By adopting the following strategies, you will save time, reduce stress and create more of what you want.
- Each week, review your goals and link them to your activities for the week.
- Ask yourself if each activity takes your closer to your goals. Prioritize those activities that contribute most to the achievement of your goals.
- Set deadlines for all critical activities and meet them.
- Each day, plan your schedule for the next day to support your goals. Allow flexibility to handle “emergencies” by leaving room to respond to last-minute changes.
- Schedule creative or challenging activities for your peak hours. For example, if you’re a morning person, negotiate early and return calls in the afternoon.
- Do less. Delegate the things that others can do. Use delegation to help other employees grow and take on more responsibility.
- Take charge of interruptions. If possible, schedule a time later to address the situation and ask the person to return then.
- Plan phone calls. Make them one at a time. Jot down what you hope to accomplish before calling. Leave detailed messages indicating a call-back window of time. Put calls on hold on speakerphone.
- Set up paper flow to reduce the possibility of a logjam. Hire an organizational consultant to help you manage the paper flow if necessary.
Source: Patricia Haddock, San Francisco, January 20, 1999. Haddock is the author of Office Management: A Productivity and Effectiveness Guide and Leadership Skills for Women. Order this book now from Amazon.com Isbn 1560520051.