If you get to the end of the day and wonder where all your time went, you might be up against some time wasters that steal productive minutes from your day. Regain those lost minutes by identifying those things that hinder your productiveness.
You might not even aware of those things that steal the minutes from your day. Take a close look at the following four areas, then make changes to regain those lost minutes and make them count toward productivity.
1. Are you reinventing the wheel?
If there are tasks in your job that you do repeatedly, have you created checklists and models to use each time you do them? Models and checklists help you do similar work the same way each time, increasing your efficiency.
2. Are your meetings productive?
Cancel any meeting that doesn't require a face-to-face interaction. Use e-mail to communicate information that doesn't require discussion or approval. General updates can usually be communicated by e-mail, but e-mail should not be the only means of communication used. When you need to meet with a group, use an agenda. Make sure your meeting concludes with a brief discussion of the actions discussed. Always send a follow-up communication stating what was discussed and accomplished.
3. Does someone take your time from you?
You may have a colleague who comes by to "chat" each day. If that pattern has already been established, you may have to tactfully redirect that person to regain minutes (or sometimes hours) to your workweek. Let them know that you have been trying to gain extra minutes in your day and will now take a daily break (at the time you select) to socialize. If necessary, tell them that will select two hours each day to knock out busywork (e-mails, phone calls, and correspondence) and that you will be placing a "Please Do Not Disturb" sign on your door during those hours. Select the time period that the person normally stops by to talk.
4. Are you a pack rat?
Pack rats can sometimes slow their productivity and lose hours when clutter impedes their work. If you consistently add to the clutter without getting rid of the old, you will lose valuable time trying to find lost things. Don't let your office get FAT with clutter. Use the "FAT" method to keep things manageable. File it. Act on it. Throw it away. If you don't need it or haven't used it in the last three months, get rid of it.
Take a close look at these four areas and see if you can regain some extra minutes in your day. You are the manager of your time. You alone hold the key to changing old habits and regaining productive workplace time.