10 myths about time management:
1. Myth: Time can be managed.
2 . Myth: The more and harder you work, the more things you achieve.
3 . Myth: If you want something to happen, do it yourself.
4 . Myth: You are not supposed to enjoy your work.
5 . Myth: You should be proud of your hard work.
6 . Myth : You should do most things with minimal waste of time.
7 . Myth: Technology facilitate the faster and easier job.
8 . Myth: Do only one thing at a time.
9. Myth : Use paper only once.
10.Myth: The more you work, the happier you are.
Main points in time management:
1. Our e-mails:
• Check your e-mail at least once a day
• Answer, if possible, within 24 hours
• Filtering and sorting.
• Delete useless information.
• Keep everything, without exception.
• If you want to delegate something via e-mail, send it only to the one you want to do that thing for you. Otherwise, the responsibility is not centered. Send an exact and accurately described request/task and a deadline.
• If you really want someone to execute something, copy in CC some important person .
• Re-sending an e- mail is acceptable;
• If someone does not respond within 48 hours, they never will.
2 . Phone calls:
• Keep conversations short
• Start by clarifying the purpose of the conversation
• Stick to the main topic
• Keep in mind that there are more tasks laying ahead
• Do not put your feet on the table
2.1. Guidelines for completing phone calls elegantly:
• Look at the clock with a sound
• Switch to past tense
• Talk about the future
• Mention deadlines
• Say exactly what you intend to do
• Use short sentences
3 . Business meetings
• Plan objectives
• Averagely for the managemen: > 40% of the time
• Choose a good moderator
• Provide an uninterrupted course of the meeting, turn off the phone
• Duration - maximum 1 hour
• Preparation: making an agenda
• Define initial and final hour
• Use your social skills
• Keeping record: an effective way to follow the decisions of the meeting: who does what and until when is he responsible?
• Evaluation of the meeting
4 . Delegation
• delegate with authority and responsibility
• Trust your collaborators
• Delegate challenging and routine tasks
• Identify the work and expected results
• Identify the importance of the work delegated
Who are the thieves of time:
• Misplaced materials
• Intruders
• Unforeseen interruptions
• Travel to/from work
• Long e-mails
• Waiting for colleagues
• Difficulties with delegation
• Mediocre staff
• Trivial matters
• Summits
• unpreparedness for work meetings
• Delay of correspondence
• Conflicting goals
• unnecessarily complicated procedures
• Coffee breaks
• Procrastination
Recommended books on the subject :
1. The One Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, Berkeley Books, 1981
2 . The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey, Simon & Schuster, 1989
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