One of the biggest complaints that managers have is the amount of work they have to do. Many feel simply overwhelmed, and stressed out.

But when we see surveys of how these managers actually use their time, we often find that the biggest culprit is the allowing of interruptions to fill their otherwise important time schedule.

Do you find this to be the case? Are you often interrupted by things or people that take you off track, and then find it difficult to get back on track again?

Here are some ideas that might help if you find yourself in this position:

* Allocate specific time to specific jobs and say that you are going to do this job excellently. It will keep you focused and concentrated. If an interruption occurs (the phone rings, a person knocks on your door or approaches your desk), spend a few seconds finishing off your key point, then give full attention to the phone call or person. If you find that the interruption is not as important as what your were concentrating on before, say that you will call back in xx minutes, or you will see the person in xx minutes, and go back to the specific thing that was more important.

When you have finished the important item, you can them proactively make that call or speak to that person on your terms.

* If part of your job involves frequent consultations with your colleagues, schedule a specific time on your calendar or in Outlook for those meetings. Then let it be known that you’re always available, say, from 11:00 to 12:30, or 3:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon. An open-door policy then becomes a time-saver instead of a time waster.

* When someone comes into your office uninvited, stand up to talk. If you let your visitor arrange himself comfortably in a chair, you’re in for a long interruption. If you control the length of the interruption, you can get back to your more important things more quickly.

* If your visitor has something really important to talk about, ask him to give you a few minutes to complete what you’re doing, and then go to his office. That way you can control the length of the conversation.

* Check if you can schedule quick, short meetings with team members instead of enduring ad-hoc interruptions. That way, you maintain control.

* Schedule specific times when you will devote complete concentrated effort in dealing with emails. If, like me, you receive hundreds of emails a day, that will assist you in getting rid of meaningless interruptions during your busy day.

Remember, the interrupter will not know they are causing you problems. It is up to you to gain that time back so you can control the nature of your work. It’s impossible to manage or control time, as it does what it wants to do. But you can manage yourself and the tasks you have to accomplish. Be aware of how much time interruptions take in your day and see if you can at least reduce the time they waste for you.

That way, you start to maintain control and become less stressed.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

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

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Time management continues to be a touchy subject, and this morning I woke up wondering how you are at juggling your personal life with your professional life? We’re told time and again to leave our personal lives at home and our work lives at work, but that’s far easier said than done. Often times we wonder how we’ll get the kids from point A to point B, how we’ll get the bills paid, or what we’re going to feed our families after work. Of course, there are often far more important concerns that edge their way into our days.

I’ve seen far too many good employees get sucked into the time management trap. They spend a considerable amount of time worrying about or trying to plan their personal lives and eventually the quality of their work project begins to suffer. This is especially difficult to handle when the employee in question is in a management position and his or her subordinates begin floundering because they have no one to turn to with their questions and problems. A supervisor with personal time management concerns can easily become unorganized and cause the entire department to crumble apart.

It’s important to take the steps necessary to ensure your personal time is as organized as possible so that your day to day concerns don’t have a negative impact on your work life.

Try incorporating the following tips into your daily routine, whether you’re a manager or not:

• Make a prioritized to-do list on a daily basis. Write down everything that needs to be done and then break those tasks down into categories. For example, activities marked with an “A” might be the most important; “B” may be the second most important; and so forth. Make a separate list for your personal life and work life.

• Keep a log of your daily activities. Writing down everything you do each day, from brushing your teeth to checking your email, will help you identify the things you are doing that simply waste time. You don’t need to check your email 20 times each morning!

• Set some personal goals. Setting both short-term and long-term goals will help you to focus and develop a sense of direction. People focused on a goal have less trouble managing their time. These goals can be personal or professional, but I recommend writing a few goals for both aspects of your life.

I personally experienced a huge boost in productivity when I started keeping track of my daily tasks and prioritizing what really needed to be done. I was able to clear my mind at the start of each day, approach my work tasks at work, manage my team, and then effectively switch gears and address my personal tasks after hours.

Start with these exercises and let me know whether or not they help you to both manage your time and keep your personal and professional lives separated. I’m positive you’ll see great improvements!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

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