Time management for the businessman and woman – part 2

In my previous article, we identified which are the most common “time thieves” at work. 

This time around, I will be discussing some time management tips.

Time management tips:

• “NO” is not a swear word
  • When confronted with a yes or no request, ask for time to think about it and to revert later. This takes the sting out of a possible immediate “no” or regretting a “yes”, and you can consider the pro’s and con’s. 
  • If you have decided to say no, say it in a normal tone of voice: not aggressive, not trying to justify and not being apologetic, but say so nicely.
  • Don’t be manipulated and allow people to play with your emotions to evoke a “Yes”.
    • Beware of approaches like “You are the best at ….. and I know I can’t do it like you, could you please….”, or “I wish I had your skills. Won’t you please…” or “You have such a great life. Don’t you want to please….”
    • Some people are experts at emotional blackmail – they use that technique to dig deep in your pocket and take as many of your time coins as they can.
  • As an alternative response, say “Yes” but qualify it time-wise, like “Sure, I’ll help you. I am just a little tied up right now and could help you towards the end of the week.
  • “A no uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a yes merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble” – Mahatma Gandhi

• Having Personal Goals
  • Personal goal setting is essential to managing your time well because goals give you a destination and vision to work towards. When you know where you want to go, you can manage your priorities, time and resources to get there.
  • Goals also help you decide what’s worth spending your time on and what’s just a distraction.
  • Some people refuse to set their own goals for fear of failure. If you don’t have goals, you cannot disappoint yourself and others, right? It takes a mindset shift to see that not attaining goals is part of your journey to success. When you don’t attain a goal, it means you have learned something which you will tackle differently next time round. Nobody is perfect and nobody achieves all their goals.
    • Edison tried thousands of ways to invent the light bulb until he eventually succeeded – he has seen it not as a failure, but a method of eliminating ways how not to do something until you’re on the right track.

• Following the “OHIO” approach
  • The “OHIO” method is an easy way to be more efficient and productive in the way one handles records and information resources. OHIO stands for: Only Handle It Once.
  • The premise of this method is that when information or a document lands on your desk, you only handle it once by dealing with it effectively.
  • The OHIO principle does not state to handle things at once, but if you handle it, handle it only once or as few times as possible.

• Keeping focus and time
  • Keeping focus involves staying with a relevant task, without deviating from it.
  • To keep focus on your personal alertness and to do that, you will need to prime your brain to deliver results you want. Get yourself in shape to perform.  There is no universal solution to this, but consider whether any of the below may influence you:
    • Get enough sleep – coming to work well rested is vital to having a productive day. Many people don’t get enough sleep at night. When you are tired, it’s very easy to become distracted.
    • Stay hydrated – when you don’t drink enough water and you become dehydrated, you may not think clearly. Dehydration can also make you feel tired and less alert. Keep a bottle of water on your desk and drink regularly during the day.
    • Go for a walk, Make time for breaks – You should take atleast a 5-10minute break for every hour of work. This will get you more motivated to finish the task, give you a break to rest your eyes, and will give you some time to transition your mind to the next task ahead.
    • Watch your diet – Your diet may also influence how tired you feel.
    • Stay motivated – Know what you want to achieve and keep focused on the end result.
    • Be careful to avoid burnout – Burnout occurs when your body and mind can no longer keep up with the tasks you demand of them. Don’t try to force yourself to do the impossible. Dedicate time for important tasks, but always be sure to leave time for relaxation and reflection.

Happy at work = more happiness at home & vice versa.