The Geek Guide to Time Management At Work
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Feb 18 2015, 8:02 AM
Finding the time in the day to do everything that needs to be done can be a nightmare. There’s always something stopping you from getting ahead and finishing your work with time to spare. Of course, over time you learn different ways to get jobs done quicker. But are you doing everything you can to manage your time effectively?
When you’re working at a computer, the possibilities for procrastination are endless. That Doctor Who forum is just a couple of clicks away. And it’s so much more appealing than the spreadsheet you’re working on. You must resist though! Here’s a quick guide to managing your time properly at work.
Plan Out Your Day
Make a plan at the start of each day. And make it as detailed as possible without it being overlong. Knowing exactly what you have to do and what order to do it in can help you envisage reaching that end goal sooner. Whether you plan it out on the computer or a piece paper doesn’t matter, just prepare something you’re comfortable with. Knowing what’s coming up next will save you a few headaches.
Delegate
Are you a bit of a control freak? Do you subscribe to the idea that if you want a job doing well, you should do it yourself? It’s an admirable and hard-working attitude to take. However, it’s not an effective way of managing your time. Let go of the reigns and delegate tasks to your colleagues and employees. You could even think about outsourcing to IT companies like Netstar.
Take Breaks
Surely sitting at your desk and working the whole day through without even stopping for lunch is the best way to manage your time at work, right? Well, no actually. Taking breaks, especially lunch breaks, is vital to getting the most out of a working day. It’s proven that if you take a lunch break, you will be much more productive later in the afternoon. Plus, everyone needs to eat!
Avoid Distractions
Yes, they’re everywhere, I know. The internet is at your fingertips. Should you just check your email again to see if anyone is trying to contact you? And when does that auction you’re watching on eBay end? Avoiding distractions when you have a boring job to do isn’t easy. Even that man walking his dog outside the window starts to look interesting when you’re searching for distractions. Try to work through it though! Distractions are the single biggest drain on your time.
Get Your Priorities in Order
Do you often find yourself spending time doing unimportant or unnecessary tasks? And then find yourself short of time when something urgent comes up? This is because you aren’t prioritising your workload properly. Make sure you get the urgent stuff out of the way first, that way you’ll have the less urgent work to end the day on. You also need to fit your private life into this. If you’ve been working too long, ask yourself if you should really be doing overtime, or should you just go home?
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Finding the time in the day to do everything that needs to be done can be a nightmare. There’s always something stopping you from getting ahead and finishing your work with time to spare. Of course, over time you learn different ways to get jobs done quicker. But are you doing everything you can to manage your time effectively?
When you’re working at a computer, the possibilities for procrastination are endless. That Doctor Who forum is just a couple of clicks away. And it’s so much more appealing than the spreadsheet you’re working on. You must resist though! Here’s a quick guide to managing your time properly at work.
Plan Out Your Day
Make a plan at the start of each day. And make it as detailed as possible without it being overlong. Knowing exactly what you have to do and what order to do it in can help you envisage reaching that end goal sooner. Whether you plan it out on the computer or a piece paper doesn’t matter, just prepare something you’re comfortable with. Knowing what’s coming up next will save you a few headaches.
Delegate
Are you a bit of a control freak? Do you subscribe to the idea that if you want a job doing well, you should do it yourself? It’s an admirable and hard-working attitude to take. However, it’s not an effective way of managing your time. Let go of the reigns and delegate tasks to your colleagues and employees. You could even think about outsourcing to IT companies like Netstar.
Take Breaks
Surely sitting at your desk and working the whole day through without even stopping for lunch is the best way to manage your time at work, right? Well, no actually. Taking breaks, especially lunch breaks, is vital to getting the most out of a working day. It’s proven that if you take a lunch break, you will be much more productive later in the afternoon. Plus, everyone needs to eat!
Avoid Distractions
Yes, they’re everywhere, I know. The internet is at your fingertips. Should you just check your email again to see if anyone is trying to contact you? And when does that auction you’re watching on eBay end? Avoiding distractions when you have a boring job to do isn’t easy. Even that man walking his dog outside the window starts to look interesting when you’re searching for distractions. Try to work through it though! Distractions are the single biggest drain on your time.
Get Your Priorities in Order
Do you often find yourself spending time doing unimportant or unnecessary tasks? And then find yourself short of time when something urgent comes up? This is because you aren’t prioritising your workload properly. Make sure you get the urgent stuff out of the way first, that way you’ll have the less urgent work to end the day on. You also need to fit your private life into this. If you’ve been working too long, ask yourself if you should really be doing overtime, or should you just go home?
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