TWELVE WAYS TO SAVE TIME THROUGH PLANNING

1.??????Commit yourself to yearly goals for personal development and professional accomplishment.

Translate yearly goals into monthly goals and into “To Do” lists that are revised weekly and daily.

2.??????Spend 20 minutes at the beginning of each week and 10 minutes at the beginning of each day planning your “To Dos”

Ask yourself, “what will I accomplish the week/day?” Place these objectives into three categories A, B and C according to their value to you. Work on the A’s resist the temptation to get easier work out of the way first. Turn to the B’s next. Consider doing away with or cutting back on the attention given to C’s

3.??????Buy or construct your own comprehensive calendar planning system.

It will help you follow the three preceding suggestions. Carry it everywhere you go. Use it as reminder of your commitments and as a diary of your activities.

4.??????Create a time analysis chart of your activities

Break your day into 15 minutes blocks. Note your chief activities for each block. After logging your activities for a week or so, you will have representative sample of how your time is spent. Study the results. Decide what you will do to make better use of your time.

5.??????Do one thing at a time

It takes time to start and stop work on each activity. Stay with a task until it a completed. Besides , quality usually suffers when we undertake several tasks at the same time. What chance for success would you give to a fullback smashing into the line with a football under each arm?

6.??????Don’t open unimportant mail

At least 25% of the mail you receive can safely be thrown away without opening it.

7.??????Handle each piece of paper only one never more than twice.

?Don’t set anything aside without taking some action.

8.??????Remember the 80/20 rule.

You get 80% of your results with 20% of your effort. Spend most of your time on that 20%.

9.??????Carry a 3*5 Card with you

On it note everything that happens during the day that you want to remember. Mark down every commitment you make and every event you will need to recall.

10.??Carry work or reading material with you everywhere.

Be productive when other keep you waiting or when you are stuck in traffic.

11.??Set goals with employees so they can function in your absence.

Don’t waste their time either.

12.??End the day by listing all of tomorrow’s important tasks.

In the morning incorporate these tasks into your “To Do” list.