As we ring in the new year, professional improvements and goals are at the forefront of our minds.
Just as losing weight is the top personal resolution, perhaps “trimming the fat” in the workplace — practicing more effective time management — is the most popular professional goal. This means focusing on learning how to better streamline our work and become better, more productive executives.
But no fitness effort can work without a plan, which is why we’ve rounded up several idea to help you shape up those time-management skills in 2013:
Discover How You Do Your Best Work. Are you brightest at the break of dawn? Do you work best from your home office? What sort of benefits do you reap by completing a tough workout over lunch? As flexible work schedules and telecommuting become more popular workday options, these are all points to consider when determining how you can be the best executive you can be.
For example, if you’re a morning person, explore the option of waking up at 6 a.m., taking a two-hour break to eat and work out, and finishing up in the afternoon.
If your work schedule allows, make a point to take advantage of the way you work best.
Rethink The Way You Email. There are many thoughts on how to deal with email. Some argue that you should start in on it immediately each morning and work to keep your inbox cleared throughout the day to avoid pileup, while others prefer only dealing with email during certain times they block off each day.
Whatever way you approach email, stick to this rule of thumb: When you open an email, answer it. This will keep you from going back to the same message over and over without ever having responded.
Make The Most of Down Time. Do you have a long commute to work or a short, 20-minute break between meetings? While you might not think of these as times to be productive, they can be great opportunities. Conduct business calls in the car with a Bluetooth headset or other hands-free device. Complete bite-sized tasks like short emails in between meetings. Or give yourself the opportunity to focus and take time to do some deep thinking. Get creative with the use of your down time, and you’ll be surprised how many tasks you get out of the way.
Happy New Year from Lantern Partners, and best of luck achieving your goals for 2013!
