One of the biggest producers of stress is going to bed feeling like you
accomplished nothing all day but spin your wheels. Anxiety is sure to arise
after an unproductive day where tasks are beginning to accumulate. When that
happens, it is almost impossible to relax and shut off the world for the night.
On the other hand, when we end the day with a sense of accomplishment, we can
exhale, breathe deeply, relax and sleep soundly. Our minds are free to focus on
other pursuits, and we wake up feeling re-charged, in balance and ready to face
another day.
By implementing a few simple time management strategies, you can create a
sense of accomplishment every day, no matter how often you are interrupted or
side-tracked by other people:
Divide your daily activities list into two columns: offensive and
defensive. The items on the offensive side of the column are tasks on your
to-do list. They may be projects with a looming deadline, or they may be
usual, predictable activities. The items on the defensive side of the column
are reactionary tasks, such as responding to crises, interruptions,
voice-mails and e-mails. Your lists will vary greatly according to your
industry and how much autonomy you have in planning your day and allocating
your time.
Review your list of offensive items. Ask yourself, "What is one task
that I can complete today, or make significant progress towards completing,
that will make me feel better about myself, my day, my job, or my work
ethic? What achievement would make this day a success?" This task may
not be the one you want to do. In fact, it may be the one you have been
procrastinating on the most.
Commit to spending a defined amount of focused time on the item you
selected. If it’s realistic to complete the entire task that day, firmly
resolve to work on it for the entire day until it is finished. If it’s a
long-term project that you can’t realistically complete in a day’s time,
give it a minimum of one hour. Spending an hour on offense is an hour more
than nothing! No matter how much time you allocate, make sure you fulfill
the commitment. Use a stopwatch to time yourself and turn it off every time
you get interrupted. You will quickly see how fast your offensive work
becomes defensive reacting.
If you can, leave your workstation and "hide" in an empty
cubicle or conference room. If you’re uncomfortable saying no to others
and cutting off interruptions at the start, try working in a place where you
can’t be interrupted during your offensive time. If that’s not possible,
turn off the phone, close the door, shut down your email or put on
headphones to give yourself some uninterrupted work time. When you have to
push others away in order to get your work done, remind yourself that this
will help you relax tonight and feel like your day was a success.
Almost everyone can go on the offensive for at least some part of the day.
Some of us may have to arrive earlier or stay later when there is no one else
around. Others may have to take more drastic measures like making themselves
scarce in an alternative location, or directly telling co-workers, "I’m
trying something different, and I’m not going to be available from 10-11 am.
Thanks in advance for your support." Many people will feel some initial
discomfort when they stop acting defensively and start proactively managing
their time. But remember, it’s only when the pain of the old way supercedes
the discomfort of the new way that change happens. However, if nothing changes
nothing changes. So, what are you going to change?
About the Author
Kevin
Stacey helps companies and professionals achieve maximum productivity
and effectiveness through stress management and time management
training. He is available to speak on these topics.
For more information visit http://www.TrainRightInc.com
or call 1-800-603-7168.
