insideKENT Magazine Issue 47 - February 2016 | Page 141
BUSINESS
STOP
WATCHING
THE
CLOCK!
Rob Reynolds
DON’T WORRY, WE’VE ALL DONE IT. WE’VE ALL CHECKED
OUR EMAILS AT THE WEEKENDS OR NIPPED IN TO THE OFFICE
WHEN WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LEAVING FOR A THREE-DAY
BREAK IN THE LAKE DISTRICT.
The problem is, with so much technology around
to improve our efficiency, we still find it hard to
prize ourselves away from our phones and laptop
screens and manage our time effectively. It’s like
these new-fangled, super-fast gadgets that allow
us to work on the move to save us time, actually
creates more time in the process. As a result we
are working more and more, so we find ourselves
filling any free time that we may have.
Finding the right balance for time
management has not only proven to increase
productivity and reduce stress, but making the
most of the time you are at work could see you
being more strict about powering down laptops
and switching off phones so that you can ‘clock
off’ for the evening and spend the time with
family, playing sport or just relaxing.
The truth of the matter, is that we could
probably all benefit from taking stock of where
we are and plan more effectively for the muchneeded time off. If this applies to you, here are
some effective time management tips.
Learn to plan your day
Create a daily plan – and stick to it! Don’t just
open the diary and say, “Right, what’s first?” Set
aside 30 minutes to really plan: what needs
doing, when, how, with whom? Give everything
a beginning and an end time and most importantly
prioritise your tasks and don’t start the next task
until you have completed the previous one. Try
and avoid carrying over tasks until the next day,
set realistic goals for what you can achieve. That
way, you won’t be caught off guard. Founder of
Airbnb, Nathan Blecharczyk, says that one of his
tricks to time management is to fill up his calendar
from the reverse, from the end-of-the day to the
beginning so that he can allocate appropriate
time for meetings in the afternoon.
Mind the gap
When you are planning your super-productive
day, don’t pack everything in too closely together
and make sure you leave a buffer in between
each task. Just a few minutes in between
meetings and tasks gives you valuable breathing
space and time to wrap up the previous task
and begin the next. You could even use this
opportunity to plan what to do and say in a
meeting, you might just find that it will become
much more effective and probably shorter.
As well as putting in a few gaps, make sure
you are also taking a break where possible.
Physically you could probably keep going for ten
hours, but the brain needs some downtime.
Schedule 30 minutes in the middle of the day –
and take it seriously, get away from the desk,
out of the building and stretch your legs.
to say enough is enough. There are only a certain
number of hours in the day and you will not be
able to perform at your best 100% of the time
if you are over stretching yourself. It is ok to say
no, or, draw a line to cut off long-running meetings
otherwise you’ll just end up eating in to your time
reserves for later on.
Finally, pat yourself on the back for a
job well done
Rewarding yourself for a job well done is as
important as a handshake from your boss – so
make sure you take the time you need for a bit
of rest and relaxation. You could always give us
a call at Wilkins Kennedy, who can help you with
prioritisation, strategic planning and a wide range
of management issues. Imagine how good it
would feel to be fully in control.
Plan for distractions
With the best will in the world, the phone will ring
in the few minutes before you are due to meet
a deadline, so make sure you plan for the
unplanned as well. You will get interruptions
along the way, but all you need to do is reprioritise – take another look at your to-do list
and if the latest distraction is not urgent then
plan to visit it later on. On the subject of
distractions, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram,
Snapchat, texting…There’s no shame, we all do
it, but learn to turn them off. Disconnect instant
messaging too!
Cut off when you need to
One of the world’s wealthiest people, American
business magnate Warren Buffet, once said: "the
difference between successful people and very
successful people is that very successful people
say 'no'." That means that you should always
think about your worth and when the time comes
141
To find out more, email Partner, Rob Reynolds,
at [email protected]
or call on 01233 629255.
www.wilkinskennedy.com