Do you know this: Your whole day is packed with dates, your assistant has gone the extra mile to make all these dates possible, and still time just seems to be too short for all your tasks? Well, what can you do to manage yourself and your time in a much better way?
Recent
research on self- and time management has shown that we have to forget about a
long-time believe and recommends: No multitasking! – Disband multitasking and
work through your tasks one after the other.
Our
brain can’t process multiple tasks at the same time. Therefore, multitasking
makes us slower and vulnerable to mistakes. Just think about it now: how much
time do you need to work on a task in the afternoon you already had looked at
in the morning the first time? – Usually, it takes much longer because you have
to re-read the paper, re-consider conclusions you might already have had in the
morning, and start working through from the beginning.
One quick tip here:
Organize your dates along tasks and topics instead of spreading dates with
different topics all over the day. This will focus your energy and increase
your concentration.
Here are three more tips for your successfull self- and time management:
Focus
– Strictly prioritize which tasks you have to work on
Caution:
it’s not about „wanting“, it’s about „having“ to work on. This means you should
focus on tasks where your input is crucial and not the ones you might find
attractive. It requires quite a piece of self-discipline not to jump on every
attactive topic and get lost in time. You should be aware that time is your
most precious asset which you shouldn’t waste for useless work.
Tip:
Just take 5 minutes now and write a list of 10 topics you are just busy with.
Now prioritize the true top 3 tasks on your list…and delegate the rest.
Filter – Filter your emails, e.g. by delegating a pre-selection to your assistant
Only
read emailst hat are addressed to you and that you are not only copied in with
hundreds of others. You have to educate your environment only to send emails to
you that are important and relvant.
Tip:
You have to tell your environment that you expect them only to send relevant emails
to you if you want to manage your inbox. This is a process and needs some time.
It’s worth though if you can reduce the amount of emails over time because you
win time and focus.
Forget – You should forget your work for a while
If
you want to re-charge your creativity your brain needs some time out. Being
busy all the time and caught in the
treadmill prevents you from thinking out of the box. There is no room for
innovation. So seek for time to press „reset“ and do things you love to do. I
mean really love to do.
Tip:
The best ideas usually come when you are relaxed. You can plan such relaxing
acticities or times. Think of things that are good for you, be it reading,
sleeping, swimming, walking, medidating, golfing, or whatever is fun for you.
You will be in good company of some very successful CEOs with long-standing
meditation practice, good golf handicap, or triathlon experience.
