Time Management Top Tips

10 Ways to get things done

1.   Create an action list

  • use it daily
  • be selective - prioritise tasks
  • visible - on your desk
  • necessary - avoid doing things today because they needed to be done yesterday
  • appropriate
  • efficient

2.   Create a time map

  • to complete a project on time, break it down into small chunks
    1. start by listing all steps necessary to complete the project
    2. estimate the time needed for each step
    3. draw a network showing relationship between the different steps

3.   Stay flexible

  • keep an open mind about the way a job is done - listen to other ideas

4.   Take advantage of your prime time

  • establish the time of day when you are most alert mentally and physically and arrange your schedule as far as practicable to do the most demanding tasks during your high performance period

5.   Do the worst job of the day first

  • get the job you least want to do out of the way as early as possible

6.   Fight fatigue by exercising at your desk

  • our ability to concentrate wanes after about 40-45 minutes, so get up and walk about for a couple of minutes to allow your mind to clear

7.   Deadline every task

  • when a task is sufficiently well done, stop
  • don't allow yourself to be a perfectionist - only when it is vital

8.   Learn to focus and concentrate

  • have goals and objectives
  • detailed action plans
  • clear priorities
  • single-minded concentration

9.   Learn to say NO

  • when the request is unreasonable
  • when the task has a lower priority
  • when you lack the knowledge/skills
  • when angry or upset
  • when it need not be done by you at all

10.   Drop the 'drop-in' caller/visitor

If you have found these top tips for time management make sense for you and you would like to learn more, please visit our Time Management training courses page.