Last week we looked at effective email management. That leads naturally to a timely review of time management – which is clearly a key to success. There are many good tips for effective time management - here is just one of them: Consider naming the topic on which to routinely focus - for each day of the week. Here’s an example: Monday - administrative details, staff meetings Tuesday - marketing, new customer follow-up Wednesday - direct contact with existing clients, client meetings, client newsletter prep and publishing Thursday - accounting, billing, bookkeeping, correspondence Friday - Miscellaneous, administrative catch-up, planning/prep for next week This approach of “naming” each day with a focus topic may sound overly simple. Like most time-management hints it will break-down if viewed as a strict approach. However, we can at least begin to view each named day as a “basket” to collect items for the named day - and then, on that day, to deal with that focus area. Topics for Wednesday that cross our desk on Monday can be placed in the Wednesday file, to be dealt with when Wednesday arrives. And so on. In this manner, each day will gradually take on a focus consistent with the strategy we select for that day. So let’s try it. Soon. Very soon. Just name the day.
