Time Management Tips

Here is some advice passed onto me by a friend who attended a time management course. I think you will find the content useful.

A normal working day often involves working on one big task (e.g. writing a document) and having around six small tasks to complete (e.g. arranging a meeting, calling the car garage etc). In addition, there will be meetings that fragment your day. To organise the day optimally, use the following tactics.

Consult your schedule and plan your day in advance. Plan to work on the big task ONLY when you know you have some uninterrupted time, but preferably early in the day.

Complete each of the little tasks at separate times during the day. Either in the ten minutes or so before a meeting, or, to give yourself a break from the big task. It is often tempting to waste a good hour or more doing six small tasks back to back, as these are easier and more enjoyable, but then you have wasted an opportunity to make progress with the big task.

It may be more difficult to work on the big task in the small segments of work between meetings and this can lead to stress as you worry about when you are actually going to complete the document (and probably end up working late).

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