Blog

I’m not sure where the time goes each day, but I’m thankful for the few timesavers I have. One is delegating, one of the nicer benefits of being a manager. It’s so satisfying to have someone else do work for you (as long as it’s done well and on time), particularly when the work includes those time-consuming detail-oriented “little things,” the little problems that take up hours, days and weeks. But where does one find the time for improving themselves and learning the skills necessary to become a good manager? If you don’t have time for management schools like Yale or Harvard, you can learn some very useful advice online. Gerard Blair has written some helpful articles here and there’s a management blog hosted by Tom Foster that has useful insights and, as in all good blogs, has readers who comment and ask questions. I’ve also found some good articles with advice for managers here.

So delegating is a timesaver. The Internet can be as well; there are many websites that can give us the info we want and teach us the skills we need to survive and thrive in the world. However, the Internet is so huge that sorting through all of the information can be a time-consuming task as well. That’s where Google, Yahoo and other search engines come in handy. I don’t use them as effectively as I should - we can all still use a primer in Internet searching - it’s such an important skill. Researchers looking through books for information don’t read everything, they read smart - they scan, they use indexes and they learn how to find what they want. The same is true for the Internet. Searching involves using “search terms” and “boolean operators.” Most of us amateurs just type in words related to the information we want and look through the webpages, but the boolean operators can help us be more specific. There are tons of pages with tips on how to search effectively, but here is one that has some of the keys. Finding the information you need can be extremely important in managing a successful company or just enjoying your free time more.

Computers themselves can be invaluable as timesavers, but in my experience, there are so many problems with hardware and software, that sometimes it seems like they make more problems than they solve. Remember the days of the secretary and the dictaphone? Just record your thoughts on the dictaphone and the secretary could type it out much faster than you ever could.

Other time saving tips: A decent list can be found at this site , although not much explanation is given. To learn about time management for studying (say, with English), see these tips. Making the most of your time is essential for language learning. I’ve met many people who have studied English for 10 years or more. The combination of poor study/teaching techniques and massive amounts of wasted time mean that after 10 years, they’re not even close to being able to speak fluently. We’ll talk about study and teaching methods another time. For now, let’s conclude with my tips.

1. Get enough sleep to function properly during the day.
2. Solve your difficult/intellectual problems early in the day.
3. Make schedules and do your best to stick to them.
4. Have well-thought out agendas for meetings and don’t get off topic too much. Keep meetings short and productive.
5. Make action plans. Write out all the steps needed to complete a project.
6. Eat well, take breaks. Use coffee as needed.
7. If possible, surround yourself with positive, high-energy, motivated people - this will give you the extra push you need.
8. Keep work at work. Your personal life should not include large amounts of time thinking and worrying about work. Relax, escape with a movie, and get exercise.
9. Keep some time free during the day to put out fires and solve unexpected problems.
10. Use time efficiently (i.e. do something during your commute).