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When running a business all tasks you tackle can be sorted into three classifications: planning, doing, and relating (having conversations with clients, investors, etc.). When working on any tasks within these three classifications you might be frequently disrupted or feel the urge you should be doing something else. While you cannot eradicate interruptions entirely, you need to be able to control how much time you spend on them and whether what you do now is meaningful. This requires good time management. Try to exercise the following ideas to finally achieve total control of your own time:
Record all the time you spend on planning, doing and relating for one week. At the end of this week you will be able to tell how much time you spent in each category. You should also be able to tell how happy you are with what you have achieved. Highlight the most productive blocks during this week as well as the ones you consider wasted time. You should be able to see a pattern; for example your productive hours during the day. For the next week you should try to move types of tasks around during the day and keep records of your success. Maybe you are better at planning after lunch or you rather 'do' before lunch. This method can also help to find your personal ideal task duration for each type of task. You may be able to stay longer focused planning versus relating or vice versa.
Spend the first or last 30 minutes of every day to schedule your upcoming days. This is crucial because we often look aimlessly around for new things to do when we completed a major task. This is wasted time and would be better spent taking a short break instead.
Clearly define your best outcome before you start relating with others. For example before you call a client make sure you have a specific outcome in mind. If he had a question make sure he is satisfied with your answer. Sometimes we like to jump into calls especially with individuals we enjoy talking to without a clearly defined goal. That often leads to pleasant but unproductive conversations. Make sure your goal was met before you end the call. Nothing is more frustrating than realizing not everything was covered and another conversation is needed.
Certain occasion may require you to tape a 'Do Not Disturb' sign to your door and lock yourself in. Don't feel bad about it, you want things to get done. Therefore disconnect the office phone, turn off your mobile and close your email program.
Learn to turn off the urge to open incoming emails and answer the phone each time when it rings. By nature we are curious and simple have to react to such impulses. But by reading this email you are likely to react to it which will totally sidetrack you and get your mind off what you were doing before reading it.
Find the tasks in each of the three categories, planning, doing, and relating, which have the most impact when completed and put these as fixtures in your calendar. Also make sure to estimate the time they may take to complete realistically so that you will complete them for sure.
Get a feeling of how long typical tasks take to be more accurate when you plan your day. Always leave room for unexpected events and be reasonable for what you think can be accomplished. If you have many recurring tasks or tasks that you approach with a certain strategy write step by step protocols with if this then that explanations. You can then use these protocols to have others take over these tasks.
The idea of mind over body only works for so long. Instead of pulling all-nighters every week try to find a healthy work rhythm. No one wants to have weeks that all look the same, but you can switch around what you do when and still keep a work/sleep/recreational time balance.
Record all the time you spend on planning, doing and relating for one week. At the end of this week you will be able to tell how much time you spent in each category. You should also be able to tell how happy you are with what you have achieved. Highlight the most productive blocks during this week as well as the ones you consider wasted time. You should be able to see a pattern; for example your productive hours during the day. For the next week you should try to move types of tasks around during the day and keep records of your success. Maybe you are better at planning after lunch or you rather 'do' before lunch. This method can also help to find your personal ideal task duration for each type of task. You may be able to stay longer focused planning versus relating or vice versa.
Spend the first or last 30 minutes of every day to schedule your upcoming days. This is crucial because we often look aimlessly around for new things to do when we completed a major task. This is wasted time and would be better spent taking a short break instead.
Clearly define your best outcome before you start relating with others. For example before you call a client make sure you have a specific outcome in mind. If he had a question make sure he is satisfied with your answer. Sometimes we like to jump into calls especially with individuals we enjoy talking to without a clearly defined goal. That often leads to pleasant but unproductive conversations. Make sure your goal was met before you end the call. Nothing is more frustrating than realizing not everything was covered and another conversation is needed.
Certain occasion may require you to tape a 'Do Not Disturb' sign to your door and lock yourself in. Don't feel bad about it, you want things to get done. Therefore disconnect the office phone, turn off your mobile and close your email program.
Learn to turn off the urge to open incoming emails and answer the phone each time when it rings. By nature we are curious and simple have to react to such impulses. But by reading this email you are likely to react to it which will totally sidetrack you and get your mind off what you were doing before reading it.
Find the tasks in each of the three categories, planning, doing, and relating, which have the most impact when completed and put these as fixtures in your calendar. Also make sure to estimate the time they may take to complete realistically so that you will complete them for sure.
Get a feeling of how long typical tasks take to be more accurate when you plan your day. Always leave room for unexpected events and be reasonable for what you think can be accomplished. If you have many recurring tasks or tasks that you approach with a certain strategy write step by step protocols with if this then that explanations. You can then use these protocols to have others take over these tasks.
The idea of mind over body only works for so long. Instead of pulling all-nighters every week try to find a healthy work rhythm. No one wants to have weeks that all look the same, but you can switch around what you do when and still keep a work/sleep/recreational time balance.
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