Top Ten Ways to Buy More Time

The white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland said No, no, no, no, no, no, no! I'm overdue! I'm really in a stew! No time to say goodbye...hello! I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!!

Sounds familiar? Well you can buy more time by using some of our top ten tips to free up your time.

1. Visit people in their offices so that you can leave. If you are visiting people on their territory it is much easier to get up and go when you need to. This also applies to meeting people in offices at their desk or departmental areas rather than yours. Tell the person at the start of the meeting when you have to leave.

2. Know what you want out of meetings. For every meeting you go to have a clear agenda of what outcomes you would like from the meeting. Ask at the beginning when the meeting will end.

3. Always have finish times for meetings. The discussion will always expand or contract to fill the time available. Have a meeting standing up for speed.

4. Dont make unwelcome visitors welcome. If people pop over to your desk to speak to you or come into the office, only welcome them if you have the time to do so. If you are too busy put a future date in the diary.

5. Define the requirements of the task. Set clear parameters for what you have to achieve and then break it down into manageable smaller tasks.

6. Good enough is good enough. This comment is for all you perfectionists. It just needs to be good enough. Remember the 80:20 rule. 20% of the effort produces 80% of the result.

7. Computerising chaos produces computerized chaos. Organise an efficient filing system computerised or manual and use it! It is also better to know one piece of software well than lots badly.

8. Review your time management weekly. Plan your week so that you have identified two or three key tasks that need to be achieved and give them priority. The small tasks and firefighting can be fitted in around them.

9. Value your time, you are worth it. Decide how much time a task is worth at the outset and stick to it. Never say we have got as long as it takes as it will take a very very long time!

10. Ask people to help you. It is incredible what people will do if you just ask them. If someone else can give you a good idea, use it as you do not have to reinvent the wheel every time.