How to Save Time
Prioritize to focus on the most important tasks., Delegate tasks to other employees., Batch similar tasks together., Have a consistent leaving time., Avoid unproductive meetings and conversations.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Prioritize to focus on the most important tasks.
Accomplishing the big items on the top of your to-do list at the start of the day can keep you from scurrying to finish them later.
You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, and you won’t have the weight of the big project looming as you handle smaller tasks later in the day, allowing you to work more effectively and save even more time.
The most important tasks are not always the same as the most pressing tasks.
If a routine document is due on your boss’s desk by noon, it may not be worth having it done by 11:00 if it means providing worse service to a client.
Learn to differentiate between what’s urgent and what’s important. -
Step 2: Delegate tasks to other employees.
In order to properly delegate you need to understand your strengths and those of your coworkers.
Some people are great with numbers, others can write well, by identifying who has the specialized skills to complete a task you can save time and improve the quality of the work being done.
Be authoritative, but not demanding when delegating tasks.
Make the person you’re asking for help feel like an expert and praise their knowledge in the area.Remember, if you delegate tasks, you should be willing to take on a task from someone else’s workload from time to time as well. , Most people’s work day consists of ongoing small tasks that end up spread throughout the larger projects of the day.
By grouping these together and handling them in bunches you can save a lot of time and do the work more efficiently.
Instead of responding to emails every twenty minutes, set aside two larger chunks of time and handle all your emails in those periods.
You’ll be more focused on your work without worrying about them Make all your phone calls in one go and get paperwork done in one sitting. , Almost everyone arrives at work at the same time each day, but when people get busy they often stay late at the office to keep working.
By the time they get home the day is almost over.
Make a point of leaving work at a normal, not too late time.
When staying late isn’t an option you’ll make the most of your productivity in the time you’re at work.Make it known throughout the office that you won’t be sticking around past a certain time by dropping subtle hints.
Tell people about plans for the evening or warn them to get materials to you earlier because you need to be out on time. , Sometimes people at work just aren’t as efficient as you’d like them to be.
Don’t let their problems become your problems.
Be firm, and inform long-winded coworkers that you need to get back to work once they’ve made their point.
Learn to say no.
If you’re invited to a meeting and you don’t anticipate it’ll be beneficial, say you’re too busy, or you have other priorities that interfere with attendance.
Suggest “dropping in” on a meeting to only catch the parts that apply to you or that you need to present.
Your coworkers may not enjoy hearing “no” but they’ll respect your work ethic.
If you must attend, set a fixed time for the meeting, maybe 20 minutes.
Or, have the meeting in your office, where you’ll have a position of authority to call it quits when it needs to end. -
Step 3: Batch similar tasks together.
-
Step 4: Have a consistent leaving time.
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Step 5: Avoid unproductive meetings and conversations.
Detailed Guide
Accomplishing the big items on the top of your to-do list at the start of the day can keep you from scurrying to finish them later.
You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, and you won’t have the weight of the big project looming as you handle smaller tasks later in the day, allowing you to work more effectively and save even more time.
The most important tasks are not always the same as the most pressing tasks.
If a routine document is due on your boss’s desk by noon, it may not be worth having it done by 11:00 if it means providing worse service to a client.
Learn to differentiate between what’s urgent and what’s important.
In order to properly delegate you need to understand your strengths and those of your coworkers.
Some people are great with numbers, others can write well, by identifying who has the specialized skills to complete a task you can save time and improve the quality of the work being done.
Be authoritative, but not demanding when delegating tasks.
Make the person you’re asking for help feel like an expert and praise their knowledge in the area.Remember, if you delegate tasks, you should be willing to take on a task from someone else’s workload from time to time as well. , Most people’s work day consists of ongoing small tasks that end up spread throughout the larger projects of the day.
By grouping these together and handling them in bunches you can save a lot of time and do the work more efficiently.
Instead of responding to emails every twenty minutes, set aside two larger chunks of time and handle all your emails in those periods.
You’ll be more focused on your work without worrying about them Make all your phone calls in one go and get paperwork done in one sitting. , Almost everyone arrives at work at the same time each day, but when people get busy they often stay late at the office to keep working.
By the time they get home the day is almost over.
Make a point of leaving work at a normal, not too late time.
When staying late isn’t an option you’ll make the most of your productivity in the time you’re at work.Make it known throughout the office that you won’t be sticking around past a certain time by dropping subtle hints.
Tell people about plans for the evening or warn them to get materials to you earlier because you need to be out on time. , Sometimes people at work just aren’t as efficient as you’d like them to be.
Don’t let their problems become your problems.
Be firm, and inform long-winded coworkers that you need to get back to work once they’ve made their point.
Learn to say no.
If you’re invited to a meeting and you don’t anticipate it’ll be beneficial, say you’re too busy, or you have other priorities that interfere with attendance.
Suggest “dropping in” on a meeting to only catch the parts that apply to you or that you need to present.
Your coworkers may not enjoy hearing “no” but they’ll respect your work ethic.
If you must attend, set a fixed time for the meeting, maybe 20 minutes.
Or, have the meeting in your office, where you’ll have a position of authority to call it quits when it needs to end.
About the Author
Justin Lopez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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