Time Management and the "to do" listLearn Management Articles on management-info.biz. Time Management and the "to do" list article will help answer your questions on Management Articles.We at management-info.biz specialize in Management Articles. Management Articles at management-info.biz provides the most up to date news and articles. If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
How can you make time management work for you? Really that's the question, regardless of what system you choose to apply to your time management needs, it has to be something that can work for you. If your time management tool, choice or system doesn't work for you then it simply becomes another task that has to be accomplished in an already busy day. Most time management starts with something as useful as a 'to do' list. We all have tasks that must be accomplished within a certain period of time, whether that time frame is a single day or a plan for the next several months. Tasks are added to the list and crossed out as they are accomplished. Your 'to do' list can be as simple as a notebook page, a daily page in your planner, a function of MS Outlook or a task list on your PDA. In general a 'to do' list is a simple and effective way to see all the tasks that impact your day. Just follow a few simple guideline and your 'to do' list will work for you (and not the other way around). Creating and prioritizing a 'To Do' list: 1. First create a simple To-Do List. Using whichever tool you've chosen. 2. List all of the tasks for which you are responsible. 3. Don't worry about accomplishing everything right now. The key is to get the right things done by prioritizing. 4. A To-Do list will most likely be a living, never-ending document. New things appear as old ones are cleared away. For each item on the list, answer these questions: One Time or Reoccurring - Do you have to complete this task more than once? Often? Perhaps on a regular basis? Due Date - When must the task be completed by? Time Required For Completion - How long will the task take to complete? Is the task variable? Other Resources Required - What other resources will be needed to complete this task? Benefits and Consequences - What are the benefits of completing the task? The consequences on not completing it? Use the answers to these questions to decide which tasks must be completed first. Once you have prioritized your tasks you are ready to start scheduling them. Plan the completion of each task. Start with the givens. Block out those tasks with known times. Place the rest of your tasks into the schedule according to your priorities. Build in some flexibility so that you can handle life's little emergencies. Pay attention to the resources required. Remember that you yourself are a resource. Match tasks requiring the most mental effort to those portions of your day when you feel the most productive. Don't forget to include personal time. (if you have scheduled every minute of your day for work, when are you going to refresh, regroup, renew?) Most time management tools are really creative ways of completing a 'to do' list. If you choose to use something like a PDA or a computer program like MS Outlook you can easily manage reoccurring events and meetings by reserving blocks of time and creating reminders for those things that might get lost in the daily shuffle of work and paper. If you choose to use a planner, remember to carry reoccurring event through to the next day, week or month. Once your comfortable working with your 'to do' list you can expand it to include goal setting.
While 'to do' list may get you started on your time management endeavors there are all kinds of thoughts and theories out there about how to effectively manage our time. I would like to think that if I can complete all the tasks I have to accomplish today, and check them off my list, I might be able to schedule an extra hour of sleep. Maybe I can put it on my 'to do' list. ;-)
|
More Articles:1. Innovation Management – Diversity Can Make All The Difference By Kal Bishop Companies are welcoming a diverse range of employees (The Sunday Times, April 10 2005). Doh!It is incredible that this concept is getting coverage in 2005. I mean, how many new ideas, novel ideas and divergent thinking is going to come from an all male, white board!Employees tell us that when you bring together a team that represents different perspectives and different experiences, the outcome is richer than if you had a group of people with the same background (The Sunday Times, April 10 200… 2. Human Resources: The Misidentified Subject By Sukhbir Singh Interest in the field of human resources has exploded in recent years due to the promises it offers for a better understanding of human beings at work. The term is now as ubiquitous as it has once been obscure. It is taught in schools and universities; it has turned into one of the main functions of a corporation in addition to marketing, finance, and accounting. Yet despite this trend, there are still many challenges facing the field. It seems like the subject of HR is talking the talk bu… 3. Influencing the Organisation By Tony Marven There is a saying about management that suggests some managers are so focussed on the details of a business, that when the Titanic was sinking those particular managers were still straightening chairs in the dining room. Whether we love ‘em or hate ‘em, managers are here to stay, and their job is fundamentally to manage the resources within an organisation for optimum efficiency and effectiveness, and by doing so to achieve the organisation’s goals. To help them do this they have the gift of a… 4. Delegate Tasks to the Right Person By Andrew E. Schwartz SELECTING THE RIGHT PERSON: To whom should tasks be delegated? Selecting the right subordinate to do the work is an evaluative process, and managers must be able to identify individuals both capable and willing to handle responsibility.DETERMINING EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY: A careful review should be made of past assumptions about personnel. Some employees’ capabilities may be overestimated, others underestimated. A personnel survey or personal interview is an excellent tool managers can use to … |
||||
