Time management is a big goal for a lot of my clients. Often, there doesn’t seem to be enough time to finish up what needs to be done. The key to time management is to work in blocks on one item on your To-Do List only.
One of the biggest threats to time management is distractions. What you have to realize is that what you can do in 10 minutes will take 40 with distractions.
Some common time management distractions and solutions:
1. E-mail It can be very distracting if there is a constant flow of e-mail messages coming to you. Solution:
Change your e-mail settings so that it does not auto-deliver. Then you can filter through and answer your
e-mails in small blocks throughout the day.
2. Phone Calls Solution: Turn off your cell phone. If this makes you nervous, set a timer for an hour and
then you can check your voicemail.
3. Desk Paper Stacks Each pile of paper is diverting your mind from working and saying, “Should I be
doing this now?” “Is this more prominent?” Solution: The long-term goal is to eliminate paper stacks.
However, the short-term goal can be to perform a desk rescue.
Any of these can be daunting, but the benefit is to gain back a life and not constantly be at work. With
good time management, this can be a reality.