Do you ever feel you’ve wasted time?
Most of us feel we could do with a lot more time in the day than 24 hours to do everything we both need and want to do! Yet it’s common to waste time and, if we could gather up all that wasted time, we’d gain time and feel far more in control of the day.
Here are three top time wasters, and how to prevent or cure them.
1. Hopping from one thing to another
Known in time management as The Butterfly Syndrome, this prevents focus on the task in hand and results in taking far more time to complete the task or project in front of you.
Prevention
- Decide on your number one priority and your number 2, 3 and 4 priorities, and so on
- Clear your workspace of all but papers concerned with that priority
- Place all papers unconnected to the current task out of sight so you cannot butterfly between them, based on the “out of sight, out of mind”, principle.
- Complete one task before you move to the next
- Cross each task off your To Do list to give you that ‘achievement’ feeling
- Move on to the next task in order of priority
2. Not allowing time for the unexpected
On most days the unexpected will add to the length of the daily to do list. It’s best to expect those unexpected calls, meetings and emails and to allocate time to deal with them.
Prevention
- Expect the unexpected!
- Build in time for the unexpected daily – put it on your To Do list, earmark time on your schedule/calendar
- Remember the only thing that is truly unexpected is if there are no unexpected events in the day!
- Ideally avoid making appointments back-to-back; build in preparation and feedback time so that if you suddenly need even more time for the unexpected, you have some space to fall back on
- If the unexpected doesn’t happen, use the time you allocated for it to action your next task. You’ve gained time.
3. Spending too long on one task – trying to get it perfect
While accuracy is of great importance, sometimes that B-perfect approach can result in taking more time than is needed to complete a piece of work. There is a balance to be struck between getting things right and putting off the completion.
Prevention
- Itemise the tasks involved if there is more than one task
- Estimate how long each task will realistically take
- Decide on a finishing time (completion) earlier than the deadline date, to allow yourself time to check, deal with queries and review, and add any finishing touches
- Ensure you can access everything and everyone you need – resources/people
- Convey the timeline & deadlines to everyone else involved
- Decide on how to measure when it is good “enough”
- Go for excellence, rather than over-perfection
These are just three of many potential timewasters. If you recognize any of these in yourself, try the tips and see what makes a difference.
What other timewasters can you identify? How will you prevent them?
With a combination of time management and assertive communication you can keep control of your life and time. Remember to be assertive in managing time and ask for help when you need it.
If you are interested in exploring life coaching further, you are welcome to arrange a free initial call for 20 minutes without obligation. My combination of coaching and 121 training can add quality to your life personally and professionally and enable you to achieve your goals. It will be adapted to you as an individual and your unique circumstances.
