- HOW YOU USE YOUR TIME WILL AFFECT YOU BOTH MENTALLY
AND PHYSICALLY.
EFFECTIVELY MANAGING YOUR TIME REDUCES STRESS
AND HELPS YOU TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE IN THE WORKPLACE.
IN BUSINESS, TIME IS MONEY,
AND THE ABILITY TO USE TIME WISELY IS A SKILL IN ITSELF.
THE USE OF PROPER TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS
WILL HELP YOU TO COMPLETE PROJECTS ON TIME
AND WILL HELP YOU TO NOT FORGET IMPORTANT TASKS AND MEETINGS.
TAKING TIME TO GET ORGANIZED
WILL ASSIST YOU IN CONTROLLING YOUR TIME.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU ORGANIZE AND CONTROL YOUR TIME.
NO. 1: KEEP A CALENDAR HANDY AT ALL TIMES.
IT MAY BE A PAPER CALENDAR OR AN ELECTRONIC CALENDAR
SUCH AS A COMPUTER, MOBILE PHONE,
PDA OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
WHATEVER TYPE YOU USE,
LIST ALL YOUR APPOINTMENTS, MEETINGS AND TASKS FOR EACH DAY.
IF YOU ARE USING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE,
USE THE REMINDER FEATURE.
NO. 2: MAKE A "TO DO" LIST EACH DAY
AND PRIORITIZE THAT LIST,
FOCUSING ON THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS FIRST.
- NO. 3: ORGANIZE YOUR WORK AREA.
USE FILE FOLDERS AND INBOXES
TO ORGANIZE AND PRIORITIZE YOUR PROJECTS.
KEEP YOUR DESK FREE FROM CLUTTER BUT MAKE SURE
THAT THE TOOLS THAT YOU DO NEED
FOR YOUR JOB ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
THIS INCLUDES PENCILS, PENS, STAPLER, PHONE,
NOTE PAD, AND OTHER ITEMS NEEDED FOR YOUR JOB.
NO. 4: AVOID TIME WASTERS.
BEING AWARE OF TIME WASTERS HELPS YOU
BETTER MANAGE YOUR TIME.
SOCIALIZING, PERSONAL PHONE CALLS,
EMAIL INTERRUPTIONS AND COFFEE BREAKS...
THE TIME THAT YOU SPEND DOING
THESE ACTIVITIES ADD UP MORE QUICKLY THAN YOU MAY REALIZE.
NO. 5: PRACTICE A ONE-TOUCH POLICY.
AFTER YOU HAVE LOOKED AT A PROJECT, LETTER,
MEMO OR OTHER ITEM, ACT ON IT, FILE IT,
PLACE IT INTO A PRIORITY PILE, PASS IT ON, OR THROW IT AWAY.
DO NOT KEEP PILING PAPERS ON YOUR DESK.
NO. 6: SET TIME ASIDE EACH DAY
TO ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE AT ONCE
INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING EACH ITEM AS IT COMES TO YOUR DESK.
HOWEVER, IF AN ITEM IS MARKED "URGENT" CHECK IT RIGHT AWAY.
NO. 7: DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP
WHEN YOU GET STUCK ON A TASK.
NOT ONLY WILL THIS HELP YOU GET IT DONE ON TIME,
IT'LL ALSO HELP YOU GET IT DONE CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME.
OTHER WAYS TO KEEP YOU ORGANIZED AND IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
ARE TO RETURN PHONE MESSAGES AND ANSWER EMAILS
AT ONE OR TWO SET TIMES DAILY RATHER THAN AS THEY COME IN,
UNLESS, OF COURSE,
IT'S SOMETHING CRITICAL OR URGENT.
MAINTAIN PAPER FILES PROPERLY IN A FILE CABINET
AND KEEP THEM NEATLY ARRANGED IN CLEARLY LABELED FILE FOLDERS.
JUST AS YOU WOULD FOR PAPER FILES, MAINTAIN COMPUTER FILES
AND FOLDERS PROPERLY NAMED FOR EASY ACCESS.
KEEP ROUTINELY USED FILES
IN A PLACE THAT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
KEEP FILES UPDATED AND DISPOSE OF OLD FILES PROPERLY,
USING A SHREDDER FOR PAPER FILES AND DELETING COMPUTER FILES
FROM THE ELECTRONIC FOLDER AND TRASH CAN.
ANY UNNECESSARY FILES WITH PERSONAL INFORMATION
OR IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS ARE CONSIDERED CONFIDENTIAL
AND SHOULD BE SHREDDED OR DELETED PROPERLY.
AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF TIME MANAGEMENT
IS MAKING TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
DON'T BRING YOUR WORK TROUBLES HOME WITH YOU,
GET PLENTY OF REST, HAVE FUN WITH FRIENDS,
EXERCISE AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET.
SET ASIDE AN HOUR OR TWO EACH WEEK
FOR QUIET CONTEMPLATION.
ATTENDING A RELIGIOUS SERVICE, A NATURE WALK
OR TIME SPENT DOING NOTHING AT ALL CAN SOMETIMES RESULT
IN THE MOST PROFOUND PERSONAL GROWTH.