Ask three important questions to determine what’s most important
To determine what’s most important, says time management expert Hyrum W. Smith, ask: “Why am I doing this?” “Should I really be doing this?” and “Do I want to do this?”
Category: Time Management
1-Minute Strategies: June ’12
Start each day with a prioritized to-do list, dividing it into A-B-C tasks … Ditch the half-truths, even the little white lies you tell to make someone feel better … Earn respect of senior management by showing the ROI for whatever you’re proposing.
You’re not as busy as you think
“There was a time, not so long ago, when I was busy, busy, busy,” says Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours. “At least I thought I was.” Then she began tracking her time and found she’d been kidding herself. Rather than complaining about your long to-do list, own up to how you’re really spending your time.
How much have admins’ duties changed?
In honor of this year’s Administrative Professionals Week, April 23-27, we’re taking stock of the changes in admins’ responsibilities over the past decade, based on the IAAP’s Administrative Professional Skills 2011 Benchmarking Survey:
Clear your decks
It’s possible to have a messy desk and still know which pile holds what. But it’s definitely more difficult to think clearly if you’re surrounded by clutter. Here’s how to clear the deck:
Thank goodness it’s ‘brain dump’ day
With all those details swirling around in your head during the rush of the workweek, it’s not surprising that you can’t always “let it go” at day’s end. The solution? The best tactic, says time-management expert Laura Stack, is a “brain dump”—or weekly review session—every Friday afternoon.
Beef up productivity with 4 good habits
Jason Womack, author of Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More, offers up a few easy tips for creating the habits that will help you knock out your to-do list:
3 ways to save an unproductive day
It’s easy enough to reach the midpoint of a workday and realize that you haven’t accomplished what you’d hoped. But you can still salvage the day. Three strategies for making progress on a critical project:
Why do I feel so chained to the job?
A working mom writes that she likes her job and feels lucky to have it. But, she says, “I feel chained to the job and out of the loop at home and everywhere … Working part time is not an option. Any advice for finding a better balance?”
Overwhelmed? Ask 3 questions
Questions to pose when you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed: 1. Ask, “Who?” not “How?” 2. Ask “What’s essential?” 3. Ask “When?”