You cannot and will never be able to manage time. It is an abstract concept. You can, however, manage yourself. You can take responsibility for how productive you are in the time you have available.
All business people have the same number of hours in the day as you – so what’s the difference between their success and yours? The answer is simple:
How they choose to use their time, and how productive they are as a result.
Here are The Passionate PA’s top tips to better self-management:
Complete the most important tasks first
This is the golden rule of effective business management. Identify two or three tasks that are the most crucial to complete and do those first. Once these are done, your day is already a success.
Block out distractions
Prioritise yourself and your business. Put your phone on silent and allow yourself to focus. Be strict with yourself (and others) and channel your attention by using only one device.
Don’t strive for perfection
Always keep the bigger picture in mind; contrary to popular belief, perfectionism is not a positive mindset. Do the job to the best of your abilities, in the sensible amount of time allotted, and move on.
Have a ‘jobs to-do’ list every day
There are four classification of job type:
- Important and Urgent (do these immediately)
- Important but Not Urgent (block time in your diary/schedule to complete these)
- Urgent but Not Important (delegate these tasks if possible, do during allotted admin time)
- Not Urgent and Not Important (Make a note of these so you don’t forget they need doing at some point – they may well become Urgent)
Build in some buffer time too, for wriggle room and in case Important and Urgent tasks arise.
Organise your inbox
Diarise two slots each day for email management – no more than this and don’t have it open all day as it can drag your focus away.
Use folders, sub-folders and the flagging tool for items you need to come back to or are waiting on a reply to. Diarise a monthly inbox clear-out.
Sleep, exercise and take time to relax
Tired people procrastinate more and get distracted easily. Allowing yourself downtime between tasks can be a breath of fresh air for your brain.
Be assertive and don’t be afraid to say no
Are you certain that what you are doing is the best use of your time?
Outsourcing could be the answer
Most business can outsource something, and there is a wealth of skilled and talented freelancers and specialists out there that can add to your business.
Let enjoyment be the goal
We often forget to enjoy what we are doing. Even when we focus on working SMARTER, we are still often too focused on simply getting things done. Think about reshaping your business to spend 80% of your time on the bits you enjoy.
You have to be brave to push beyond the norm and your own limiting beliefs, but that’s where the magic can happen. Visit www.thepassionatepa.co.uk or call 03 3000 20 200.