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Find the time management tips that work for you

Views 1 Views    Comments 0 Comments    Share Share    Posted 04-06-2009  
The ability to manage time and energy effectively is necessary for a successful life and career, says sales coach Kirsty Spraggon, but it`s vital to find practices that suit your individual needs.

It`s necessary to "slow down just enough to speed up and discover what your own top tips are", she says in Work as if you own it.

Spraggon has found the following ideas work well for her, but you should consider what changes are necessary to make them suit you:

1. Tackle distractions - if you`re easily distracted and love to chat, consciously reduce the frequency and duration of conversations you have with colleagues.

2. Work in chunks of time - energy experts believe people are most productive when they work a maximum of two hours at a time, Spraggon says. "After this our energy and concentration `peaks out`, our energy levels then deplete and we often become irritable and generally less productive."

She recommends working hard for two hours then taking a 10-minute break to walk, enjoy a quick chat with colleagues, or go and have a healthy, energy-boosting snack.

3. Delay your gratification - some people need to do their most unpleasant tasks first to get them out of the way. "That way these things get done and… the good bits [are] left to do last...just like when you eat a cake and save the icing till the end."

4. Eliminate things - if a task has been on your list for too long and you still haven`t prioritised time to get it done, why torture yourself? "Sometimes the task simply isn`t all that important anymore."

5. Write a `stop doing` list - "One of the best ideas I picked up at a business conference was to write a list of what I should stop doing," Spraggon says. "It may sound back-to-front but sometimes we are doing and learning so much that we don`t stop to properly evaluate whether the things that are keeping us so busy are actually all that important or productive.

"So take some time to sit and think about the things you may be doing out of habit instead of choice. Identify which ones you would be better off to stop doing."


6. Take a (real) day off - "We all need down time to recharge and a day off is not really a day off unless you divert your phone completely and use this precious time to switch off from any thoughts of work.

"I have heard some wonderful voicemail messages where the person I was trying to reach genuinely explained that I was calling on their one day off and that they were `prioritising family today`. As long as the message is professional and includes a clear
indication of when you will be checking messages (e.g. at noon and 5pm) it is perfectly fine to say that only urgent messages will be returned that day (the rest can be returned the next `working` day)."

7. Colour-code your schedule - manage your time by blocking out certain times in your diary and keeping this aside for you and you alone. Using different colours for work time (with further colour-coding for sub-divisions such as prospecting, planning, administration and so on); family/friend/social time; and physical exercise time will help you see at a glance whether or not you are "in balance".

8. Use your time gaps - the spare moments in your day can be spent studying industry trends, making a few notes or returning calls. "If you take a close look at your day you will be surprised how many wasted moments you could be using... and if you do this well enough you should find you conserve both time and energy by freeing yourself up earlier at the end of the day."

Spare moments include queuing at the doctor; listening to `hold` music; waiting at traffic lights; and driving to and from appointments. Make sure you carry a book to read; a notepad for mind-mapping; a dictaphone for recording ideas; your top 50 clients` numbers stored in your phone; and an iPod loaded with motivational, educational and inspirational recordings and podcasts.

"Even something as simple as quietly reciting your personal affirmations or visualising your dreams while you wait in a bus or taxi queue can lift your spirits, your productivity and your whole day in general."


9. `Download` your ideas - "Keep a pen and paper next to your bed at night in case you start to get `busy` in your mind and need to do a `brain-dump` to download all your thoughts so you can sleep soundly."

10. Sleep to recharge - "some thought leaders and mystics liken sleep to a state of deep and rejuvenating meditation. It`s certainly true that your body heals itself best when you are asleep. This is why it is often more time-effective to take one day off and sleep long hours, feel better and get back to work than to keep battling through operating below par."

11. Pick three non-negotiables - decide on three things necessary to your health and wellbeing and, regardless of what else you do in your day, make them non-negotiable. Spraggon`s three points are a daily 30-minute walk, regular and healthy meals, and plenty of deep sleep....

Source:
http://www.recruiterdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&stream=All&selkey=
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