Keeping Track of Time

Every day when we wake up, one of the first things we do is look at a clock. We are driven by time. Whether we're arriving early or are running late, all day long we're keeping track of time. How we manage time, especially during our work day, impacts our productivity (and profitability). Implementing simple time management steps and embracing easy-to-use time tracking tools can help keep you ahead of schedule.

Become Personally Accountable

For five days, keep a personal log of how you're spending your time, and then review your results. Ask yourself questions like -

• Are you focused on your top priorities?
• Are you spending too much time on administrative tasks?
• Are activities taking longer to complete than they should?
• Are you spending time on too many things that aren't priorities?
• How can you better allocate your time?
• Are issues coming to you that shouldn't?

Answers to these questions will help you analyze how effectively you use your time.

Evaluate Your Results

Be honest in your review, and fair in the changes you plan to take to use your time more effectively. If you feel comfortable doing so, communicate your changes to your team so they will know why and how you plan to work differently.

This may be a good time to evaluate how Web-based time management tools could help you and your team improve time management, time tracking and task management. Intuitive tools can help you collect, track and analyze your time to ensure that projects are properly handled and profits are maximized.

Repeat this exercise every quarter or at least twice a year. Logging your time with an online timekeeping system takes little effort, and is a highly effective way to ensure your time is allocated toward tasks that will directly impact your productivity and profits.

Write Down and Prioritize Your Top Tasks

Determine your top three or four priorities to accomplish each day or group tasks to ensure you're not constantly switching from one task to another. Frequent context switches waste time, and you'll become distracted and discouraged. Don't underestimate the power of your "to do" list. Write things down, continuously check to make sure you're on track, and cross things off when you're done. Small accomplishments will grow your energy for moving things forward.

When your tasks involve scheduling appointments with team or clients, make appointments with yourself to handle items that need to be completed in preparation for or in immediate response to these meetings or calls. Taking quick action will add momentum and importance to these tasks.

Check Your Tasks Often

Throughout your day, ask yourself if what you are doing - work tasks, meetings, email correspondence, all of your daily activities - are the best use of your time. Questions like -

• Do your actions directly move projects forward or support actions that make money?
• Is this task a top priority?
• In this task increasing your business’s - or your - income?
• Does the task align with your corporate or personal goals?
• Could someone else handle this task allowing you to address other issues?

A "no" answer to any of the questions above means you are not using your time in a manner that will lead to increased profits. You need to switch gears and re-evaluate your daily task list.

Evaluate Your Work Habits, Remove Nonproductive Tasks

All tasks have a value and a reward. Routinely evaluate work habits to remove tasks that create a burden and add little value. If you are always trying to organize your filing system, take a break for one week. The time may provide clarity on creating a better system and determine your outcome offers better results, takes less time and reduces your stress for the topic. This is also another opportunity to leverage technology, possibility even time management software, to improve efficiencies.

Delegate Tasks to Others, or Outsource

You can't do everything all the time. Delegate tasks to competent co-workers, or outsource entire segments of your business to qualified vendors. By determining clear requirements and expectations, you'll get a quality result. Schedule times to stay engaged at appropriate points, but allow colleagues to own the task and produce results. When you delegate, you're able to focus on and accomplish tasks only you can perform.

Work When You're at Work

This sound simple enough, but many of us start work each day distracted by email, news events, our co-workers conversations and personal obligations. You can train yourself to get started immediately and to be more productive. Most of us feed off the thrill of a deadline. Creating deadlines everyday helps maintain effective time management. Schedule time for work and breaks and - more importantly - hold to those deadlines. When you schedule time to address and complete tasks, your work will be more productive, more rewarding, less stressful and more profitable.

Schedule a Break

Time management means finding a balance between all of the tasks - professional and personal - you have to accomplish. Sometimes that means planning for time to get away. Throughout the day, build in productive breaks that clear your head and re-charge your energy. This doesn't mean taking a two-hour lunch each day. Schedule a specific window to take a walk around your building or exercise. This time away will clear your mind and help you refocus on your tasks and goals.

Standard Time^®

Standard Time^®provides simple tools to support your energized focus on time management. Standard Time^® offers easy-to-use project plans, task lists, deadline management and time tracking. Time is a valuable resource that, when carefully managed, offers freedom and flexibility. Give time back to your day, download a copy today and experience the benefits of Standard Time^®.