We all have it in us to manage what we spend our time on to be successful .
Today we look at 4 Priority Management Techniques to Shine in Business.
Now you may be wondering why I refer to this as Priority Management instead of Time Management. The answer to that is a simple one… We each have the same amount of time available in a day, week, month and year. It’s what we prioritise in those hours that can make the difference to our success in Business.
To shine in your endeavours, it is essential that you are able to prioritise your tasks and activities throughout the day. While you may have tried various methods for planning, organising and scheduling your tasks and activities in the past, you may still find yourself unable to get everything done. This is because many of the techniques that you are using are a waste of time and simply don’t work. Here are four techniques that are worth considering as part of a daily routine.
Organise those lists
There isn’t a single time or priority management system that doesn’t involve making and using lists. This is because you can’t keep all the tasks that you believe you need to complete in your head.
It’s important to start implementing a regularly used list system if you want to be successful in prioritising your activities.
Here are three lists you can create and start using today:
- Your Schedule: A list for your entire year day by day. The appointment or diary list so to speak.
- Things to do: A basic list of the things you need to do, ideally with a date of when you plan to do them. I refer to this lists of tasks as my waiting room, ready for me to triage at the end of each day and pull out the top five priorities when planning for the following day.
- People to Call/Mail: A list of everyone you need to call or mail and if known when those calls or mails are to be done.
Acess what you did not just what you planned
Whether you opt for electronic versions or pen and paper, carrying your schedule, or a notebook, with you in a format that you can record all your thoughts, activities and conversations during the week can be highly beneficial. Doing this will help you to understand how much you actually got done during the day and where your valuable moments are going. This will allow you to see how much time you are spending producing results and how much time you may be wasting on unproductive thoughts and activities.
Be a little bit stubborn
Start practising a little bit of sassy stubbornness and learn to say No, politely of course. You don’t always have to answer the phone just because it’s ringing and think about not reading emails the moment they show up. Disconnect instant messaging and stop giving people your immediate attention unless the matter is critical or important to your business or personal life. Instead try scheduling a time during your day to reply to phone calls and respond to emails.
Set aside time for interruptions
Consider using buffer blocks when planning your day. These are blocked off times in your schedule each day for emails, returning calls and dealing with other unanswered interruptions. No matter how hard you try, you will always have to deal with disruption through the course of your day, scheduling buffer blocks allows you to choose when those disruptions take you away from your focused priorities.
Having a solid plan for prioritising your activities within the time available, will help you get more done throughout the day. Excellent time and priority management skills are essential to shine in business.