For most managers, the most precious resource they handle isn’t their people or their budget. It’s their time. If you’re struggling to manage your time well, try implementing these time management tips:
- Put everything you do on your calendar. Chances are you already schedule things like meetings. To take control of your time, go one step further: Schedule everything, from when you get up in the morning, when you get meals when you drive, and when you go to the gym. This will help you determine exactly how long it takes to complete a task. It’ll also help you build good habits – it’s harder to skip the gym when it’s marked in your calendar and you have nothing else to do that hour.
- Build in transition time. Scheduling back-to-back meetings? Instead of scheduling them from 1:30 to 2:00, then 2:00 to 2:30 (for example), schedule them from 1:30 to 1:50 and 2:00 to 2:20. Use the extra ten minutes to help yourself “switch gears” mentally, gather what you need, and be ready for the next meeting. Studies show that when we don’t give the brain time to make this gear-switch, we lose up to 40 percent of our productive time on each task.
- Schedule similar meetings together. You can also help your brain save productivity time by “grouping” meetings on similar topics to occur at similar times. For instance, if you have to schedule a financial planning meeting, schedule it for the morning you have your weekly chat with the CFO, not the morning you have to give a press conference on innovation. You’ll be able to stay in “financial mode” for the entire morning, allowing you to think more effectively on the topic.
- Refuse to hold (or attend) useless meetings. Before you schedule a meeting, map out its purpose and objectives, and send this to the participants. If you’re asked to attend a meeting, ask the organizer to do the same before you agree to show up. This way, everyone knows what the meeting is intended to cover, allowing it to move more smoothly.
At Burnett’s Staffing, we can help you streamline your hiring process to save time while improving the quality of your candidate pool. Contact us today to learn more about our staffing services in Irving and beyond.
