Time Management Tips...

Prioritise your activities to save you and your organisation valuable time.

Use the following grading system to decide how to set your priorities by applying it to the work that lands on your desk: 

1 = critically important and only I can do it.

2 = critically important and I need to provide input but someone else can do it.

3 = not so important and I can delegate completely.

4 = not so important and I can delay.

5 = not so important and I can drop. 

Delegate effectively to enhance your career.

When work comes your way ask yourself, ‘Do I need to be the one to do it?’ Holding onto things that you can delegate may actually stall the organisation. 

Use the following format of questions as a guideline for successful delegation: 

1.                   What needs to be done?

2.                   Why does it need to be done?

3.                   How is the task to be done?

4.                   Who is going to do it?

5.                   When does it need to be completed?

6.                   What resources are needed to complete the task?

7.                   How am I going to effectively communicate what needs doing to support            and encourage the people responsible?

8.                   How will this assignment affect other key initiatives? 

Model personal balance at work.

One person consistently modelling personal balance can make a big difference for an organisation because that person will be operating at their personal best. 

Consider the following: 

Note everything that you are tolerating in your work.

Talk to a colleague about things that you think can’t be changed to help you see new opportunities for change. Finally, let go of the things that you can’t change so that they don’t continue to nag you. 

Personalise your office and workday to be in balance for you.

What could you do in the space of ten minutes each day to give some time and attention to what helps you feel good about yourself and your surroundings? 

Set limits and honour commitments outside work.

Set limits on how much work you will do and when. In this way, you will create some boundaries to protect yourself from overwork. Stay committed to the activities that are important to you outside work.