As a manager, productivity is always on your mind. This could be about yourself, a team, or an organization. This chapter covers three perspectives on productivity in terms of time management. The first perspective is getting a better system in place by developing priorities and making decisions on what tasks are of the most importance. An essential part of this is implementing practical task management regarding allocating the right tasks to the right people. The final aspect of changing your system is improving your decision of when to complete what tasks. High-importance tasks often have flexible deadlines, and it is essential not to leave them to the last minute. The second perspective is increasing the efficiency of the work itself. The final perspective is finding a good balance between work and personal life, as often working too much overtime will not increase the amount of work done and impede the quality of a manager’s job. All three perspectives are closely related; frequently changing one will change another. The desired result of changes is good time management and improved productivity of self, teams, and the organization.
Prioritizing Tasks and Managing Deadlines
Using the A-B-C-D rating method, lay out your tasks on a weekly planner and try to stick to your plan. Avoid trying to do A tasks first and then progressing to B and C as time passes. Recognizing the priority and tackling the task is most important in time management. As a base rule, aim to complete the most critical A tasks as soon as possible to avoid the panic of looming deadlines. If handled effectively, planning and prioritizing should result in a less stressful working environment and more free time as dates approach.
Developing a priority list is critical. Rate tasks A, B, C, and D according to their importance and urgency. An A task is defined as something that is important and must be done; it has severe consequences if it is not completed. A B task is something that you should do. A C task had mild implications, whether it was done or not. D tasks are something that you can delegate to someone else.
Planning your tasks makes it much easier to handle. By assessing your deadlines, you can easily break down tasks into simple steps and create a timeline to ensure you are not leaving everything to the last minute. When setting a timeline, ensure that a buffer is included between the end of your planned timeline and the actual deadline. This ensures that you can still meet the deadline if anything unexpected comes up.
Minimizing Procrastination and Distractions
As management responsibilities increase, so does the necessity to avoid procrastination. It is straightforward for professionals to shrug off new tasks and to procrastinate to complete them at the last minute. Although some people believe they produce a higher quality of work in this manner, they usually put themselves in a high-stress situation that negatively impacts results. Accountability is the key to prevention. Establish a series of goals for completing tasks and assign rewards for accomplishing them promptly. Rewards can be as simple as a coffee break, but short, non-work-related activities are the best rewards. For instance, if you set a goal to finish a report by Tuesday, which is not due until Friday, plan to take Friday off or spend the day doing something you enjoy. Assigned tasks often have a stronger feeling of obligation, so tell your colleagues or superiors about your plans and ask them to check on your progress periodically. A third party knowing about your intentions increases the level of commitment, fearing ridicule if the task is not accomplished. Ensure you prevent colleagues from dumping more work on you than you have time to do. While showing ambition is reasonable, taking on too many responsibilities increases the likelihood of procrastination and decreases the quality of work done. Ensure you build some free time into your work schedule, especially before deadlines. Trying to work through a deadline can be very stressful on complex tasks. It is better to spread the workout and contemplate it subconsciously during free time. This can lead to new thoughts and ideas about accomplishing the task and often yield better results. High-stress situations diminish the ability to focus on tasks, so ensure you keep a task at a manageable stress level.
Maximizing Efficiency and Work-Life Balance
The main objectives for managing our time primarily consist of working more productively and achieving a better work-life balance. Many of us are familiar with the impression of ‘spinning plates,’ trying to keep up with the numerous demands of work life, personal life, and partners/family. Trying to keep all the plates spinning can be difficult, with a high risk of at least one plate falling and smashing to the ground. If the analogy is accurate, then it is damage limitation to safeguard as many plates as possible. The idea is to maintain a consistent work rate and constant rotation of the plates to prevent any from falling. This is easier said than done, especially when workloads are high and there is pressure to deal with all tasks and deadlines instantly. However, unless we are a multitasking marvel (and very few of us are), the quality of our work will tend to suffer. It is widely assumed that multitasking is more efficient, but the truth is that it is always more effective to concentrate on one task at a time. By doing this, it is more likely that the task will be completed to a higher standard, in a shorter time, and with less energy expended. This will leave us with more time and energy for the other tasks, and we may finish everything sooner. Moreover, if we manage our time effectively and efficiently, we save time for ourselves. The time for relaxing and enjoyment is as important as the time for work. By planning time for leisure as if it were a work activity, we are more likely to face up to the unpleasant tasks first and spend less time on them, knowing that there is a reward waiting at the end of the task. This can also lead to working extra efficiently to clear a more significant period for leisure.