4. Time Management

If you have ever wondered why you find that some days zip by and without your touching one item on your to-do list, it is time to evaluate how you choose to spend your time. (“I don’t choose, it just happens!”—baloney!) While we all have days when constantly changing priorities and interruptions make time management difficult, we do choose what gets our attention. You can choose to create an efficient and flexible schedule based on your priorities; doing so requires that you work with the following strategies.

Time Do you really know what you do all day? We each have 24 hours in each day and 7 days in each week, so where does the time go?

You may have seen or completed a time study before, but this is still one of the best methods of determining where the time goes (see Exhibit 10-3). For several days, keep track of what you do with your time, including everything from commuting time to sleeping, and everything in between. You can add special categories to your time study to identify more easily the amount of time spent answering emails, attending meetings, running errands, and so on. Include everything that applies to you, and keep track of the time you spend on each item. Once you have completed your study for 1 week, stack-rank your list by the number of hours you spent on each item (highest to lowest). That is your current priority list.

Exhibit 10-3: What Have You Done All Day?

Does your actual priority list match the priority list on your desk? Do the actions you take on a daily basis match your real priorities? If not, take the time to identify what you are doing that is wasteful of your time and energy, and make some changes.

Delegate If you are spending time on things that could be handled by someone else, it is time for you to delegate. The objective of delegation is

• To get the job done by someone else, giving that person a clear description of what needs to be done, by when, and to what standard.

• To give the person the authority to complete the task or project (including making decisions and responding to situations that may arise without referring back to you).

• To maintain a level of responsibility. You are primarily responsible for ensuring that the task is completed on time and correctly. If the task or project is late or unsuccessful, you cannot point the finger: You delegated, but you may have picked the wrong person for the job.

How to Delegate

1. Identify the tasks or projects that can be delegated. Hint: Never delegate the following if they are your primary job duties:

   • Hiring

   • Firing

   • Pay issues

   • Policy development or enforcement

2. Identify the correct person to perform the task or project.

3. Coach the person to do well. Explain the task or project clearly and check to be sure that he or she understands the desired results and timeframe, but leave wiggle room in the task description so that your delegate can use his or her own ingenuity and initiative.

4. Make sure that the delegate has the authority to do the job properly.

5. Keep in touch with the person to provide support, and request periodic updates on progress (but do not micromanage).

6. Acknowledge your delegate for a job well done.

   I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow.
   —Woodrow Wilson

Avoid Distractions In the traditional office, there are hundreds of distractions; in a home office, there are even more.

Drop-in distractions can waste an enormous amount of time. If you have a constant stream of well-intentioned colleagues and subordinates interrupting your concentration and focus, stop them. You can close your office door or, for those working in cubicles, hang out a “stoplight” of colored paper (red: no interruptions, please; yellow: I’m busy, but if it’s important, come in; green: I am available to speak with you). Share this system with your cube-mates so that everyone understands its meaning and will respect it.

Email messages and phone calls can provide a constant stream of interruptions, yet it is important that you address each one in order to maintain your visibility and your positive reputation. You do not have to answer them when they arrive, though. Keep emails and phone calls from overtaking your day by creating a process for determining which are most urgent and which can be delegated or deleted. Set aside a block of time each day (say, 30 minutes each morning, 30 minutes at midday, and 30 minutes before you leave) to read and respond to email messages and return phone calls.