense of having more available time.

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  Develop systems to keep things running smoothly at home

•    Busy individuals often keep personal calendars. In a family setting, a master calendar is also useful. Make each family member responsible for noting their time commitments on the calendar and consulting the calendar for potential conflicts when they make plans. After you have established the master calendar and have family members used to using it, work on a master bulletin board for posting reminders, announcements, and calling lists that each family member might need. Tack up not only a list of emergency numbers but also frequently used numbers such as your kids' friends, the favorite pizza delivery service and the school attendance office. Then move on to establishing a central communication center. Family members should have one place where they post messages for other family members and where they check for messages whenever they get home.

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  Set up a simple filing system

•    At home and at work you need a filing system so that you can find important papers when you need them. Trying to locate important papers can be a real time waster. Keep your system simple using broad categories. For example, one file titled "Automobiles" can house everything from the bill of sale to receipts for auto repairs. A simple system will make filing go faster and there will be less temptation to put filing off.

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  Break down large jobs into manageable pieces

•   One of the sources of procrastination is that some tasks can seem too overwhelming to even begin. Learn to break down a large task into manageable pieces and then begin with a piece you know you can handle. The most challenging step on major undertakings is often the first one. Besides you will have a greater sense of satisfaction as you complete each individual portion of the task and this can keep you motivated to the end. Think of a major task you have ahead of you. How could you break it down into manageable pieces?

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  Work on overcoming procrastination

•    Once you recognize that you are procrastinating, the next step is to begin overcoming this time-wasting habit. And procrastination is a habit, a habitual way of dealing with tasks you find distasteful or that make you fearful of failure. When you see that you are procrastinating, make an appointment with yourself to take the first step toward completing the task. Determine exactly what that first step will be and then set a specific time in the near future to begin the work.

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  Reward yourself

•    Celebrate when a major task is completed or a major challenge is met. One of the problems with a hectic life is that you can be so busy that you fail to notice the completion of a major piece of work. You just move on to the next job without celebrating your previous success. This failure leads to focusing on what is still left undone instead of enjoying what has already been accomplished. Set up a reward system for yourself that serves as both a motivator to get certain difficult tasks done and an acknowledgment that you are making effective use of your time. Be it a bubble bath, two chapters in your new book, or a phone call to a friend, acknowledge your accomplishment by rewarding yourself.