NOVEMBER 28, 2014 BY IFE ADEDAPO
IFE ADEDAPO writes on ways to maximise time to gain more productive hours and be successful in
business
Highly effective people want to get things done, whether it’s the daily work or a long-term project.
Over the course of a week, people typically work on different kinds of projects, with different timelines and different processes. In order to ensure that they are on track or balance their responsibilities appropriately, experts say they should give clear-headed thought to planning their schedule and creating a task list for each day.
Take immediate action
A Life and Productivity coach, Mr. Remi Dairo, says planning and scheduling business activities are different from implementing the plans. He adds that the best thing to do is to match them.
According to him, business executives, should spend some time to identify their priorities and anticipate the obstacles they may encounter that may slow them down. He adds that each morning, they should endeavour to write their priorities for the day on an index card.
Plan ahead
Giving an example of his typical day, Dairo says his day’s productivity begins the night before, which involves packing and organising for the next day.
“You can choose to lay out clothes for the next day. Sometimes you may be tired in the evening, but when you skip your evening routine, you regret it the next day, because what takes five minutes to decide in the evening can easily take 15 minutes in the early morning when you are in a hurry,” he says.
According to him, taking a minute at the end of each work session to jot down a few notes about what has been done and what the person intends to do next, will be helpful as several days may go by before the person remembers to go back to a particular project.
He says, “Memory only goes so far. Notes are much better.”
Jog your memory with a timer
The life coach says a timer is his favourite productivity tool. Therefore, he advises highly effective people to use a timer that allows them to choose any combination of chime, vibration, and flashing light when the countdown timer finishes.
The benefit of a timer, according to him, is that it helps users to start tasks that they would otherwise put off.
He says the timer helps people to stay focused by taking breaks at the right time during long work days and also assist to balance effort across different projects.
Dairo says, “Using a timer lets you devote your entire energy and focus on the task at hand.”
Delegate duties
The Director of Likeminds Consultancy, Mr. Joel Aderibigbe says delegation of duties is the best way to accomplish more tasks every day. In doing this, he says the most important thing is to know whom to delegate to and when.
“You should make sure you know exactly what needs to be accomplished before you give the task to another person. Also ensure that the task being delegated is within the capability of the person given to. This not only increases work efficiency but also helps to develop your workforce to take on challenging responsibilities in your organisation,” he adds.
Imbibe self discipline
Experts say self-discipline and motivation play key roles in time management, because once a commitment is made to improve, an urge to proceed efficiently tends to follow, and it is necessary to apply this urge to the tasks at hand.
According to them, motivation grows as workers begin to see the results of improved production. Special efforts need to be paid to procrastination, one of the deadliest enemies of good time management.
Moreover, people who suffer from procrastination wait until the last possible moment to do almost anything, experts add.
They say some even find it almost impossible to take the first step in any project. It can seriously affect work quality and heighten personal stress. It may create uninvited feelings of panic and chaos.
Work smart
Experts say the idea of working smart is a good one because it is a great enabler in getting more done.
However, they say the tricky thing is figuring out what exactly work smart means.
Aderibigbe says the best way to think of it is to ask, “If there is only one year left to execute tasks on your lists, would you be satisfied with what you are spending your time on today?”
Deadlines have a way of quickly prioritising things, he adds, and it reveals those things that are trivial and the essential ones.
The expert posits that an enemy of progress is usually the inane and trivial tasks that waste time and energy.
He adds that effective people should eliminate all the time wasters and they will have more time for the important things.
source: punch
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