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Do you need to manage your time at work? Who doesn’t, right? But if you really want to shine at work, one of the first things you’re going to have to take control of is your time. It always seems like there’s not enough time to accomplish everything when you’re working hard, but Bob Nelson in 1,001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work, says there are some steps you can take to rescue your time. Here is some of his advice:
- When you get to the end of your day, make a to-do list for tomorrow. Put whatever’s most important to accomplish at the top of your list. That way, when you walk in, you’ll know just what you need to do and where to start.
- Make a commitment to arrive at work a half hour early every day. That way, you can get started on whatever’s most important and work without interruption for that period of time.
- Don’t jump down your list to lower-priority tasks until you have made enough progress that you are satisfied on your higher-priority tasks.
- Use a calendar and plan. It will organize you, and you won’t have to spend time asking what you’re supposed to be doing. You’ll already know.
- Go through your in-box at least once a day and prioritize it.
- Say “good-bye” to unimportant meetings. If you don’t need to be there, don’t go. It will waste your time, and your list won’t get any smaller.
- Focus on what only you can do. Then, when possible, delegate to others.
- Take a couple of hours every week to sit down and look at your big-picture goals. Are you getting there? Set or reset goals appropriately.
- Learn to say “no.” Be polite, but firm. Otherwise, you won’t have the focus or energy to attain your goals.
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