Productivity Habits

by Robert Hensley

  You will also need a second notebook that will serve as your time log. No matter how well we plan, we seldom follow the tasks that we set in our schedules. There are always unforeseen factors keeping us from doing things at the right time.

  Prioritization

  You cannot become an effective time manager until you plan what you need to do, prioritize your tasks, create a schedule, and give your work deadlines.

  The key to proper time management is planning your work and giving tasks slots on your priority index so you can differentiate between urgent and non-urgent tasks.

  When you draw up a “To-Do” list, the first thing you need to do is prioritize the tasks according to their importance and urgency. Importance and urgency are not the same – and rarely interchangeable though they seem so.

  You need to prioritize the tasks according to your perception of urgency and importance. For example, answering the phone when it rings is urgent, but not always essential; meaning you can let the telephone ring sometimes when you are doing important work.

  Be sure you understand which task is needed to be done first. There should be no doubt in your mind about what needed to be attended when this is why you make “To-Do” lists.

  Once you put your mind to it, you will find it is relatively easy to decide which tasks you want/ need to be completed first. Do not stop until all your tasks are in a decisive order. Though you could always do it manually, this is where a little help from technology would be a significant boost in efficiency.

  To ensure that you manage your time optimally, you need to break your main life goals into bite-sized sub-goals. In turn, these sub-goals may be broken down into tasks and action plans, so you know what to do, step by step to get there.

  Prioritizing is also fundamentally important to effective time management. As we have seen, we tend to be more aware of what is urgent rather than what is essential. Prioritizing does not mean that you give importance to tasks. It means giving credence and letting the activities that count come first and leaving the other tasks for later. There are different approaches that you can use to prioritize what is essential and what is of lesser importance to you. There are two main ways that you can use to prioritize items on your to-do list:

  Tackling the difficult tasks first

  In this approach, you address the hardest tasks first before moving on to the more mundane tasks. The reasoning behind this is the same as the example of “eating the frog” that we had looked at in an earlier chapter. Tackling the harder and biggest tasks first is ideally meant to ease the anxiety and pressure that might necessarily hinder you from accomplishing anything.

  Tackling easy tasks first

  In approach number two, you first do the tasks that can be done in minutes and with minimal effort. One of the advantages of using this method is that once they are completed, you have less inconsequential tasks distracting you from achieving or completing the harder tasks.

  You can combine the two methods by starting to making your “To-Do” list and then add priority stars to each time. The items that have the highest priority should get five stars while those with the least priority should have one star.

  Make a list of all the tasks your project involves

  Many people fail to recognize the importance of a taskmaster list. Plenty of people consider this to be a chore. What they don’t realize is that spending a couple of minutes planning things out helps reduce the time spent completing a project by reducing the stresses and distractions that hinder a project’s completion. It gives you the initial push, a clear direction, on how to begin your work.

  Assess these tasks according to gravity and value

  The thing about project management is that not all tasks are important. There are some which can be cut saving a lot of valuable time and effort. Look for the tasks that need the most attention, those which are of high importance to your output. Follow this by identifying which are of middle to low relevance. Always keep in mind that the more people have to be involved in a task, the higher its value usually is.

  Organize these tasks into categories

  Now that you have assessed each task for gravity and value, proceed with ordering. Arrange them based on the amount of effort required to accomplish a task. Also, provide an estimated time of completion for each one. It may be best if you start working on tasks requiring the lengthiest amount of time to complete but, you can do the opposite if this suits your abilities better. Again, go with a process that works best for you and your team.

  Determine which tasks to cut

  As you move along and gain more knowledge of how to proper prioritization, you will see how effective and productive you can be in the workplace, given proper task scheduling and planning. Practice your skill with each project that comes your way and you will be a pro in handling your workplace demands, simple or complex.

  Prepare Your Planning tools

  To become a successful time manager, you need to have and use personal planning tools. These tools will help you plan, organize, and take control of your time. Some of the individual planning tools you will need are a calendar, pocket diary, wall charts, notebooks, computer programs, electronic planners.

  If you are an auditory learner, you may prefer dictating your thoughts instead of writing down your tasks, activities, priorities, and schedule. It is OK; the important thing is finding a planning tool that works for you and a tool you can use consistently. When using a planning tool, always remember to:

  Record every activity or event on your tool. If you write them down, it will be easier to allocate time to your daily tasks or activities. In addition, writing your activities down is the only sure to ensure you do not fail to plan for important activity.

