Best use of time right now
"Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use" Thomas John Watson (1874-1956), founder of IBM
By asking yourself Lakein's question "What is the best use of my time right now?" and doing the task that best fills your time at that particular moment you will increase your overall efficiency.
Do you often find it hard to find the time for certain tasks or feel there just aren't enough hours in the day? Why not use the time when you're waiting for an appointment, or travelling to or from work to read that report you have been putting off due to more pressing matters, or for want of quiet space to read it. By using your 'waiting' time effectively you can avoid taking work home with you. Productive use of time that would otherwise be wasted will free you up for other things.
Using a diary, either electronic or paper based, will help you manage your time. It is often recommended to have a diary for both work and personal time to stop you infringing on one or the other. Make sure you have as much information in your diary as possible such as the location of the meeting and the phone number of the person you are meeting in case you have to call to change anything or let them know you are running late.
When working on a project it is advisable to have a shared team calendar that everyone has access to, by putting in all meetings or events that team members are involved in it allows the team to see what everyone is committed to on a particular day. Therefore if you need to arrange a meeting, you have readily available information on who is available when. The calendar should also include leave arrangements and personal appointments (such as hospital appointments).
When preparing work for a meeting or an event that is a few weeks away, make sure you have time put aside in your diary to do preparation work. Waiting until the last minute, doesn't allow for any unexpected interruptions and there may also be a lot of papers to read in preparation for the meeting.
