How To Manage Time Efficiently

Are you good at organising your time? Do you always complete tasks before the deadline or you leave them unfinished until the last moment? Since today they say time is money, managing your time efficiently has become an essential business skill.

Read the following descriptions of bad time management and decide whether you can recognize yourself in any of the personality types related to time management.

Tomorrows: This type of personality creates problems for themselves, because instead of actually working, they only think about work. This type tends to 1._ setting the 2._____ and making decisions, so they end up with even more work the following day. Tips for those who recognise their behaviour in this description:

Break big tasks into smaller ones.
3._ a deadline and 4._ at least 5 minutes to the task every day.
5.__ up a ‘Need To Do Today’ list every evening and DO IT!

Poor delegators: If you belong to this type, you can be described as a control freak. Take a look at the workload – are you really the only person who can do the job? Other people may not perform the task as well as you but without the experience they’ll never learn.

This type usually 6.__ trust in other people and doesn’t know when to say ‘no’. Tips for those who have some characteristics given in this description:

Explain what the task is about and ask for feedback from the other person.
Avoid 7.__ on unnecessary work.
Say ‘no’ politely and 8.____.

Disorganised: 9._ of paper on your desk, being late for meetings, tracking 10._ messages and telephone numbers 11._ all over the office… does your daily routine look like this? If yes, you are always trying to 12._ up for the wasted time. Your motto is: ‘Creative minds are rarely tidy’.

These are the tips if this paragraph describes you:

Prioritise.
Make up a ‘To Do’ list and always 13._ to one task at a time.
Find the time of day when you are at your best and 14._ the most difficult tasks to it.

For all personality types related to time management, here is a very simple and widely used time management tool – ABCD Prioritisation System – which will help you put your projects and tasks in the order of importance. Try it out!

ABCD Prioritisation System

A: a task you MUST do. This is your main task. There are serious consequences of leaving it 15.__ (e.g. handing in a report to your boss).

B: a task you SHOULD do. It 16.__ moderate consequences if not done. (e.g. returning a telephone call of low importance or urgency). NEVER take up a B task if you haven’t completed your A task.

C: something that WOULD BE NICE to do but has no consequences if 17.__ undone. This type of activity has no effect on your work (e.g. lunch or coffee with friends).

D: something you can DELEGATE. If you delegate a task of lower importance or 18.__, you will have more time for task A which only you can do. So, before going to sleep, plan your ABCD for the following day!