Time Management - who knows where the time goes
Many people say that they don’t have enough hours in the day to do the things they want to do and moan about having to work late. Sometimes this is because of too many commitments but it’s often due to wasting time – chatting, checking emails, surfing the net etc. To see if you are wasting time you may find it useful to complete an activity log, please contact me here if you would like a copy.
You can use this for a few days to see where the time goes. For 3-5 days don’t judge, just list. You’ll see that as well as noting how important each task is, I’ve also asked you to note your energy level. This is because we should be doing the tasks which requite out greatest concentration when are energy and ability to concentrate is at its highest.
Each time you do something, when you change a task, note the time you start, what you do and also note your energy level. The energy levels may be due to bio rhythms but could also depend on what you’ve eaten – a light protein rich meal makes you feel focused and energetic, or a sugar hit which drops our blood sugar levels and makes it difficult to concentrate.
Once you have your completed log it’s time to review where the time goes. You’ll probably be surprised at the times you spend on tasks you don’t need to do during working hours (personal emails or surfing on the net). You will also notice other tasks that could be delegated to someone else.You’ll also notice how often you switch between tasks.
Maybe checking for emails every 5 or 10 minutes, starting to write a report then skimming through emails, then searching for a file. It can be much more time efficient to complete one task before moving on to respond to emails in blocks, perhaps at 9, 1 and 5pm.
Completing this exercise means that you do know where the time goes and you can be more efficient by getting rid of the time wasting activities.
Email This Post | Print This Post | Permalink
Spread the word:
January 23rd, 2008 at 6:56 am
[…] are not necessarily making life easier for us. A couple of months ago I wrote about how many of us check email far too frequently which can distract us from […]