  Have your planning tool with you every time; for instance, carry your diary. Because you can refer to your planning tool, you will know which activity or task is up next.

  Review your planning tool daily. It will help you measure your progress, determine how far you are from reaching your goals, as well as what more you need to do to achieve your goals.

  Regularly Recharge the batteries in your electronic planner and synchronize it with your computer. This way, you will avoid unexpected power problem that will lead to unforeseen delays and time wastage.

  Have a back-up system. A back-up system will come in handy when your original planning tool experiences problems; for instance, if you may lose or misplace your diary, or your computer may crush leading to the loss of your documents.

  Get Organized

  Disorganization leads to poor time management because it causes you to waste valuable time searching for an important tool or document from a pile of clutter. By looking at a cluttered work desk, you may feel as if you have much work to complete and may end up avoiding your work.

  It is true that you can have goals, time plan, priority list, and schedule, but if you are not organized, accomplishing your goal may not be as easy. By organizing your working area (e. g study room, or office), you work efficiently without feeling overwhelmed.

  An organized workspace can boost your productivity and save your time. If your workspace is clean, you can quickly find anything you need. You can also complete your tasks without going through mountains of unrelated stuff.

  Time managers make sure that their workspace is clean. They ensure that each object on their table is related to the task they are currently working on. This way, they can prevent confusion and distraction. Thus, they complete their tasks quickly and efficiently.

  Avoid Procrastination

  Sometimes, you may want to put off some activities because they seem unpleasant or overwhelming. It will often leave much more undone, which keeps you from achieving your goal within the set deadlines.

  To avoid procrastination, always engage in an activity when it is next on your “To-Do” list. Do not give yourself a reason or excuse why it can wait. To prevent procrastination, start the habit of doing activities or tasks now. To do that, you need to learn and reme
mber the following things:

  There is only now

  Tomorrow is an unknown promise. The only time you have is now. What you do now will determine your future; if you decide to avoid an activity, you will be messing up your long goals because you will not accomplish your short-term goals. When you prevent an action today, tomorrow’s “To-Do” list will be long, and you will end up feeling stressed.

  Start doing your activity or task. By doing so, you will set your mind into action mode; you will let it know you have to do something. Slowly, the motion will gain momentum, and you will feel motivated to complete your tasks.

  Once You Do It, You Will Be Ok

  When you avoid activities and leave them undone, you feel stressed, and you have no peace of mind. To prevent this, try this method.

  Pick an activity or task you have been procrastinating on for a long time. Start it now; you will realize the freedom that comes with doing an activity or task you have been avoiding. Make it a habit to do each activity on the scheduled time, and you will end up feeling good at the end of the day or week and at the same time, you will attain your goals.

  Think About the Repercussions

  If thinking about the benefits, rewards, or achievements that will come from completing a task or engaging in an activity does not work on you, and you find it hard to start on an activity, think about the adverse outcomes of not doing it. Think of the stress, nagging, lousy evaluation, and unattained goals that come with not completing a task or not engaging in an activity. Because you do not want this to happen, follow your plan, your schedule, and your day will be successful.

  Do whatever it takes

  Do anything that will help you complete a specific task. If it means locking yourself in a room or sacrificing some of your free time to achieve that task you have been avoiding, do it.

  If it means writing it repeatedly every time you are scheduling your activities, write it. As stated earlier, you cannot write any activity for so many times and not come up with a solution for its completion. If you drop it from your list, you will tend to assume or forget it.

  Take Breaks

  At times, you may feel pressure when deadlines are looming and tend to work for more hours to complete your task or activity. I’m afraid this is not correct. Yes, you will complete your task before the deadline, but your productivity will be inferior because your mind will be tired and will not be able to focus on what you are doing.

  Delegate Tasks or Activities

  Start by identifying the tasks or activities that other people can complete and then select the appropriate person to achieve them. The relevant person will have the skills, interest, experience, and authority needed to accomplish the task.

  When assigning tasks or activities, be as specific as possible, write down, and define the responsibilities, the deadline, and your expectations. However, give the person the freedom to personalize the task by letting him or her research, perform the task from a place of his or her choice, and perform it at the time of day when he or she is most productive and alert. It will help the person freely perform the task you assign them.

