Time management in the workplace
Getting SMART

Time management in the workplace is all about being smart about how you tackle things.  You need to get organized and avoid doing things that waste time.

It's called SMART

• Strategy

• Measurement

• Action

• Review

• Thinking

These 5 areas when combined make a powerful system that I've used many times in various guises to make my workplace and the workplace of those around me effective.  By following this easy to use system you'll find that it's possible to get time management in your workplace under control.

Strategy

Strategy is the overview for time management in the workplace.  It is the component that ensures that you have the full picture of what you are trying to achieve and the direction you need to go in.  Time management in the workplace Strategy is all about planning your total year.

To complete the strategy section you need to find some quite time to work through a brainstorm about your year and create a plan for that year.  The mechanics of it are explained in time management program.

Measurement

Measurement is a key component of any improvement program.  But you can't just measure everything.  If you try you'll fail.

Honestly don't try!

I know from experience it doesn't work.  I went through a "measurement" period in my life where I believed that everything could be improved by measurement.  Whilst it is really useful it needs to be done in a way that'll help

There is just so much stuff to be watched over.  So you need to pick the right stuff to watch.  If you follow my guidelines you should be able to figure out what to measure and what not to measure.

Action

All too often we run straight to action.  Something is wrong and we want it fixed now.  We try to fix it without a full context and so we fail.  I've done it countless times.  But you can't spend your whole time in figuring out strategy and measurement.  You want to get to the point where you are saving time so you can get home on time or win that bonus.

In time management at work I set out how to take action at work in a way that'll work within a context that should help ensure long term success.  Read here about this aspect of time management in the workplace.

Review

After taking the action and working on the strategy how do you decide if you've really made a difference.  I found over the years that one of the best ways to achieve that is to do a SWOT analysis on a regular basis.  If you'd like some ideas on how to make it effective then have a read of SWOT analysis.

Thinking

Why thinking?  Well, to gain the real benefits from time management in the workplace you need to not only take initial action but you need to follow up.  When you follow up you shouldn't just expect to do the same thing.  Instead you should think through what you've done so far and decide if that's still going to be effective.  In mind maps I set out some great thinking techniques that'll help get you in the right frame of mind.

To complement the SMART system I've pulled together some help guides on three of the areas that I've found I most often get asked about.

In meeting etiquette I explain how to set up and run successful business meetings.  This contains specifics about the right and the wrong things to do.

In filing, I go through how to finally set up an effective filing system that let's you find the stuff you're looking for.  In a few easy steps you can reorganise what you have today.  This section explains how to organise things so you can put your hands on information quickly to ensure you can close the sale or give the customer the support they want or ....

Finally in email I encourage you to go back over your current habits.  I've recently done this myself (again) and I'm amazed at how easy it is to save time by doing things slightly differently.  Hopefully it'll help you too.