Posts Tagged ‘ organization ’

Daylight Saving Time for you work life: Add an extra hour in your day by being more efficient

There are not enough hours in the day, you say? Working more efficiently can help you find them. In an earlier post, I outlined various ways to declutter your work life. In the spirit of Daylight Saving Time, I thought I’d share a blog post for you from Pointer.org.

Writer Butch Ward does a great job outlining ten ways to effectively manage your time and create more opportunity to do the work you want to do. Here are a few of his tips:

  • Clarify your role: We waste so much time wondering what the boss expects of us. Why not ask? Then ask again, until you get a clear, consistent answer. Check back at least weekly to review real situations and the decisions you made.
  • Be clear about your expectations: If we waste time wondering what the boss wants, how about the people who work for us? Are we sure they know exactly what we want on this assignment, this beat, this project? Don’t wait for them to ask what you want; invite them to help you develop guidelines. End conversations and meetings by reviewing what everyone agreed to do. Seize opportunities — while editing, running staff meetings, talking over lunch — to reinforce your expectations.
  • Schedule the important stuff: If it matters, schedule it. It will be harder to cancel. Reserve time for activities that improve the staff’s work in the long-term — feedback sessions, difficult conversations, career updates — and prepare for them.
  • Coach all day: Talking with staff throughout the day can save you time at the end. For example, taking an extra five minutes with reporters at the idea stage and when they’ve finished reporting (but before they write) can eliminate surprises and save precious minutes at filing time.
  • Manage your meetings: Distribute agendas in advance. Schedule only as many items as you can reasonably address, including discussion and questions. Start and end on time. Encourage all to participate, and don’t let anyone dominate. Stay on topic. End by reviewing what everyone agreed to do.

For the complete list, read his article. How do you effectively manage your time?

2011
03/15
CATEGORY
communications
Marketing
public relations
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Declutter your work life with these essential time management and relaxation skills

Trust me, I know. There are not enough hours in the day. As communicators and marketers, we have mastered the art of being jack-of-all trades and wearing many hats. However; in order to effectively perform our tasks (and keep our own sanity), it is important to maintain balance. I’ve put together a quick list of helpful pointers that will help you control the organized, or not so organized chaos you call life.

  • Make a “To Do” list. Making a “To Do” list is a great way to keep you on task. It is also a good way to see what kind of progress you made in a day. You can also use your list to gage how many projects you can expect to complete on an average day.
  • Allocate certain times in the day to complete certain tasks. Instead of being a slave to email, adjust your schedule so that you are only answering email once or twice a day. By grouping tasks together that you do often, you open your schedule up to allow more time to complete more pressing projects.
  • Tune out distractions. How many times a day do you get interruptions from co-workers, instant messages, office chatter, personal phone calls, etc.? Do your best to avoid participating in these activities. When a co-worker stops by your desk, do not be afraid to ask them, “How can I help you?” You are setting the tone for that conversation. If they just wanted to chit-chat, they will see that you are busy and come back another time. If your cell phone is blowing up, do one of three things:

o   Put it on silent/off.

o   Put it in your purse or a drawer.

o   Leave it in the car.

Personal phone calls can be a huge distraction at work both to you and your co-workers. They can also get you in serious trouble with your boss. If you need to keep your phone with you at work, take a cue from bullet point #2 and select a certain time of day to answer personal calls. Your lunch or smoke break is perfect for that.

  • Organize your surroundings. Clean your desk, please. A clean and clear desk makes it easier to focus and find what you need. Need a mental break? Try organizing your desk in sides. One side work and the other side personal. Put all your sticky notes, office memos and work related publications on one side and leave the other side for personal pictures, magazines or funky desk décor.
  • Listen to music. Listening to soothing music tends to calm or relax the mind. It’s another way to tune out those outside distractions so you can focus on the task at hand.
  • Meditate. Talk about clarity! Meditating for just five to twenty minutes a day can decrease your stress level significantly. Through meditation, you are concentrating on your breathing, slowing down your blood pressure and clearing your mind. What better way to avoid stress at work than by starting it stress free through meditation.
  • Get more rest. Let your body rest. Studies have shown that sleep plays a vital role in promoting physical health, longevity, and emotional well-being. When your body is well rested, you will wake up more alert with enough energy to get you through the day.

Remember, you can’t do everything! If someone asks you to do something that is going to take you way of task, don’t be afraid to say no.

Still can’t get focused? Check out this clip from the Today Show for more tips.

2011
02/22
CATEGORY
communications
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