Ten Tips for Time Mastery

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pdus2go
on August 31, 2009 in Linda Henman, PhD., Magnetic Boss, PDUs2Go Author Article and SPECIAL EDITION. 2 Comments Tags: Leadership.
By Linda Henman, PhD.

By Linda Henman, PhD.

1. Don’t over schedule. Leave time in every day for unexpected events because almost every day brings at least one. In addition to having more control of your day, you’ll reduce stress.
2. Set 30/ 60/ 90 day SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time sensitive) goals for your personal and professional life. Activities that don’t support these goals don’t go on the calendar. Set weekly goals that support these.
3. Don’t over commit. Just say “no” to charities, committees, meetings, or activities that don’t directly support a personal or professional goal.
4. Prioritize each day. Separate important from unimportant and urgent tasks, and do first things first. Unless you are expecting an emergency phone call, turn off your cell phone. Use it for outgoing calls, on your schedule, so you can stick to your priorities.
5. Eat the frog first. If there’s an unpleasant task you must accomplish, do it first. You’ll have more energy and focus once the unpleasant or difficult task is complete.
6. Know what you’re doing. Analyze current uses of time and energy—yours and that of others on your team—to determine whether you are spending time on critical issues that drive your goals and support your priorities. Then schedule your hardest or least favorite tasks for high energy times.
7. Follow the 80/20 rule. Realize that 20% of your efforts drive 80% of your results. Identify the 20% of people who support you, the 20% of activities that drive your goals, and the 20% of training you need and then eliminate the other 80% of each.
8. Get organized. Have a sense of where and how information is stored; be able to locate materials quickly; have a system so your assistant or someone else can find things; and routinely clean out files and throw outdated material away.
9. Don’t allow people to copy you on emails, ask to make decisions they are accountable for, or otherwise interrupt you “for just a minute” to discuss something they should be handling.
10. Buy time. Use helpful new technologies or support people to do the things you aren’t good at, don’t like, or don’t want to do. When you lead with your passion, work is more enjoyable, and you’ll accomplish more.