By Sandy Geroux, M.S.If you’re like me, you not only receive multiple requests (all seemingly due at the same time), but you are constantly bombarded by the “latest and greatest” time-saving and productivity-enhancing tools! However, the hype often supersedes the reality when trying to find ways to master these tools and incorporate them into your daily routine.
I am excited to be the keynote speaker at the upcoming conference this November when I’ll be presenting my topic entitled
“Don’t Drop the Ball: Methods to Help with Multi-Tasking.”During this program, we’ll talk about the myths and truths about multi-tasking, as well as methods to help with prioritizing, handling emergency and non-emergency requests, time-chunking to create your ideal day and ways to talk with your leaders about setting boundaries and taking back control of your time.
In the meantime, since I know that new tasks will continue to land on your doorstep, let me offer three tips to help you capitalize on your strengths and keep your stress to a minimum.
Polish your estimating skills
The first step in taking back control of our time is to polish our estimating skills. Whenever we are assigned a task, we think we know about how long it will take. But how many times are we shocked by the amount of time needed to accomplish what should be a simple task? One way to gain an understanding of your estimating skills is track your activities and the time spent on them:
- Place a lined pad on your desk, within easy reach.
- Make two columns on the pad – one labeled Start Time and one labeled Activity.
- Upon starting any activity, record the start time and a brief description of the activity. Write all tasks, including phone calls. (Don’t get fancy with the form, or you’ll actually waste time. Don't worry about logging End Times; if you do it religiously, new Start Times will indicate when you ended the previous task).
- At the end of the day, you will see how long it took you to complete each task, as well how many times you were interrupted (a colossal time-waster).
- Tracking this for just 2-3 days will allow you to see patterns.
Once you’ve discovered patterns in your day, you can develop a plan to make the necessary changes.
“Time-Saving” Gadgets: One-Size Does Not Fit All!
If you are frustrated by a lack of success with the “latest and greatest” time-savers, join the club! Every new gadget or program comes with incredibly convincing hype… and we often fall for it. Although we really may need some of these items, here are a few tips to help determine if any new gadget or software program is right for you:
- Ask yourself, “Will this make my life easier… or harder?” Will this technology shorten or simplify a process I do regularly? Is it worth the cost in money and learning time?
- Do I perform this task often enough to make learning new technology worthwhile? Consider not only the time to learn it, as well as the time spent re-learning it every time you use it.
- Know your learning and productivity styles: Are you more productive with visual reminders than auditory ones? If so, “hiding” your to do’s in electronic form and waiting for audible reminders may not be the best idea. Try it for a week; if you forget important items because they’re not visible, this may not be for you.
- Technology doesn’t have to be “all-or-nothing”: Sometimes a combination of electronic and manual systems works best. I love my smartphone for my calendar and address book, but hate it for my to do list. Call me old-fashioned, but if I hand-write a list of important items, they seem more real, I remember them better, and I get a great feeling of accomplishment from manually crossing them off my list when completed.
Keep in mind that most technology today has SO much functionality built into it that you’ll never use it all – so don’t even try! Just find apps with the right functionality for you, try before you buy (if possible), then spend your valuable time and money on learning those that will make your life easier.
Don't Assume - Clarity Saves Time!
How much time is wasted by assuming that others have the same understanding we do? I recently spoke with a young college student named Janet who wanted to change cell phone plans, but she first had to switch her friend Cindy (who was on her plan) to another service. Their joint plan subscription ran from the 14th of one month to the 13th of the next.
When Janet said she’d inform Cindy that the current plan would continue until “the end of the month”, I asked if Cindy knew she really meant the 13th (the fiscal month end), rather than the 31st (the calendar month end). She replied, “I assume she does… it’s always been that way!” What problems are hidden in this scenario?
- Janet pays the bills and is constantly reminded of the plan dates, but Cindy isn’t.
- She may have told Cindy those dates (two years ago) but Cindy has probably forgotten them.
- Cindy could have assumed that because a change was occurring, she had until the end of the calendar month to get her own plan.
- If Janet switched services before Cindy expected her to, Cindy would be left without service.
Watch for these simple, innocent-looking miscommunications. Think ahead, analyze your words, and remember that assumptions are not facts. Being very clear in all our communications will not only save other people time and energy, but keep us from having to repeat, clarify or correct situations that arise.
By following and mastering these tips, you will vastly improve your understanding of your own time and resource needs, as well as your critical communication skills. This will allow you to take back hours of time in your workdays and put them to work creating the results you and your leader desire.