GOLF Time Management
August 17, 2011 @ 5:36 pm by Dr. Tim
“All great achievements require time.”
-Maya Angelou
Many people think of time management as hard and boring, but this does not have to be the case! Managing your time is a lot like the game of golf – you may hate it at first, but with work and practice you will improve and may even have fun in the process.
Using the acronym GOLF, here are a few quick tips so that you can tee off the perfect shot:
Get a Plan
Organize
Limit Distractions
Focus
G- Get a Plan
- Schedule – Time block important activities that you often ignore. Be realistic with your time and allow flexibility for interruptions.
- SMART Goals – Write down your daily, weekly and monthly goals. Make each goal specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timed.
O- Organize
- Your desk – Keep your office and work space free of clutter. It is much easier to get things done and focus when you have a clean work area. Make a decision the first time you touch a piece of paper: dump it, delegate it, do it, or delay it.
- Folders – Use 3 colored folders to help you get organized.
- a) Red = Items you must do right away.
- b) Yellow = Tasks to get done within a week.
- c) Green = Articles and information to read at some point.
L- Limit Distractions
- Email – Schedule times to check email rather than being reactive when “you’ve got mail” and you will see your productivity rise.
- Unwanted walk ins- Stand up when someone enters your office or cube so you can control the amount of time they spend with you (you can basically walk them out the door if needed).
F-Focus
– When are you at your best and highest energy? Once you determine what time of day is best for you then decide where you schedule projects and clients:
- For example, if you tend to get energized dealing with clients then you may want to consider scheduling them when you are NOT usually at your highest energy.
If tasks and projects tend to drain you then schedule them at your highest energy times so you can complete them well.