The Key to Time Management is Condensing Time

It comes as no surprise that most of us struggle with managing our time and controlling our time.  With the on-going interruptions of the blackberry, the endless emails, the days of meeting after meeting and even the old fashion phone ringing ... where does someone find time to work?

Most people think the issue is FOCUS.  In some ways, it is.   But the second dramatic improvement that can be made for all of us, in terms of time management, is CONDENSING time.   When you book a meeting is it always 60 minutes?  When you sit down to do email, is it a set period of time, like 30 minutes?   How many 15-30 minute breaks do you have between events in a day?

One of the best exercises to condense your time is taking a 5 day week and being forced to condense it into a 3 day week.   You are instantly forced to look for opportunities to save time and put limits on things that can be limitless (ie. email).

Here are 7 other tips:

1) Set time to review email ... and then TURN IT OFF.   Yes, I am saying that to really maximize your time, you need to cover off emails early in the day and again later in the day but turn off the incessant bings, alerts and notifications.

2) Cut your meetings from 60 minutes to 45 and then to 30 minutes.   Try odd numbers to make the time limit more obvious and conscious - 28 minute meetings work better than 30 just like 43 works better than 45.

3) Stop accepting every meeting that is requested of you.   Review all meeting requests once a day and book in only those that add value to your role or work.   Have someone else in your office cover the meetings that "might" add value - get a report in 5 minutes instead of a 45 minute meeting.

4) Know what the top 3 ways you create value are and ensure that 80% of your time is dedicated to these focuses.

5) Move weekly meetings to bi-weekly with slightly more time.

6) Have stand-up meetings and daily huddles with your team - 10 to 12 minutes tops!

7)  Set meetings back to back with 5 minutes to transition;  have your meetings 3-4 in a row to cover them off in a half day and then enjoy a half day back at your desk where you can get some work done.

8) Work outside of your office in a meeting room or outside place (a coffee shop) to avoid interruptions and distractions.

9) Don't set any meetings until 10am.  Create a work period for yourself which your team and colleagues know is a Do Not Disturb period.   Buy a sign for your door if it isn't clear to others.  If that fails, buy a lock.

10) Review meeting agenda's and participate in only the pieces that affect you.  Excuse yourself when you are not vital to a conversation.  A 60 minute meeting may only require you for 20 minutes.

As you start to condense your time and create urgency it will be something people begin to respect and honor (maybe not in the first 4 weeks but soon after that).   Move your 5 days into 3 days and watch how you suddenly feel a new control on your time and your workload.

Who Owns Your Time?

Just returning from a networking/peer luncheon, one of the resounding issues was that of time management and who has ownership of your time. In your 8 hour day, how much of it do you dictate and how much of it is dictate and determined by you? If you are spending more than 50% of your time with your tasks, timelines and schedule being dictated by someone else then you have a productivity problem!

While other people are all too willing to fill your calendar, fill your task list and fill your head, your job is to fight them off and take control again. Your job is:
1) To recognize that your time is YOUR time and that no one makes you do anything ... you accept it.
2) Allow people will work around some of your guidelines for your time when you set them, communicate them and stick to them
3) Each day establish what is most important in your day and what YOU need to get done to maximize the impact (not just the workload) you can make.
4) To set time guidelines that give you more freedom and not become more cumbersome
5) Look at what you can delegate in your work and personal life to free up time ... list off 10 things you don't like to do and start there.

Taking all your cues from other people and allow them to manage all your time is easy. No, it is. Unfortunately it also put someone else's convenience, plan and agenda ahead of yours.

You need to start to test the boundaries of what you can control TODAY. When people take control of even small pieces of their time they start to realize they control all of it! Recognition of control is the first step in time management that many courses and books forget to mention! Yet great time management starts in your head not in your calendar. Need help breaking through the barriers on your time, ask us for help.