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Using Lists
You should have a reminder system to tell you of when you need to do what: don't try to remember everything in your head as this is a recipe for disaster! Carry a pen and paper or organiser wherever you go. At the simplest level your reminder system could simply be to use your diary to write down the things you need to do, including appointments and deadlines. Before interviews, it's fine to write down the questions you wish to ask on a small piece of card or notepad
"To stay on schedule I devised a timetable which I had to stick to. I used an electronic calendar which I programmed to send out emails as reminders to myself and my team. This was a very useful tool and it is one that I have used continuously to manage my time effectively." Kent student.
A daily list of tasks that need to be done is an essential part of action planning. Refer to and update this regularly. Prioritise items on the list into important/not important and urgent/non-urgent. Such a list can take a variety of formats but an example is given to the right. Update your list daily, crossing off completed tasks and adding new tasks that need to be done. Urgent or important tasks can be highlighted with an asterisk.
Setting Goals
Set yourself specific and clearly defined goals, and make sure that these are realistic and achievable. To do this, you first need to examine your present situation and assess what goals are important to you and what action you need to take to achieve your target. Have a contingency plan or alternative route to your goal in case you have to change your plans, for example, taking a relevant postgraduate course if you can't get a job. See Action Planning.
In a survey by Accountemps executives were asked, “On which day of the week are employees most productive?” Their responses:
Prioritising
Efficiency and effectiveness are not the same. Someone who works hard and is well organised but spends all their time on unimportant tasks may be efficient but not effective. To be effective, you need to decide what tasks are urgent and important and to focus on these. This is called prioritising. It's important to list the tasks you have and to sort these in order of priority, and then to devote most time to the most important tasks. This avoids the natural tendency to concentrate on the simple, easy tasks and to allow too many interruptions to your work.
Differentiate also between urgent and important tasks: an urgent task may not necessarily be important! When jobhunting, you won't be able to apply to every employer. You will need to carefully prioritise those you wish to apply to, based upon factors such as closing date, location, degree class required, and chances of getting in.
Avoiding Procrastination
In the professional environment people are so easily distracted by ‘noise’. Whether it’s emails, admin or politics, there will always be something that seems so much more important than the actual task. More often than not, people will get caught up with the nice to have activity rather than the critical work which creates more value for the business. Being ruthlessly focused means you have the ability to cancel out this noise and focus on what is important. It’s a strength in itself to be able to say something is not critical.
James Caan
“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”
Benjamin Franklin
Procrastination is the scourge of action planning. It's important that you manage 'Your fear of doing things' you don't want to do and realise that the fear is often far worse than any possible negative results. Try to take decisions immediately when possible and when you don't need to gather more information pertinent to the decision. The best time to do something is usually NOW. Taking action generates the impetus for further action. Many applications to prestigious employers now need to be made in the first term of your final year and if you procrastinate you'll miss the deadlines.
Breaking down tasks
Break goals down into their components so that you can accomplish them one step at a time. Write these steps down, and try to be as specific as you can when you do this. Try to complete one task before you go on to the next.
A mountain is climbed one step at a time .........
Reward yourself for achieving these goals to maintain your enthusiasm. For example, when you are invited to your first interview, treat yourself to a good meal with friends. Regularly review your progress towards your goals and revise plans as appropriate to take account of unforeseen changes.
Persevering
Inevitably, things will not always run smoothly as you progress towards your goals. When things are not working out, you need to persevere and learn how to take a positive attitude towards frustration and failure.
Mistakes are a crucial part of any creative process and each is a lesson leading you towards the right solution. Fear of making or admitting mistakes is a major handicap to taking effective action. It is said that the people who have achieved the most have made the most mistakes! Try to be aware that satisfaction comes as much from pursuing goals as from achieving them.
Work at effective strategies to deal with pressure - these can vary from taking exercise, to relaxation techniques such as Yoga, to simply sharing problems with friends. Being assertive can also help here, for example, politely saying no to the demands of others when you are pushed for time. Sharing tasks and problems with others will spread the burden and will bring a fresh perspective to them.
Organising your time
Identify areas of your life where you are wasting time and try to reduce these. A good way to do this is to log everything you do for a week in meticulous detail and then examine your record to see how you use (or misuse!) your time.
Develop a regular work routine. Keep your work space tidy so that you can work efficiently - it's hard to do this if things you need to find are buried under a pile of paper! Work to schedule so that you meet deadlines in good time - don't leave everything until the last minute. If you have a difficult essay to write, start by drafting out the structure first- this will break the ice.
