Case Study: The Importance of Time Management

Introduction

Last week we travelled to Norfolk to deliver a face-to-face time management training course.

Challenge

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the staff have all been working from home. At first, there were no particular issues with the staff’s time management. The staff were consistent with their logging in and logging out after their working day.

However, as time wore on, the managing director of the company noticed that many of the employees were starting to work longer hours in order to get their work done. When questioned, staff advised that the flexible work boundaries had started to translate into work without boundaries.

With the majority of the staff still preferring to work from home for the foreseeable future, the managing director wanted the staff to go through a refresher on effective time management. The managing director recognised that this training would help the staff to get their working week back on track.

Deadly Sins of Time Management

We started the day by asking the delegates to write down their biggest hurdles:

● Procrastination

● Poor planning

● Over-commitment

● Interruptions

Solution

The delegates all acknowledged that it was easy to find distractions when they wanted to avoid a difficult task. To assist we talked through each topic, giving the delegates the tools and resources to overcome these challenges.

Procrastination

Before switching off your computer at night, draw up your ‘to do list’ for the next day. Schedule difficult projects first thing in the morning, in order to get them done and out of the way.

Poor planning

Start each day with a written plan. Your plan should assign priorities in two ways: important projects that must be done that day and important projects that have a longer timeframe.

Over-commitment

Over-commitment is often a source of stress. Participants acknowledged that they needed to manage their time more effectively and to learn to say ‘no’ more often. Or rather, learn to say ‘no’ for now. As an alternative, postpone or renegotiate, i.e. ‘I can help you with this and I will start on it next week when I have finished …, is that okay with you?’

Interruptions

Turn off the ‘new email’ notifications. Email notification pop-ups provide a constant interruption which can disrupt your workflow. The alert gives you just enough information to tempt you away from whatever you are working on. Instead, switch your email notification pop-ups off and pick specific times throughout the day to check and reply to your emails. Knowing you have this time set aside will allow you the space you need to complete your other tasks.

Overcoming the Challenges of Time Management

Self-discipline is critical for self-time management. If you do not have a set working routine, you cannot blame your work for seeping into your personal life. You need to observe regular work hours in order to get your work done.

Avoiding the deadly sins of time management will help you focus and actually create time.  Although these are not absolute rules, they do provide an excellent structure that will help to boost your productivity.

Ready to improve your time management skills?

With hybrid working here to stay, it is time to reassess your working day and focus on what is important. By providing your staff with relevant training and time management tips, you can help them to maximise potential whilst working from home.

Here at Unlock Staff Potential, we are committed to meeting your needs and we can help you just like we help our clients.