  Occasionally, check on the person’s progress and provide assistance where needed, being careful not to take over the responsibility. If the person was making good progress and did not request for assistance, leave the person be, and do not offer to help unless the person asks for help.

  Reward the person for well-tackled activities or tasks; congratulate him or her and suggest improvements if needed. It will motivate the person, and the next time you will need him or her, he or she will be at your service because you recognize and appreciate their work.

  You might be highly competent and, on most days, can handle every responsibility handed to you at work, but there are times when you will need extra sets of hands. It is where outsourcing and delegation enter the picture. It means having another individual complete a task on your behalf.

  There is nothing wrong with delegating a task or two to someone else. Not only will it help meet deadlines faster, but it will also free up more of your time - time that can be used focusing on something more complex and in need of more considerable attention.

  Delegation is an essential and highly beneficial time management strategy, and here are some simple steps that will help you overcome your doubts and trust your outsourced colleague.

  Control your instincts to hard work

  Everyone has an urge to be in control. In the workplace, there are plenty of professionals that are willing to take on more than they can handle because of this very reason. They put themselves in situations where they have to juggle multiple projects with coinciding deadlines.

  You Can Delegate Down and What You Can Delegate Up

  There is the task you can delegate up and the tasks which you can delegate down. Take a careful look at your “To-Do” list and identify which are the tasks that are mundane and routine; these could be down-delegated. Also, identify which of the tasks require special skills where others may be better skilled to deliver than you are; these tasks could up upward-delegated.

  Give Clear and Concise Instructions

  When you delegate ensure that you issue clear and concise instruction that leaves no scope for any type of ambiguity. To ensure that the instructions are clear, request that these may be repeated back to you. Often what you want to say, what comes out from your mouth and what is heard by the recipient can be totally different.

  Build the Competence and Empower People for Down-Delegation

  For a person to do an outstanding job, they need to own it. If they have to ask your permission or advice at every step, you might as well have done it yourself. Hence, the golden rule when you down delegate something is to give that person full authority and freedom for the completion of that particular task. In other words, the person should be able to do it his/ her way – not yours.

  In order for them to do a good job, to your specifications, you need to ensure that their competency is built to the required level. Listen to what they need and encourage them to enhance their skills in every aspect they feel would improve their productivity.

  Delegation Means “Let Go”

  When you decide to delegate, it means you are taking that particular task off your plate. In other words, you would not pay attention to any of the details until it comes back to you completed. You may send a few reminders, just to keep things on track, but other than that you need to let go completely.

  Avoid Multitasking

  Many people are praising the benefits of multitasking. These individuals claim that they can perform different tasks simultaneously without sacrificing their effectiveness and efficiency. Unfortunately, studies have proved that this idea is completely untrue.

  Before you can work on the first task again, you must perform another transfer of focus and energy. Here’s an interesting fact: the “transfer process” itself is extremely tiring.

  It is not unheard of that busy people proclaim how good they are at multitasking. Whether you are good at it or not is not the question.

  The question is whether multitasking is a good tool for effective time management. The answer to this question is rather a two edged sword.

  For some people, it is easy to perform two tasks at the same time while for others it is a bit difficult. What exactly is multitasking though?

  Multitasking originated from the IT (information technology) industry. It is referred to as the parallel or interleaved implementation of two or more jobs. There are proponents of the skill that feel it is an essential life skill that helps one move fluidly between different tasks and work areas.

  Plan Your Time

  Plan for every second, minute, and hour of your day. Planning your time will depend on how you like to work, what time of the day you prefer to tackle given activities or tasks, and where you will feel more comfortable completing your task. To plan your day, you need to preplan your activities or tasks.

  Some essential things you need to consider while pre
planning your activities or tasks are:

  Plan Your Day the Night Before

  Before you go to sleep at night, make sure you have planned your activities or tasks for the next day. Write down your activities, starting with the most important ones; allocate each activity the time it requires, prepare all the resources you will need to complete each task and activity.

  Do Not Get Overwhelmed

  No matter how long your activity list is, or how busy your next day seems, do not feel overwhelmed. Instead, plan your day; plan how to tackle each task, schedule time for every activity, and remember the importance of, and rewards or benefits you will get from completing each activity on your list. At the end of the day or week, you will have accomplished your goals without complaining of how much work you had.

  Wake up Early

  Start your day early; although waking early may be tough, try. Set an alarm and set it every night. Waking up early allows time for you to prepare both mentally and physically.