How To Improve Your Time Management

How To Improve Your Time Management

Time management skills are important because you only have a limited amount of time, to do an unlimited number of things.

You cannot do everything at the same time, so you must learn to prioritise and allocate only a certain amount of time to each thing.

Time management is about spending the right amount of time, on the right thing, in the right order.

In order to become a terrific time manager, you need to master the time management ‘P list’ activities, which consists of the top-ten time management skills.

1. Purposefulness.
2. Planning.
3. Preparation.
4. Prioritisation.
5. Prevention of avoidable error.
6. Personal initiative.
7. Problem, cause, solution analysis.
8. Proper Protocols.
9. Productiveness.
10. Physical energy

Purposefulness

Purposefulness is the art of keeping your mind on topic and NOT letting distractions, or interruptions take you off topic.

The world is full of distractions. Some people are continually distracted. Other people are more mindful of their major definite purpose.

If you want to be a good time manager, then the first rule is to stop distracting yourself and keep your mind on topic.

Planning

Your purpose is to achieve your goals, and to do so, you need to be a planner. Plan your meetings.

Plan your route. Plan your hours and plan your days.Operate according to your plan: not your mood.

Time managers have a plan and strive to stick to it. Non time managers have no plan and call it improvising. Corporate Coach call having no plan, “Winging it”.

Don’t wing- it. Plan it.

Prioritisation

Prioritisation is the art of putting your plan into a practical list of activities, scheduled in order of logical necessity and value.

Corporate Coach have developed a fabulous app to help you prioritise your tasks: WhatsNext? 

You need a track to run on. All good time managers have a track to run on. Non-time managers have no track to run on and they are therefore bounced around the room by circumstances.

Preparation

Preparation is the art of making ready before the event. You pack the night before you go on holiday. You revise weeks before an exam. You get yourself ready well before an event. Winning on the day is determined by how well you prepare in advance.

Prevention of avoidable error

Prevention of avoidable error is the act of being fully conscious and NOT making silly mistakes. Silly mistakes cost industry very dearly. They can be fatal.

Silly mistakes include driving too fast. Leaving the door unlocked. Leaving documents on the train. Tripping up because you were not looking. Saying an obviously wrong thing.

Many errors are avoidable. Can you imagine what would happen to you if you never made a silly mistake ever again. Think of the time you would save.

Good time managers are mindful and don’t make many unavoidable errors. Poor time managers are often mopping up the mess caused by an avoidable error.

Personal initiative

Personal initiative is the art of acting on your own volition; as opposed to waiting until someone tells you to act.

Time managers have the power of personal initiative. Non-time managers wait to be told.

On your own volition, develop personal initiative to improve the system.

Problem, cause, solution analysis

All problems have causes. All causes suggest solutions.

Time managers are quick to identify a problem, discover their causes and generate solutions.

Time managers solve problems quickly. Non-time managers spend too much time complaining about the problem, but they fail to suggest practical solutions.

Proper Protocols

Protocols are written statements about what should be done in certain circumstances. The protocols are needed in emergency situations when there is no time to think it out. Protocols are plans of action. They need to be ready, before you need them.

Good time managers operate and develop effective protocols. Non-time managers don’t.

Productivity

Almost everyone is busy, but not everyone is productive. The purpose of your activity is to be in some way productive. If your actions result in no productive result, then your activity was a waste of time.

Remember: You are not paid for your activity. You are not paid for your time. You are not paid for your effort. You are paid for your productivity.

Non-time managers are thinking about the easiest or most pleasant use of their time. Good time managers are always thinking about the most productive use of their time.

Physical energy

Energy is required to be healthy, happy and productive. Many people don’t have sufficient energy.

Time managers master their energy levels by ensuring that they eat well, sleep well and have good work habits. Non-time managers fail to master their energy because they don’t eat well, they have bad sleep habits as well as bad work habits.

You would gain major benefits if you master the Time Management P List Activities.