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Set goals
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Track your
time for one week. Are you meeting your goals?
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Are your
activities are vital, important, or trivial? Levels
should be determined by your goals.
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Eliminate
or delegate those actions that deter you from your goals.
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Need more
time for strategic activities? Delegate the details - phone calls,
meetings, filing, reading.
a. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
b. Describe the task you are to delegate
c. Train the person to do the task
d. Let the person do the task
e. Follow-up and evaluate
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Interruptions
a. Schedule time into your day when your door is closed: Rearrange
your office so your desk is not in plain view as people walk by; put
a sign on your door that you are not to be disturbed.
b. Simplify communications - limit the ways people can contact you.
Install a system outside your office for papers to be dropped off.
Wall pockets labeled and color keyed with different forms to be returned,
picked up, etc.
c. Carry paper and pen with you if you must travel in the complex,
write down the comments, problems, etc. but do not try to solve them
on the spot. Say you will get back to them within a reasonable amount
of time.
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E-mails:
Check e-mails twice a day, and combine as many responses as possible
to eliminate extra mail.
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Phone calls:
a. Have your assistant get all pertinent information (not just who
called and when) BEFORE you return the call. This eliminates much
phone tag.
b. Tell the person "I've got 5 minutes to talk." in the
beginning of the conversation.
c. Keep to the facts.
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Desk dumping:
To eliminate your big pile at the end of the day, have color keyed
files on/near your desk so people do pre-sorting for you.
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Meetings:
Combine meetings, delegate leadership at meetings, and eliminate meetings-use
e-mail or memos
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Maintenance
time
a. This is important because if something isn't maintained it
may stop working or become unsightly. (Think of your garden weeds.)
b. 10 minutes once a day eliminates one hour after 6 days.
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Evaluate
your current filing system. Can
you find things quickly enough?
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Are you using
your assistant to your best advantage?
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Energy levels
can be helped by eating lunch and
including a late afternoon protein snack.