“Time is beyond our control, and the clock keeps ticking regardless of how we lead our lives. Priority management is the answer to maximizing the time we have.” John C. Maxwell
The words time management are a misguided set of words; an oxymoron that hides the true meaning behind the words themselves. Science dictates that we can’t truly manage time, it’ an impossibility. We can, however, take the time we have throughout our day and utilize it to the best of our ability; this therefore is the truest definition of time management. WorkSource is sharing ways that you and your workforce can better prioritize your work day.
Don’t go it alone
When you want to achieve a goal, you need to split the tasks among your team or colleagues. First, define the overarching goal or task at hand. Give yourself and your team parameters for the ultimate goal. Then split this goal into sub-tasks and give deadlines to accomplish each. Asking for help to complete a goal not only gives you the ability to complete the task at hand, but allows you to work on other tasks at the same time. It is one of the most efficient ways to keep productivity at its highest.
Secret formula wise manager’s use
There is a great formula that many managers use to help them better prioritize their time, and it’s one worth sharing with your workforce: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” Six P’s, six ways to better structure your day. When you teach your staff to plan their day, their week, their month ahead of time, you teach them ways to better manage their time. Whether tasks are broken down into steps or charts are made to help them identify where they will need to start each day, coordinating proper planning ahead of time could be a game changer where time management is concerned. Studies show that when employees plan their week ahead of time, it shaves ten minutes off the task at hand. If every day is planned ahead (to the best of the staff’s capabilities), your staff can potentially save one hour of time that can be devoted to other areas of need. This is not only a great technique for time management, but a tremendous tool in your arsenal to help increase productivity without sacrificing in other areas of need.
You can’t control everything
No matter what type of job you have, you should teach your workforce to plan time for being pulled away or interrupted from their daily objectives. Whether it’s a deadline that has been moved up, a client that comes in for an unexpected meeting or a problem on a work-site, there will always be something that may need attention at a time that isn’t good for them. So plan for it. Allow two to three hours of flexibility within the day to work on something that has come up unexpectedly. This technique works well with our six P’s formula, because it allows staff to build in time for distractions and interruptions. Even at work, life happens—in this case “work life happens,” and your staff will be able to utilize their time the wisest around what the day “might” look like.
WorkSource, a premier staffing agency, understands your need to keep productivity up while supporting your staff’s needs. Contact our team at WorkSource, to find out how we can help you.