USING TIME EFFICIENTLY

USING TIME EFFICIENTLY

Time is your most valuable asset, and how well you use it has a key bearing on how your perform. By analyzing how you spend your time, you can begin to make changes that will ensure you get the most from your working day.

ANALYZING USE OF TIME

You might think that most of your time is spent doing useful things, but if you were to keep a detailed time-log, you would probably be surprised at the number of superfluous activities. It is easy to spend too much time on routine matters, such as reading mail, at the expense of high-priority, productive tasks. Look at how you divide your day at the moment. Do you prioritize your work so that you tackle important, urgent projects first? Or do you complete enjoyable tasks first? Do you waste a lot of time?

ALLOCATING TIME

The majority of your tasks can be divided into three groups: routine tasks (for example, writing a regular report) ,one-off tasks (for example, organizing a meeting) , and planning and development tasks (for example, making new contacts). to be most effective in your job, you should be spending about 60 per sent of your time on the most important Groups 3 tasks, 25 per sent on Group 2 tasks, and only 15 per sent on Group 1 needs. If, like most people, you allocate your time in exactly the opposite proportions, try to  reorganize your working day so that you are able to work more consistently and efficiently and achieve more.

DELEGATING WORK

By delegating aspects of your work to others, you give yourself time to complete the most important elements of your job successfully. Divide your necessary tasks, into three groups: those that do not need to be done at all - by you or anyone else; those that you could and should delegate; and those that your not able to delegate and must do yourself. Use this breakdown as a basis for reducing any unnecessary activities, delegating more tasks, and concentrating on tasks that only you can complete.

USING MOMENTS

Make the most of a long journey by writing a report, studying a document, or reading a book or article. Laptop and palmtop computers have made this "stolen" time still more usable.

FILLING IN TIME

Long periods of idleness, such as when travelling or waiting for meetings, are wasteful. Always have work available for filling in these times. If you have a long drive to work, why not take the chance to listen to recorded material? If you travel to work by train, use the time to read or plan your day ahead. Advances in communications mean that we can contact the office or talk to colleagues, wherever we are in the world. make sure you are equipped with the know-how and the tools to take advantage of  new technologies.