ABC Office Services

TIME MANAGEMENT

A positive self-image, one that says, "I'm confident in my abilities, I’m a professional and I get along well with others and achieve my goals”, says this not only to ourselves but also to the world. It affects the way we present ourselves to others - the way we dress, speak, and behave. Therefore, it affects the response we get from others.

Similarly, a negative self-image, one that says: “Really l'm a loser; I never seem to be able to do anything right and no-one really likes me; I'll never amount to much", also affects the way we present ourselves and the response we get.

Our subconscious is very powerful and whether we have a more positive or a negative self-image, it will work hard to make sure we live up (or down) to it. Furthermore, it will usually succeed.

This means that the first step in managing our self-images is to listen to the things we say to ourselves, our self talk. What do you say to yourself when you make a mistake? Do you berate yourself with "What a fool I am! Why can’t I do anything right?” Or do you empower yourself and say. "That's not like me. Usually I do that right" or “Next time I'll do it like this."

Organization of self

Working at a tidy desk gives people the impression you are methodical, efficient and "on top of the job”.
Planning your day.
Most time wasted is wasted by us, not others! We tend to put things off because they are unpleasant tasks. These things should be done first to get them out of the way. Prepare a ‘To Do List’ for the day – jobs which you know must be done. You will often feel good after completing a difficult/unpleasant job. As you cross each task off, you will feel a sense of satisfaction. The tasks can be prioritised so that those that are not so urgent can be completed the next day if time runs out. This way you remain well organised.
Avoid the Tyranny of Urgent
Few people operate efficiently in a crisis situation. Planning will help overcome most panics. So don’t press the panic button.

ALWAYS REMEMBER, if unsure about something- Ask - do not just go ahead and do the job unless you are perfectly clear on what needs to be done.

Developing your own Work Schedule to achieve Goals

Managing your time effectively and setting your own work schedule is a vital part of being a team member. If others rely on you to meet certain targets, and you don’t, the whole team suffers.

Basic time management steps include drawing up “To Do Lists” or simple timetables using a calendar to plan your activities. Setting a priority against each item will help you achieve goals rather than being overwhelmed by what you have to do. This planning, setting goals and time management are investments in efficiency and success. Planning is the process by which you work out what you want to achieve, and then think through the who, what, when, where, why and how of achieving that goal or target. Planning is broken into two main strands – personal planning (best done by setting goals) and project planning (achieved by a formalised application of the planning process).

Some quick tips for you in this area:

Manage time and get your work done – don’t procrastinate.
Utilise Activity Logs. They are useful tools for auditing the way you spend your time, thereby identifying and eliminating time wasting.
Create a daily “To Do” list. This is a list of all the tasks you need to undertake and the tasks can be prioritised to ensure you meet all time frames.
Plan and make the best use of your time and schedule your work.
List your personal goals and set priorities.
Create Action Plans for small scale planning. This lists tasks to be done and is different from a “To Do” list as it concentrates on a single goal.
Do the most important things or those that have a tight timeframe first.
Be realistic with your goals and the amount of time each project should take

Meeting Deadlines.

Meeting deadlines is about prioritising tasks. This is where time management and your “To Do List” comes in handy. You can prioritise tasks so that you are able to meet allocated time frames for completion of tasks. The important thing is to be realistic about the amount of time a task will take to complete. By being well organised and managing time effectively you will be able to meet deadlines efficiently with minimum stress.

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