If you reflect on how well you use your time you may have noticed that the quality of your attention or concentration varies at different times during the day. You may notice that you tend to be more mentally alert or more creative at certain times of the day. Most people’s “mental peak” time is around mid morning. Others find they are at their best around mid afternoon. Everyone’s different. The important thing is recognising when you’re at your best, and using that time as productively as you can.
Make the best use of your “mental peak” times of the day by doing the tasks which require your concentration – you’re A’s & B’s.
Paperwork is often the biggest timewaster for many people. Minimise the time you waste by regularly keeping a check on how effectively you deal with your paperwork:
| Answer these questions honestly! | Yes | No |
| Do you clear your desk of all papers except those relating to the particular job in hand? | ||
| Is your workspace organized so the things you need are at hand? | ||
| Do you try to handle each piece of paper and email only once ? | ||
| Do you sort paperwork and emails into categories in priority order? | ||
| Have you eliminated unnecessary paperwork and simplified the remainder where possible? | ||
| Have you learned to pick out quickly the key points or critical issues in letters and reports? | ||
| Are you good at deciding what must be read through carefully and what can be skimmed? | ||
| Have you developed a succinct and clear way of writing, so that you do not generate unnecessary paper for others? | ||
| Have you developed techniques to manage interruptions, set time limits, remain standing, have a clock in your office and use them appropriately? |
For more on managing time, check out our instant download Time Management customizable training package.
