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Do you ever get the feeling you're on a treadmill at work? Every morning you ambitiously start the day off with a To Do List, but by the end of the day nothing on your list is checked off. You tell yourself: "tomorrow I'll be more productive". Effective time management is that elusive skill every professional woman strives to achieve. With each step up the career ladder, it becomes increasingly more important to manage your time effectively. Avoid the common pitfalls and find out how the pros maximize their workday.
- Prioritize Your Day
- Complete What You Start
- Know Your Limitations/Take Breaks
Prioritize Your Day - At the beginning of each day, review your To Do List, select the two or three most critical items for you to personally complete and then spend 80% of your time on those. Next, identify any projects to be delegated and list on a separate sheet for each staff person. When you get in, go over the delegated items with the appropriate person. Remember to prioritize your staff's day also, because productive staff members reflect an organized manager. At the end of each day, prepare the next day's To Do List. Carefully list each task by priority, allocating a realistic timeframe to each item.
To increase productivity, avoid distractions if possible. Fielding phone calls and answering questions throughout the day can break focus. Ask the receptionist to hold your calls. Set aside a designated time in the morning and in the afternoon to return all calls at once.
Complete What You Start - Procrastination is your biggest enemy. Valuable time is lost each time you stop and restart a task. If you discipline yourself to complete an assignment from start to finish, you will maximize your productivity. If you perceive a specific project to be more difficult, attack it first thing in the morning when you are fresh and less distracted.
Know Your Limitations/Take Breaks – Our bodies are like cars – if we don't re-fuel or take care of ourselves, we can't expect peak performance all the time. If you are working long hours, don't forget to take lunch breaks or take off early one night during the week to rest. If you find yourself loosing focus, take a break – walk outside for some fresh air or enjoy a cup of coffee. Although you may not feel like taking a break when you are so busy, your productivity will lag if you don't give your body and mind a break.
Don't get discouraged if you feel unproductive at the end of the day. Remember tomorrow is a NEW day and a NEW opportunity to get organized. Fine tune your time management skills and we'll MEET YOU AT THE TOP.
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