When applying for jobs keep copies of all the applications you have made and keep a log of the date you applied, result, and a record of all your interviews, plus you were questions asked. This will help you to keep track of your progress and spot areas where you could improve.
One useful way to eliminate wasted time is to use a time log. First you need to make up a chart for the next seven days divided into half hour intervals starting at the time you get up and finishing at the time you go to bed. Write down what you did in each half hour of the day for the next seven days. Choose a typical week. An example for one day is given to the right.
At the end of the week examine your time log and ask yourself the following questions:
At what time of day do I do my most effective work? Some people are most alert in the morning, whilst others concentrate best during the afternoon or evening. Schedule your most important tasks for these times of day.
A time log can be particularly useful at times of pressure, for example, when revising for examinations or jobhunting during your final year.
By now you should have been able to identify ways in which you could manage your time more efficiently, and know some techniques to allow you to do this. You might like to look at the section on action planning which identifies other ways of organising your work so that you achieve your goals.
One way that employers may measure your time management skills at interview is via an in-tray exercise.
Work Life balance is essential for business success. With work/life balance you are more productive over longer periods of time. Because you have a more balanced perspective you spot opportunities that you may otherwise miss had you been over-worked and over-tired. At the same time, in my recruitment business, we talk with many candidates and clients about workplace issues and understand what’s important to everyone. From these discussions, and my own experience, I’ve put together my Top 10 tips for Work Life Balance.
TIP NUMBER 10: SET GOALS, PLAN AND PRIORITIZE
Having clear goals makes life so much easier because you know where you are going, how to get there and you have more control. Without clear goals you can experience feelings of confusion and frustration and this can drain your energy and decrease your productivity.
A good technique is to decide what is important to you and then write it down. By actually writing it down your thinking is clearer and you are more likely to achieve the goal. In writing down the goals make sure that they are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. So instead of “becoming healthy” a SMART goal would be “to join a gym and go 3 days a week at 6 o’clock for 1 hour”. In thinking about your goals in this way you are more likely to achieve them.
TIP NUMBER 9: HAVE STRUCTURE IN PLACE
Work/Life balance is all about flexibility, but to have flexibility you need a solid structure around you – both at work and at home. Structure is important because it brings certainty to the world – you know what’s going to happen and why it’s going to happen. Without structure life is a bit more chaotic. You then find that you use both physical and emotional energy to bring meaning and clarity to different situations.
Structure also means having the right tools to work flexibly. To achieve work/life balance you need to be able to work from a variety of locations and at different times of the day. For this, laptops, mobile phones, remote access and flexible hours are important. To support flexibility the company needs to be well structured, with good support systems and needs to have an internal culture which supports flexible working arrangements.
TIP NUMBER 8: PRACTICE GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT
Central to good time management is to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time and for the right length of time. To be able to do this, its necessary to establish your priorities and then focus only on those tasks that advance important goals. Those goals that will bring in high pay-off results. Activities that absorb too much time should then be simplified, delegated or eliminated.
Good time management means focusing on results. It’s important to aim for excellence, but not necessarily for perfection. When you aim for excellence you will achieve an excellent result, but when you aim for perfection you may never quite get there. You will spend far too much time in getting it completely right, when excellent was all that was required.
A good time management technique is to make appointments – with both yourself and with others. In the workplace, making appointments with people and covering several topics is more time effective than constantly interrupting others with minor details. And the best time management technique is to “not to think about it” but to simply “get started”.
TIP NUMBER 7: UNDERTAKE TRAINING IN THE TECHNIQUES REQUIRED
Everyone needs training to learn the operational techniques required for effective Work/Life balance. There are a number of books and courses on time management; goal setting; maximizing productivity; increasing effectiveness; negotiation, relaxation and stress management, and a range of providers for this training. A number of companies provide elements of this training however individuals have the responsibility to seek out this training if they are to achieve optimal Work/Life balance. The techniques are not rocket science but you need to be exposed to the methodology to gain maximum benefit.
Another important training aspect for a successful work/life balance is interpersonal skills training. Getting on with other people is a very necessary aspect of achieving work/life balance.
TIP NUMBER 6: TAKE HOLIDAYS AND LONG WEEKENDS
Everyone needs a total break from the operational side of your role so that you can freshen your perspective on what needs to be done. It’s easy to tell yourself that you are indispensable and always need to be around. But if you’ve got good structure in place, with good support systems, you can take time off. I know people who when they go on holiday they take their mobiles, are in daily contact and will even leave their holiday earlier to deal with an urgent issue. They haven’t had a holiday, they’re not refreshed and when they need to be thinking optimally they are too tired and burnt out.
