The Consequences of Inefficient Time Management on the Work of the Average Office Employee

The present days globalized high stakes society requires us to do a lot more. It requires us to generate continuously better overall results.

The reason why this is demanding is the fact that we aren't only required to generate more, but all the things we generate will have to be of an even higher quality.

If you are to be able to deliver more you may either spend a longer time or maybe you could study time management skills and boost your effectiveness.

Either way gets results, but there's a limit to how much time you can work, in the end you simply have 24 hours/day.

The Way I Doubled My Effectiveness

Several years ago I'd been granted the honour to start a new office for my employer.

I went from a common manager role to finding myself in charge of advertising, hiring, sales and all of the fun administrational duties that is included in it.

I know what you're thinking, delegate!

The challenge was that there was no one for me to outsource to, I was all alone at the office.

Everything was my responsibility;

Sure, as we built I'd have the possibility to start delegating, but when I started I had to do the whole thing myself.

I started working my regular 8 to 5 but recognized I simply couldn't keep up.I had no choice but to work for longer and longer, very quickly I worked from 7:30 to 10 every single day (On weekends it was enough with 9-17).

This was absolutely not sustainable and I knew I had to make a change.

I spoke with my managers but the only thing they could do was offer some tips concerning how to work faster, I spoke with my friends who advised me to give up.

Luckily I got advice from one of my clients to read about time management.

I read books by Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy and David Allen. Suddenly I was back on track. I began delivering better and better returns. I could start returning home earlier and earlier, in the beginning 9 pm then 8 pm, 7 and then finally at 5 pm like my associates.

The strategies listed below are those that rescued me. You could be using some right now, however, if you are not using all of them, test them out and you will start seeing an improvement in how much you can deliver.

Plan Your Weeks

Begin by writing down whatever you are aware of will have to be carried out throughout the week (this list can be stored, as the standard week looks largely the same), next, I plan it all out.

What do I do Monday, what Tuesday et cetera.

I have got a standard plan for what I do each day and can from there organize it to make me be as efficient as possible.

The ABC Method - Organizing Your Days

Prioritization is the bread and butter of time management. Choosing your most crucial job and staying with it until it is completely finished could help you save numerous of time.

There are 5 forms of jobs (in order of priority).

A - Tasks with severe long-term repercussions.

They're jobs that, if done, could have a great impact on your long run achievement.

B - Tasks with moderate long run consequences

C - Minor long-term consequences

D - Tasks that should be assigned to other people.

E - Tasks that must be eradicated.

They could actually have a damaging effect on your long term if completed.

Prioritize at the start of your day

Each morning check out the tasks you have planned for the day and allocate them a letter.

When you have multiple of a letter call them A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2 and so on.

Begin with your most important task and work through the list

The Bottom line

If you use these two straightforward methods your days will certainly be a lot more efficient and you'll be able to produce ever more every day. You'll deliver better results which will help you progress forwards swiftly in your job.

Daniel M. Wood is a personal development coach and trainer. He has a background in Psychology, Sales, marketing and sports. Through his work with students around the world he has created the course "The Time Management Expert Course" that has helped hundreds of people decrease stress, increase their motivation and become a lot more efficient.

The course teaches you how to get control over your life and make room to be both spontaneous and relaxed.

Check out the course and see how it can help you.

Scary Office Monsters - Here's How to Defeat Them!

Monster: The paper pile of doom

It haunts your nightmares, it taunts you while you are awake. No one knows exactly what they will find in the paper pile of doom... an unpaid bill, that missing meeting agenda, the menu for the Chinese restaurant down the street? The pile is constantly growing and like a gremlin spawns baby piles that start to take over every vertical surface in your office.

How to defeat it:

The paper pile grows because it is the easiest place to put "stuff and/or it is the default place for things you don't know what to do with.

To defeat the pile of doom you must stop feeding it.

1) Make it easier to file or throw away than put it onto the pile. Try moving your most used files, trash, shredder, and recycle bin within arm's length of your desk. If you are right-handed, preferably put them on your right hand side.

2) Analyze what ends up in the pile. Make sure you have an easy to get to "home" for each of these items (documents you're currently working on, client files, etc.)

3) Stop using the pile as "don't know, do later" pile. Conquer indecision by asking yourself "what do I need to do with this?" and "do I need to keep this?"

Monster: The Bermuda Triangle of computer documents

It's were documents go and are never seen or heard from again. Ever hear yourself say "I know I saved it here somewhere"? You're computer has developed a Bermuda Triangle.

How to defeat it:

1) Decide on the default location for your documents. Items get lost when some things are in "My Documents" and others are on the server.

2) Create broad category folders that make sense for the way you work. Drag your files into these folders. Make sure that there are no duplicate or similar folders names to avoid confusion. Create sub folders if there are a lot of documents in the main category folder.

3) Moving forward, use descriptive file names and save files immediately into the correct folder.

Monster: The never-ending meeting

It's like the Twilight Zone, you're stuck in a meeting that just won't end.

How to defeat it:

1) Ensure the meeting starts on time. Try assessing a "fee" to anyone who shows up late.

2) Appoint someone to run the meeting. When the meeting gets off track have them lead the meeting back to the agenda.

3) Set action items throughout the meeting. Sum up the action items and who is responsible at the end of the meeting. In the next meeting have a recap of the status of each action item to ensure accountability.

About: Erin Hoffman is a Productivity Specialist and the president of Optimum Productivity. She helps busy professionals and businesses save hours each week by showing them cost saving time and email strategies.

Her company, Optimum Productivity, offers company training packages, speaking and individual coaching.
For more information visit http://www.optimumproductivity.com/

Want to learn how to increase productivity by up to 25%? What to learn ways to use your time and your email more effectively? Check out a FREE webinar from Optimum Productivity.