Time is unarguably one resource we can never get back when lost or wasted. As a Facility Management Professional you need the ability to manage this precious resource and achieve results and balance in your work no matter what level you operate at.
How do you know when you are not making optimum use of time? Being usually late for work and appointments, not handing in work and reports on time and rarely meeting up with deadlines. What of your work productivity? Are you consistently falling below expectations with your superiors and management due to your poor time management skills?
These are just a few indicators that you may not be a good time manager. Here are 5 time management tips that could turn the situation around and see you having positive results in no time:
1. Start Each Day With A Plan
Have a clear focus of your activities for the day even before the day starts. Such a plan can be created as the first thing in the mornings or last thing before bedtime for the next day’s activities. With a daily plan, even if something comes up you were not expecting, it’s still easy to get back on track by periodically comparing your activities to what was originally planned as the day progresses.
2. Time Each Activity
So now you have a plan of maybe 9 or 10 activities but it’s of little use if just 2 items take up your whole day. Allocate a start and finish time for each task so you can pace yourself properly. Remember to leave some “free” time in between activities to allow for some flexibility. 5 to 10 minutes should do.
3. Resist Distractions
Learn to say “No” to distractions. Personal phone calls, personal emails, extended lunches, office gossip, social media alerts and so on. Unless it’s an emergency make it clear to your family and friends that you will not be available for chatting during work time. Depending on the importance of the task at hand, some people choose to switch off their personal phones during working hours or route all calls to voicemail.
4. Use Digital Organizers and Calendars
There are a number of free organizers and calendars available online that will boost your time management efforts. A quick search on Google will produce an array of choices and you will be spoilt for choice. This software are useful for organizing and keeping track of your projects, meetings, to-do lists and so on. Pick something simple for a start. Google Calendar is one example and a major advantage is that you can have access to your schedule on the go.
5. Delegate, Delegate, and Delegate
Delegating does not have to be as hard as many professionals make it out to be. The major reason people do not want to delegate is that they fear the delegated job would not be done properly. However, delegating can actually take a lot of the workload off you and free up your time to focus on other more important tasks. When delegating, ensure you explain clearly what is to be done, how to do it and when you want the job completed.
So, there you have it. It may seem like a lot of work at first but if you can just start with just a couple of these tips then gradually move on to including the others your work will soon be the better for it.
