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Sometimes the most difficult thing to accomplish at work is work. With telephone calls, meetings, visitors, faxes and a deluge of mail, it can be almost impossible to get anything done. Here are some tips to get you back on track.
- If you don't know where your time goes, keep a log for a week. As you evaluate the tasks that consume your time, ask yourself: Do I really need to do this? Could I have delayed this task in order to work on a task of higher priority? Could someone else have done this?
- Get an early start. If you come in 15–20 minutes earlier than you usually do, you'll find that you'll be off and running before the pace of the office speeds up.
- Do priority work during your "peak performance" time. If you're a morning person, set aside time in the morning; if you come alive after lunch, block out time then.
- Make appointments with yourself. If you have a big project that you need to start, set aside time for it and write it on your calendar.
- Estimate how long you need to finish a certain project; it will help you manage your time. (Always anticipate that projects will take longer than expected.)
- Review tasks to see if there are ways to do them in less time, with fewer steps.
- Set time limits on projects. Some tasks just aren't worth spending hours on.
- Vary your pace. No one can function at top speed all day. After a mentally taxing project, turn to something less demanding. Put small, enjoyable jobs in between tough ones.
- Be decisive, and then implement the decisions you make.
- Keep small projects handy for idle moments between meetings or when you're on hold.
- Expect interruptions. They are inevitable.
- Have to work late? Decide exactly what you expect to accomplish.
- Upset by something? Address it if you can or if you need to, or make notes about what you're considering doing. Then try to put it behind you. A low–level task may get you up and going again.
- Time off actually makes you more productive, so don't work half–time when you intend to be relaxing.
- Give yourself one enjoyable task to look forward to each day.
Author information: This article was written by Ronni Eisenberg, co–author of Organize Your Office! Eisenberg has given a multitude of workshops, lectures, and demonstrations on how to get — and stay — organized.
