There are many ways we can manage our time. We have listed some strategies you can use to manage your time. Make an Agenda for the Day, week or month and list down the tasks that has to be done. Make a ‘TO DO’ list and then assign priority to each task and work according to the priority of each item.Also fixe a deadline for each task.
Keep you desk clear. It is said that most successfull people function through a very clear and neat desk.
Do difficult task first when you are fresh and energetic and try to do the easier jobs when you are tired and exhausted.
Avoid Procastination. Avoid postponing imporatant matters that seem to be unpleasant. Jobs never get pleasant by being postponed. Make a habbit of doing it now as Sant Kabir rightly said ” Kal kare so aaaj kar…aaj kare so ab”. Do not avoid discussing important and crucial matters with your Boss for the fear of being scolded. You eventually have to disccuss it anyway. But do check his mood before discussing.
Try to arrange set times for jobs such as going through the mail, talking with your manager or staff, computer input, etc. Though its little difficult nowadays considering the demanding jobs but still can be tried.
Try to fix definite times when you would not like to be disturbed, and make the system work except for genuine emergencies.
Most importantly plan your telelphone calls by making a breif note of what you want to say and what you intend to find out. Initially when i used to call people without making a note of what i wanted to find out, i realised that i had to call them again to know some more details and it used to be embarassing. So do make a note of what you want to know.It definitly saves time and save some embarassment too.
When you start a piece of work, try to finish it without interruptions. If you have to finish it later, you will lose time picking up where you left off.
Try and take breaks at times when you are not able to work effectively. It will refresh you.
Plan some time for discussing routine matters with your colleagues. Then you avoid interrupting each other all the time.
Learn to say No. Get used to asking yourself Am I the right person for this job?
Monitor how you use your time, and make conscious changes to your behaviour.
Stress and fatigue are rarely caused by the things you have done, but by the thought of what you havent done!
Make a habit of finishing the main job of the day before you go home.
By Madhur
CAclubindia