TIP NUMBER 5: REWARD YOURSELF
Rewards are important because they are the something extra you have been working towards. So, after you have set your goals, and you’ve achieved them – take the reward.
In taking rewards a good technique is to focus on making money, not just saving money. There are many ways to make additional money, outside of work, such as buying and selling real estate, day trading on the share market, cleaning out your garage and having a sale, or commercializing a hobby. With the additional money you make you can afford the reward. A big part of Work/Life balance is feeling great about yourself, and what better way than to have lots of rewards.
So, reward yourself, both at work and at home. By doing this, everything will become more enjoyable. Take the small rewards and take the big rewards – you deserve it.
TIP NUMBER 4: STAY HEALTHY
It’s important to eat well, sleep well and exercise.
Occupational Health and Safety is an important component of staying healthy – and it’s as valid at home as it is at work. It’s important to have a good desk, a good chair, good lighting and not to fall over cables and at home it’s just as valid. Also a good bed is a must – because you spend so much time there.
Together with OH&S think about the times that you’ve put your back out when gardening or you’ve been moving house and lifting heavy furniture. It may seem that you’re saving money, but when you’re off work with a bad back – does it really seem worthwhile?
Medical check-ups are important and there are a range of healthcare professionals to provide a comprehensive service – from physiotherapy, massages through to aromatherapy and relaxation therapy. When working hard, all these services are valuable and cost-effective.
TIP NUMBER 3: BE POSITIVE, PASSIONATE AND ENTHUSIASTIC
Mix with positive people and don’t accept negativity – either privately or professionally. See the opportunity, not the obstacle, and if you can’t see the positive side of any situation look harder, look longer and look at it differently. There’s always a positive spin.
Two great techniques are ‘positive self talk’ and ‘visualization’.
Instead of telling yourself you can’t do something and filling your mind with negative thoughts, think positively and tell yourself “I am a great person, I’m valuable, I’m good at what I do, everything is great, I’m excited about my work, my goals and my life.
Visualization is a technique taught by a number of practitioners. It involves determining your end goal and actually seeing, feeling, touching and experiencing the emotion of the goal. In this way you have already achieved your goal because you are actually experiencing it. Everything that you do moving forward is therefore a natural step towards achieving something that you already own. Similarly, another technique taught in stress management is to visualize a particular place that is special to you. When you are feeling stressed, or awake at 3 in the morning, you go back to that space in your mind and start to feel much better.
TIP NUMBER 2: LOVE YOUR JOB
Career development is a journey and with every journey it’s more enjoyable if you enjoy every stage. Enjoy the tasks, the people, the environment and the opportunities. You can maximize your enjoyment by undertaking a number of professional development courses. Your enhanced knowledge and understanding will increase your control and with this control you will achieve a better balance. So, to enhance your work/life balance it is so very important to enjoy what you do, or change what you do.
TIP NUMBER 1: LOVE YOUR LIFE
Again, enjoy the journey, everyday and in every possible way. You should only be doing those things that you want to do. Take control over your life, be true to yourself and never accept less than you want. Enrich yourself – socially, culturally and intellectually. Constantly focus on your personal development, achieve your goals and enjoy the journey.
Create a daily plan
Prioritize.
Peg a time limit to each task
Use a calendar
Use an organizer
Know your deadlines
Target to be early.
Set reminders minutes before
Don’t fuss about unimportant details
Delegate.
Than you for your invitation. ....... According to the schedule of meetings or a desk job or a field
regular meetings,
taking status reports and progress reports,
using the online tools for keeping in touch with them in working time,
going onsite occasionally,
making a friendly environment and talking to them about every things, this can help to know more about them and their job.
Thank you ... Good job.......... Good answers
Proper planning, Arranging drawings, approvals,materials,tools and tackles and require man power in well advance before commencing a particular job.
I agree with specialties answers, thanks for the invitation.
Everybody follow the following time management:
Time Activity
7:am Wake up and get ready for work
8:am Travel to work
9:am –6:pm Work for other people
7:pm Dinner
8:pm –.pm Spend time with family / watch TV etc
:pm Go to sleep
However please follow the below:
Time Activity
6:am Wake up and get ready for work
7:am Work on your goals and dreams
8:am Travel to work
9:am –6:pm Work for other people
7:pm Dinner
8:pm –.pm Spend time with family / watch TV etc
:pm Go to sleep
The difference is that former one was managed by TIME and the latter one is Time Managed by us
I fully agree with the answers been added by EXPERTS...............Thanks.
Thanks for invitation
I amagreeing with my colleague’s answer Mr. Vinod
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