Achieving the Impossible in Three Easy Steps

Or the Secrets of a Time Management Guru

'If you knew Time as well as I do,' said the Hatter, 'you wouldn't talk about wasting it.”

I was chatting with a friend last week about the various events in our lives when she turned to me and asked in all seriousness, “So how on earth do you fit it all in?”

To which the only answer is that everything I do needs to be done and there’s nobody else to do it so, somehow, I manage. It isn’t easy and it’s taken a few years of practice but along I’ve learned a few important lessons that make managing my time that bit easier. 

So, for those of us who constantly feel that the day could do with a few more hours, here are my tips for managing time effectively. 

The Five Ps

“Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” It’s absolutely essential to plan properly. Time spent planning your tasks and activities is never wasted and your efforts will be well repaid down the line. 

Setting yourself goals in business, your career and your everyday working life gives you something to aim at, and stops you flitting vaguely from task to task without a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Lack of clarity around what you are doing can be dispiriting and demotivating. 

Make Lists

I live by lists and make them for almost everything; daily tasks, work projects, packing for holidays, shopping trips, parties – you name it, I’ll list it but believe me, it works. The satisfaction you feel from putting a line through task after task is very motivating. 

If, like me, you have multiple projects to juggle throughout the day I suggest taking a few minutes at the start of every day to make a list of absolutely everything you have to do, in no particular order. This simple step will help you to turn even the busiest day from a daunting prospect into a set of manageable tasks. 

Once you have made this list read through any new emails and listen to your voicemails and add any tasks that these have generated to your brainstorm list.

Finally, go through all the tasks, group them by type (e.g. telephone calls / quick emails) and number them in order of priority. If it helps, put a big red dot by the ‘I-must-do-this-or-the-world-will-end’ ones. 

Try and get as many of the small and easily completed ones out of the way first. Respond to those emails, make those quick phone calls, set up those meetings. Once they’re done put a line through each one on your list. You’ll soon begin to see how much you have already achieved.  

At this point take a quick break. Go and get a cup of tea or coffee, pop to the loo, do star jumps even – whatever it takes to clear your head – then back to the grindstone. 

Know yourself

It’s important to know when you are at your most productive and focused as that’s the time to tackle your bigger tasks and those jobs you really don’t enjoy. Get rid of as many distractions as you can, take a moment to plan what you’re doing, then do it. Be strict but also give yourself something to look forward to. For example, I’m going to write 500 words for this blog then I’ll have a snack / cup of tea / walk round the garden / 5 minutes on Facebook (delete as appropriate). 

At the end of the day set aside 15 minutes to tidy up and make a new to do list for the following day. Transfer any uncompleted tasks onto the new list along with anything that has cropped up during the day. Tidy your desk so it’s welcoming for the morning. 

Work Smart

If, like me, you’re in an office based role (and for the purposes of this blog I’ll assume you are) you’ll spend a large proportion of your life in your office. We work hard to make our homes into comfortable places where we enjoy spending time and our offices deserve the same treatment. 

If you make your workspace as pleasant and comfortable as possible the prospect of spending eight hours a day there will seem less overwhelming. Place items you use regularly within easy reach, make sure your desk and chair are properly aligned to reduce the risk of back and shoulder problems. If possible invest in an ergonomic keyboard and mouse and make sure you use a wrist rest when typing and using your mouse. 

Make life easier by learning how to use your computer properly. Learn all the shortcuts you can, as well as the autocorrect function which is very useful if you often type the same phrases. Drag and drop the programmes and folders you access regularly onto the Quick Launch toolbar so that you can open them with one click. 

Having a preferred supplier list for everything from stationery to travel is also extremely helpful. Cherish your good suppliers and work at building a strong relationship with them as they will often go out of their way to deliver a good service for you which helps you to perform better for your own clients. 

Be ruthless

It’s tempting to put off tasks we don’t enjoy and let paperwork clutter up our in trays but it will simply hang over your head like a big cloud of guilt until you finally summon up the willpower to deal with it.

Employing the 3D Rule is a great way of avoiding this situation; Do It, Delegate It or Dump It. 

I can’t remember where I first read about this but it is a golden rule for would-be procrastinators. Any piece of paper which crosses your desk should be subjected to one of the three Ds. Either do it, and deal with it now; delegate it and make it someone else’s problem, or dump it – if it’s not important enough for you to do or delegate it’s destined for the recycling bin. 

Look after Number 1

It’s not hard to make the connection between feeling good and performing well. If you look after yourself properly you’ll have more energy and be more productive. Take time to look at your lifestyle and if necessary make a few small changes to improve your wellbeing. 

A balanced diet, regular exercise and enough sleep may sound like 21st Century buzz-words but they are key to a good work / life balance. 

I find that planning little treats from time to time ensures that I always have something to look forward to. These don’t have to be expensive; even just little things will do like a trip to the cinema, meeting up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, a night in with a good film or a long, hot bubble bath – it’s the anticipation of enjoying yourself which is so good for the soul.

Sophia Lee-Spencer

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