What is time management? Basically, it’s learning to control time instead of allowing time to control you. And how do you accomplish this? You accomplish it by learning to use time wisely, which will result in your being better organized, more productive, and, ultimately, more successful. Time management, however, is not a skill that everyone naturally possesses, yet most people can learn to manage time efficiently and effectively by utilizing specific proven techniques.
Procrastination in the Workplace Hurts Business
Time is money. These words are never truer than in business. Time, however, is often wasted in the workplace because employees, and sometimes management, tend to procrastinate. The reality, though, according to Barbara Zarna, Director of Education at Sawyer School of Business, is that procrastination in the workplace can result in damaged business relationships and poor products and services.
Time Management Tips for Overcoming Procrastination
Since everyone experiences high and low periods of energy throughout the day, Zarna suggests three simple guidelines for people to follow in order to avoid procrastination and make better use of their time:
- Use high-energy periods to accomplish tasks you tend to procrastinate over the most, since these tasks are usually the ones that require more attention to detail and complex thought on your part.
- Complete simple, less involved tasks that don’t require much effort during low-energy periods, for example, making telephone calls, filing, photocopying, etc.
- Establish priorities and set deadlines based upon your energy highs and lows. For example, if you are more energetic in the morning, complete major projects early in the day when you are at your most efficient.
Time Management Charts for Better Organization
A time management chart, as the name implies, is a method for organizing your time. Such a chart, according to Linda Stevens Hjorth of the DeVry Institute of Technology, serves as a guide that encourages you to complete tasks, increase organization, avoid squandering time, and meet daily and weekly goals. Plus, it is far more effective than a simple to-do list because a chart notes what you hope to accomplish in a specific time period, providing “needed structure” that will lead to greater productivity (Hjorth, 2000, p. 46).
To create a time-management chart for a specific day, simply put the date at the top of the page in a notebook, day planner, Word table, or spreadsheet then create two columns underneath the date. In the first column record each hour of the day, beginning with the time you arise from bed and ending with the time you retire for the evening. In the second column record the goal you intend to accomplish for a particular period of time. For example, beside the column entry for 1:00 – 2:00 PM, you might record something like “Sales meeting/lunch with John Steele of XYZ Corporation. Convince him to sign with company.”
Tips for Better Time Management in the Workplace
In addition to creating a time-management chart, there are other steps that you can take in order to get more out of your time at work, according to Zarna:
- Develop a regular work schedule, but “use artificial, or pretend, deadlines because of Murphy’s Law” (p. 153), which states that if something can go wrong, it will. Consequently, if you have a deadline of 2 PM on Thursday, set the deadline at 1 PM instead, just in case.
- Include both committed and flexible time when planning a task. Committed time is how long you think the job actually will take, and “flexible time includes extra time for interruptions or things over which you have no control” (p. 153).
- Organize your workspace because doing so will not only make tasks more manageable but also make you more productive. In other words, eliminate clutter by clearing your desk of unnecessary paperwork, organizing your filing system, and either discarding inactive files and account records or storing them elsewhere.
- Take a break when you feel your concentration slipping. As Zarna says, “There is a misconception that the longer you work, the more productive you become” (p. 154). The exact opposite is true, and “if you don’t recharge your battery, you will eventually stall” (Zarna, p. 154).
- Establish rewards for the accomplishment of both small and large tasks. For instance, tell yourself that you will not go to lunch until you’ve finished returning phone calls from clients, or that if you finish a project by its deadline, you will treat yourself to dinner and a movie.
- Avoid playing office politics and participating in the office gossip mill since doing so is not only a waste of valuable time and energy but, if you aren’t careful, can damage your reputation or even endanger your position.
- Don’t prolong telephone conversations. Whenever someone is keeping you tied up on the phone longer than necessary by talking about irrelevant things, politely end the call.
- Remain focused on what you’re doing and avoid switching to another task until you’re at a point where it will be easy to take up where you left off.
- Learn to say no. You might feel obligated to say yes, but according to Zarna, “you must recognize that you can’t be everything to all people all of the time” (p. 155). Of course, it’s difficult to say no to someone who is asking for your assistance, but the more often you do it, the easier it will become. The important thing is to recognize whether or not your assistance is really required, and if it is, then say yes.
In conclusion, time management is a skill that everyone, including you, can learn in order to become more efficient, productive, and effective in the workplace. Moreover, if you are business owner, learning to manage your time efficiently and helping your employees learn to manage theirs will greatly increase the chances of your business’s success.
Sources:
Hjorth, L. Claiming Your Victories; New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.
Zarna, B. The Job Search Guide to Success; New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1997.
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“Business Communication Skills”
“How to Write a Formal Business Report”
“Teambuilding for Success in Business”
“Business Letter Writing Skills for Professionals”
Carol Rzadkiewicz - Carol Rzadkiewicz has taught college English for over 14 years and is the author of three published novels and numerous short stories.
