COA Solutions - Business Accounting Software

Time wasters, time stealers, time bandits…it depends which time management expert you look up.  We all have our favourite.  On balance, it is a mixture of all three.  Simplified, they fall into three categories: those that are your fault (I am sorry to point his out); those that are other peoples’ fault; and those you cannot control.  We will look at examples of each, with some suggestions as to what we can do about them.  There is a certain amount of overlap between the categories too.  We are not here to lay any blame or to suggest there is a magic formula that can solve all of our time use issues. Technology can certainly help, as can some very simple good habits.

Let’s start with ourselves. Do you sometimes say yes, when inside you are thinking “I can’t possibly fit that in today”? Yes, I know it is difficult when it is someone more senior asking.  But the very least we can do is say we are busy, and don’t assume what they are asking for takes priority. Ask, don’t assume:  “When do you need it by?  I am working on the figures for the quarterly presentation at the moment – should be done by 4 p.m. – is it OK after then?”.  “What sort of report do you need – in depth, or executive summary?”  We will look at some of the other main “you” causes of inefficiency in the session at Twickenham (9th and 10th September – Time Management is the final session). Indecision and putting things off – our old friend, procrastination - and searching for lost things are some of the major culprits. So is perfectionism, believe it or not.

So what about them?  Surely other people must take the blame sometimes?  Well, yes, of course.  They just drop by for a chat.  Of course, you don’t say anything, and wouldn’t it be boring if we never got interrupted?  But I wonder if it is their fault entirely?  Do you really need to have a convenient chair by your desk so they can sit down? Sitting takes longer than standing!  Do you have a “do not disturb” system?  Just so you can concentrate for a bit?  Thought not! And as for poor information exchange between departments, not knowing what they need information for, bureaucracy, office politics, telephone interruptions…the list is long.  But things can be done.

I don’t think we should even go as far as things we have little control over, but worry about.  What about meetings?  And organisational processes?  And e-mails?

We don’t need to beat ourselves up.  But there are lots of little things we already know we could and should do – we just need to make time to do them!

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Tags: efinancials, Events, time management, Twickenham

This entry was posted on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 8:06 am and is filed under Events, Musings by Phil Hawthorn. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.