Task Management & Time Management Tips

1. Don't plan your workday first thing in the morning. It's better to start your day by wrapping up a project ...

1. Don’t plan your workday first thing in the morning. It’s better to start your day by wrapping up a project you had on your desk the day before.

There are two good reasons for this strategy.

First, some tasks require longer periods of back-of-the-mind reflection. When you have a real stumper in front of you, the best strategy might be to turn off the computer, play with the kids, get a good night’s sleep and let your mind work on the problem subconsciously for a few hours. In the morning, the answers you need are likely to be closer at hand than they were the night before.

Secondly, you don’t want to fool yourself into thinking that every new business day brings a fresh crop of new tasks. Some tasks are two- or three-day affairs, and that means you need to be comfortable jumping back into the fray first thing, without a warm-up. It’s not only good discipline — it’s a natural strategy for the kinds of projects many business owners face.

2. Remember that some tasks should be put off for the last minute.

Some tasks grow larger if you let them lie — such as problems with co-workers and clients who need personal attention. Other tasks, like budgeting and new-business proposals, are often best performed when you are right up against a deadline, because the information that crosses your desk between 3 and 4 p.m. could materially change the way you address those tasks.

For example, if client A commits to a substantial new project early in the afternoon, the numbers on that bid you’re about to put in to client B — due the next morning — might well go up a bit, because now you know that your people will already be busy, and you won’t need the new project as much. So letting that task sit a little bit longer actually helps you do it better.

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