Work smart and get ahead

Planning and time management can get you out of the office early, Ann-Maree Moodie writes.

A promotion into management means more than a better chair these days. You can expect more challenging work, a higher salary and greater opportunities for learning and development.

On the down side, management undoubtedly will mean less time for you.

As a manager you are often distracted from your daily diary with meetings, employees asking for guidance, the demands of your new boss and preparing presentations for senior management.
 
It's no wonder that productivity decreases, stress rises and many managers do their work when everyone else has gone home.

Time management consultant Robyn Pearce says managers who don't organise their time risk creating the wrong impression for their team and their boss.

"The people around us who feel we're not managing our time well get very frustrated," says Pearce, who runs Auckland company Getting A Grip and is the author of several books about time management.
 
"A manager who doesn't prioritise time well could be overlooked for promotional opportunities."

Georgie Duddy, the co-principal of BelleLaide Events, discovered the importance of time management when she combined study in event management with work in the hospitality industry before starting her own company.

"My main time management issue was trying to tackle everything at once," Duddy says.
 
"Working on creative proposals, gaining quotes, conducting site inspections, having meetings, dealing with suppliers, and conducting risk assessment - the list goes on. It was all so hectic, however, I learnt to prioritise and take it all one step at a time."

Pearce says not deciding priorities is a common mistake. "Many managers struggle with a sense of overload," she says.

"To overcome this problem, plan your time on a weekly basis, making sure you block out time to do the things that will make a long-term difference. Treat this time as appointments with yourself - appointments that shouldn't be broken."

It begins with a "to-do" list, which Pearce says is an essential first step - but avoid doing the tasks that are the easiest or the most appealing. "Do the tasks which are the hardest, or the ones which we tend to procrastinate about.

If you do these things when your energy is high, you will experience a corresponding release of energy because you've made progress on something which has been cluttering your mind.
 
Duddy agrees: "Concentrate on results and not on being busy"
 
Often the fear of what lies ahead is more stressful than the task itself.

The best tip I received for managing time was to 'pigeonhole' it. If there is absolutely nothing more you can do with one particular task, put it aside and start working on the next task.

"I live and breathe my 'to do' lists, which keeps me on top of things. I find writing down what I have to do relieves the stress and puts the workload and order of importance into perspective."

Managing your time also means avoiding reading and answering emails first thing in the day.
 
"Email is a reactive medium," Pearce says, "so it can drive your whole day. Instead of controlling your time, you are forced into a situation where you're immediately in a reactive state of mind."

Learning to delegate - empowering your team members to take responsibility for their tasks - is also a critical skill.

Josh Mundey, a senior customer relationship manager with Credit Corp, says, "The key issue for me to learn as a new manager was the pure volume of inquiries and requests for assistance from my team.

"I resolved this problem by delegating responsibilities and tasks to more experienced individuals in the team. This gave me the time I needed to develop and motivate others actively."

Libbie Ray, a business development manager with the Bavarian Hospitality Group, is also an advocate of setting priorities. "Be smart with your time.
 
Separate and prioritise the urgent from the not-so-urgent and also understand what falls into both categories; otherwise you will drown," she says.

Inevitably there will be times when you feel overwhelmed, especially when dealing with a crisis, or meeting a pressing deadline.

To reduce stress, take a break. Step away from your desk, go for a walk, get some fresh air.

"Breathe, think, do," Duddy says. "There's always a solution and a way around any situation. You just have to take a step back, assess the problem and act on it."

Tips to beat the clock

Prioritise your time - make appointments with yourself to do the tasks that will make a long-term difference.

* Avoid doing first the items on your "to-do" list that are the easiest or the most appealing.
* Schedule time for email, but avoid reading and answering email at the start of the day.
* Delegate - empower team members with the responsibility of doing tasks well and with minimum  supervision.
* Ask for advice - there is always someone who has experienced the same situation and can provide ideas for a solution.
* Take a break - fresh air will give you a fresh perspective on a problem. 

Published: 05 July 2008