Be an example of effective time management
How to be an example of effective time management
The following tips will enable you to be an example of effective time management. While the list is not exhaustive, implementing these tips will allow you to demonstrate to others what you expect of them.1. Be honest from the start
Other people have the right to make requests of you. This does not mean that you have to do as they ask. You always have the right to say ‘No’ but you should make every effort to do so in a timely and respectful manner. As soon as you have decided that you are not prepared to fulfil their request, tell them. While you may fear upsetting the other person, the sooner you say ‘No’, the sooner they can start making other arrangements.
2. Suggest alternatives
If you would like to help somebody else but you cannot do so at the time they request; suggest some alternatives. As well as letting them know that you cannot help at that time, it eliminates the need for back and forth communication by letting them know when you can help. They can then either choose one of these times or accept that you cannot help on this occasion.
Eliminating unnecessary communication is an important example of effective time management.
3. Don’t just dump tasks
In the past, I was guilty of just dumping tasks on other people, if I taught I could get away with it. I would not consider whether it was a good use of their time; I would simply see it as great way of getting work done, while reducing my workload. I have also had this done to me and I didn’t enjoy it.
While delegating and outsourcing are important elements of time management, dumping tasks on others is not a good example of effective time management. It is taking the easy way out and in the long run it damages relationships which will have a negative impact on your time management. Before you allocate a task, ask if it really needs to be done. If the answer is ‘Yes’ then you must determine who is the most appropriate person to perform the task, not who is the most convenient.
4. Try to solve the problem yourself
Whenever you encounter a problem, it is easy to run to someone else for help straight away. There are two problems with this approach. Firstly, you are going to annoy people by constantly running to them with problems which are not that important. This leads to poor working relationships and poor working relationships lead to poor time management.
Secondly, if you never fix a problem yourself, you will never learn. Resilience is one of the most important traits that you can develop. Resilience is developed by overcoming your difficulties. By attempting to solve your own problems you will become more resilient. In the long run, you will learn to solve many common problems yourself and reduce your reliance on others. This will improve your time management as you won’t have to wait for others to solve the problem for you.
5. Be punctual
This shouldn’t have to be said but sadly it does need to be said. If you agree to meet somebody at a particular time, be there. If you agree to get something done by a particular time, get it done. There will be times when you are delayed, due to reasons beyond your control. When this happens, notify the other person(s) at the earliest opportunity. It is acceptable to have to renegotiate an agreement but it is rarely acceptable to break an agreement.
If you want to be a good example of effective time management; you must be punctual. Punctuality is the easiest time management behaviour to observe. If you don’t get it right, you can’t complain when others don’t get it right.
6. Be clear about what you want
If you want somebody to do something for you; ask. Don’t hint or suggest. Don’t provide them with a half-hearted explanation where they have to guess or make assumptions. Provide them with a crystal clear explanation of what it is you would like them to do. If you have even the slightest doubt that they have understood you correctly, ask them to repeat it back to you so that you can identify, and clarify, any misunderstandings.
Also, demonstrate this yourself. When you are asked to perform a task, always repeat it back to the person asking, so as to ensure that you have understood correctly.
7. Ask for feedback
Whenever you perform a task for somebody else, ask for feedback. This will help you to improve your performance and better meet their needs in future. Just as important; it will demonstrate to others that you value feedback and are open to giving and receiving feedback.
Feedback is just one of the key communication skills which can save you time. Learn more with How To Talk So Others Will Listen.
8. Follow the instructions
When you are submitting a form or application, read the instructions thoroughly. Gather the necessary information and documentation. Prepare the application as requested and before submitting it, read over the instructions again and ensure that you have met all of the requirements. You might never meet the person who will review your application but even under these circumstances, it is essential that you be a shining example of effective time management. As somebody who receives applications (for guest posts) I can assure you that those who comply with the instructions tend to get preferential treatment and a more prompt response.
9. Research first
Yesterday, I was trying to format a button in my shopping cart. I could have submitted a support ticket to my shopping cart provider but instead I logged into their support forum and conducted a search. I found that somebody else had previously asked the question. I was able to take the answer provided and use it on my site. This all took less than 10 minutes but had I submitted a support ticket, I could have been waiting 24 hours. I also would have wasted the time of another person by having them answer the question unnecessarily.
If there is no specific forum which answers your question, at the very least perform a Google search. You may wonder how, in this case, you are being a good example of effective time management, as other people don’t know that you have solved a problem. The answer is that you are being a good example of effective time management by only coming to them when you need help with something important. When you repeatedly dump problems on other people, which you could easily solve yourself, they see you as an ineffective time waster.
For great strategies to help you become an effective time manager, check out The Organised Mind. Effective time management makes your life a lot easier. You eliminate time wasting activities, allowing you to focus on what is truly important. The biggest obstacle to this is other people. If you allow them to, they can quickly eat up the time that you save by improving your own effectiveness. Nobody likes to have to tell others to stop wasting their time. You can reduce the number of people that you need to have this conversation with by being an example of effective time management. In all of your dealings, you can commit to being an example to others. By being an example of effective time management, others can learn from your behaviour and they develop a greater understanding of the behaviour you expect from them. If you implement the 9 tips, above, not only will you become a better example of effective time management but the people who once wasted your time will soon starting asking you for advice to improve their own time management. Image credit: Wixphoto.com