By Pam Solberg-Tapper
Do you have too much to do and not enough time to accomplish it all? Do you feel that you are busy all day and fail to complete important tasks? Are you overwhelmed?
Here are 3 sure fired ways that have helped my coaching clients to take charge of their time:
1. Manage interruptions – get into the habit of not answering the phone just because it’s ringing and responding to emails just because they show up. Instead, schedule a time to answer email and return phone calls. Put up a “Do not Disturb” sign on your office door when you absolutely have to get work done or work offsite. Ask others for cooperation to not interrupt you unless it’s absolutely necessary.
2. Use Block Time – schedule blocks of time in your calendar to work on priority tasks or projects. If the task is too big to complete in one time block, slate several shorter time blocks. When scheduling, be specific regarding what you will work on during each time block.
3. Do, Delegate or Ditch – use this method to evaluate and categorize your tasks versus just doing everything. Either do it yourself, enlist the help of others or decide not to do it at all.
By following these 3 simple strategies, you will become more efficient, accomplish more and decrease feeling overwhelmed.