As a successful manager, one of the most important items on your agenda should be time management training for your employees. We talk about time management a lot here, but time management is quite possibly the most important contributing factor when it comes to your success. With that in mind, today I’ll share three tips you can use to help control and manage the time you have each day.

Identify Time Wasters

Do you spend a ridiculous amount of time each day checking your email, surfing the internet, doing personal research, or talking on the phone? You might think that a five minute break to check your email is no big deal, but for most people that 5 minute break turns into a 20-30 minute extravaganza. Before you know it, you’ve lost a ton of time that could have been spent accomplishing more important tasks.

Prioritize Your Tasks

Make a list of things you need to accomplish and then review them to determine which ones are actually essential. I start each day with a list of tasks and then identify which ones are essential versus which ones can wait until the next day if I run out of time. Create a system for yourself and you’ll never find yourself scrambling to figure out what needs to be done next.

Take Advantage of Free Time

Just because your business associate is late for a meeting or your mechanic has an hour wait for a vehicle tune-up doesn’t mean you need to waste time sitting idly. Always carry something to do – check your email on the PDA, read a book you haven’t had time for, or start brainstorming for your next project. Sometimes the universe leaves you with spare time for a reason, so take advantage of it at every opportunity.

Remember, the less time you waste the less time your employees will waste. Setting a positive example will encourage your team members to follow in your footsteps. Do you have a favorite time management tip? If so, share it in the comments. I’d love to hear about the things others do to keep their time in check!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

As a manager you’ll have many challenges to face. The most important of these challenges is going to be in developing a series of time management techniques that enable you to keep track of all of your projects and responsibilities without letting anything slip through the cracks.

I have found over the years that there are a few tools that have had a significant impact on my time management skills. Hopefully you can gain some benefit from these tools and tricks as well.

Calendars. If you don’t have a calendar, you need to get one. You can purchase a planner at your local office supply store or even search the internet for a free calendar program. Use the calendar to schedule meetings, reviews, and important deadlines. It’s imperative that you are able to take little more than a glance at your calendar to see what events you have coming up.

Keep track of your contacts. As a manager you’ll likely need to get in touch with your employees, clients, members of upper management, and the various vendors you deal with as you accomplish your day to day tasks. While a rolodex is useful, it’s slightly outdated. Utilize the contacts section of your email database or simply invest in a contact management program that will allow you to store information and make valuable notes about everyone you deal with on a daily basis.

To-do lists are essential to time management. Each evening make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish the following day and make sure those things stay at the forefront. You can do this by scribbling your list on a napkin or post-it note – or by investing in a virtual program that allows you to manage your list on the computer.

Find a way to manage your projects. Every project you are working on has its own set of deadlines and goals. Set up separate files for each project you have and make a to-do list for each one. You can do this on paper, in your favorite office program, or by utilizing a formal project management software program that allows you to store files and lists for each project.

Having a firm grasp on your overall schedule, daily tasks, contacts, and projects will allow you to form an effective personal time management system. Do you have any favorite time management tools you already implement?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Well, the week is winding down. We’ve spent some time going over a few essential management skills and there are only a few left to consider.

Diagnostic skills involve your ability, as a manager, to identify a situation and formulate an effective response. This is something you most likely deal with on a daily basis. You must be familiar enough with the inner workings of your operation to recognise immediately when something goes wrong. It is this quick reaction that will lead you to successful resolution.

Decision-making skills are just as important as diagnostic skills. Once you’ve identified a problem you must have the ability to weight your options and make an informed decision. Too many managers find themselves faced with a handful of options, only to fumble with insecurity when it comes time to make a final choice. Everyone makes mistakes once in a while. Occasional mistakes are acceptable if you regularly make good decisions. You are, after all, only human.

Time management skills are the one thing I find to be absolutely essential to the inner workings of any good organisation, management training program, or individual business manager. Can you walk into your office any given morning, or at the beginning of any week, and quickly identify what needs to be done? Are you able to place the tasks you need to accomplish in a properly prioritized order?

The art of time management includes not only scheduling your own work, but also knowing when you need to begin delegating to others. You have a team for a reason and should never be afraid to assert your authority and assign additional tasks if needed. If you don’t feel as though you can delegate to your team, it’s time to assess whether or not you have the right team.

Effective time management means that everything is prioritized so that each task is completed on time and nothing is overlooked. You have a complicated job, so you should strive daily to keep it as simple as possible!

Enjoy the weekend!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”