Gizmos, tools, and programmes make great claims - most fail to help us achieve that ultimate "nirvana" of time management.
These 10 steps will ensure time-management works for you:
1. Kick the habit: Poor time management is developed behaviour. Recognise you have a problem and make a commitment to rectify it.
2. Effective planning: Time management is a discipline that can be learned and mastered. Planning is the key. Every minute spent planning means 10 minutes saved in execution.
3. Plan each day in advance: Find a tool that works for you and each evening plan your next day. Identify the most important use of your time and where you bring the greatest value to your organisation.
4. Develop your daily plan by ranking tasks: List these vital tasks (based on the points above) and rank them accordingly. Planning your day has other benefits – you'll sleep better because you've written what must be accomplished and won't have to worry about remembering; your subconscious mind works on these issues while you sleep.
5. Block scheduling: Consider your day blocks of time. Start with 'hour' blocks. With practice comes proficiency at budgeting time - you'll soon look at 30-minute blocks.
6. Mark your calendar in blocks of time: Insert the ranked tasks from your list into your calendar's blocks of time, starting with the most important undertaking. Effective time managers see their days in 15-minute increments.
7. Determine the time in the day for each task: Mornings are usually best for tackling your most difficult and highest-priority tasks. As the day wears on, work on tasks requiring less mental effort.
8. Prioritise and focus: Jump right in on the most important, highest-value task. Focus single-mindedly on starting and finishing - do not deviate. Time management's enemy is starting several tasks but never finishing any. Ask yourself: "Is this the most important thing I should be doing right here, right now?" Do not get "derailed" from your plan.
9. Minimise distractions: Distractions - the phone, internet, email, co-workers, daydreaming... will thwart your plan. Keep distractions to a minimum.
10. Additional tips: Make appropriate time for speaking to employees and co-workers, returning phone calls, emails, etc. Do these tasks when they're scheduled. Take breaks - "five-minute vacations" - walk outside or around the office, stretch, clear your mind, recharge your mental batteries and then re-focus on your work.
Submitted by Patrick Greenaway of ActionCOACH Business Coaching.