Both entrepreneurs and their staff should consider a few key areas, to help them become more productive than ever
Jon Card
Guardian Professional, Thursday 1 May 2014 09.28 BST
Posted from http://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/
Successful time managers usually have to-do lists to keep them on track. Photograph: Alamy
Time management is a contentious subject. Many of the prescriptions of experts and consultants can be both counter-intuitive and critical of how workplaces are actually governed. Its maxims tend to take issue with micro-management and call for people to take control of their own time, work and personal lives. Ultimately, time management is a personal goal process, but there are a few key areas which everyone should consider. These five golden rules are designed for both entrepreneurs and their staff and should help you to become more productive than ever.
The to-do list
Every successful time manager has a to-do list of some sort and entrepreneurs are no exception. Sir Richard Branson believes in lists so much that he adorned the inner sleeves of his biography with them. To-do lists are typically done daily and are meant to help us focus on what's urgent and important. Time management expert and business consultant Mike Gardner recommends writing a to-do list at the same time every day. "It's generally agreed that they should be done at the same time every day, for me it's the night before," he says. To-do lists are great for left-brain logical types, but for some they can be a problem. However, an action list of three things, which can only be done by the individual, should work for most people, he says. "I recommend that people write down three things they want to achieve and focus on those first. Take it as far as you can and then move on to the next thing."
One task at a time
Concentration works best when it is focused on a task in hand. Constant interruptions break our train of thought and increase the time it takes to do tasks. It's not always possible to prevent every interruption, but don't float between tasks. Also, try to limit distractions and persuade others to leave you alone when you're busy. "A two minute phone call takes away about 15 minutes of productivity if it interrupts an important task, similarly emails are very distracting," says Gardner. "I recommend only checking emails three times per day, in the morning, midday and evening. Also, I let calls go to voicemail if I am busy. In truth most people can do this. We wouldn't respond if we were in a meeting or at the hospital, so it is doable. Often it's about training others as to how you work and taking control," says Gardner.
Automate where possible
With online tools emerging all the time, our existing working practices quickly become old-fashioned. A regular review of your current methods might well reveal ways of improving efficiency through automation. "If you've done it more than three times then create a system to do it for you," advises Nicola Bird, CEO and founder of online coaching company Jigsawbox. Bird built up her company while also raising a family and is a strong advocate of simplifying life wherever possible. Her company uses a range of easy to operate systems to handle emails, follow up on sales and handle admin. All systems must also undergo the 'Tilly Test' (named after Bird's young daughter), which means they must be so simple that even a child could understand them. "If you automate your income streams you can focus on the important things in life," she says.
Parkinson's law
"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion," declared British civil servant Cyril Parkinson. It's a point which many have taken exception to over the years, but there does seem to be some truth in it. It's remarkable how much we can all achieve when pushed, so cut down on your workload by slashing the time spent doing it. Gardner reckons that if we really enjoy a task we tend to stretch out the time it takes to complete it and there's a great deal of procrastination in the workplace. "Sometimes we should say: 'that's good enough'. It's not that we should not do good work, but that often we achieve 80 % of the task in 20% of the time we spend doing it. The rest of the time is spent attempting to perfect it, when really we should stick to time limits and complete the task."
Take a break
The final rule of time management is the most paradoxical of them all - do nothing. If we work around the clock, we become less productive, creative and prone to making costly mistakes. Everyone needs sleep, some time off and a little time to step back and think about things. Angela Muir, head of leadership and people practice at Ashridge Business School, says all business owners need to take breaks, although the exact amount of time required is a personal decision. "There's no 'one size fits all' approach for holidays, the key things are about autonomy and control," she says. Muir also says that business owners that get too sucked into the world of work can dramatically reduce their effectiveness. A lack of sleep can reduce productivity by as much as 80% and mistakes are bound to follow.
Entrepreneurs are liable to burning out and should step back before they do so. "There's something about stepping away from the dance floor and going up to the balcony to look down on things for a while - stepping back and recharging your batteries is a good idea," Muir says.
For Nicola Bird, this has a special resonance, and she is now determined not to overwork, as she has done in the past. "I used to be really goal driven. I was striving to get everything, the seven-figure company, the house, the car, etc. But when I achieved it all I didn't feel any happier and I also became really ill," she says. The illness became a watershed moment in Bird's life and she has since embarked on her Simplicity Project. "It's about taking things off my to-do list and focusing on what's important. We need to be more aware of how we are feeling and how this affects our ability to work."
Similarly, Gardner says he's seen many middle and senior managers burn out and advises against burning the candle at both ends. "No-one says 'I wish I spent more time in the office' when they're on their deathbed," he says.
Jon Card
Guardian Professional, Thursday 1 May 2014 09.28 BST
Posted from http://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/