| If you are already a high achiever who still | | | | from your spouse and children. That way, you |
| has time to do everything you need and want | | | | don't need to keep checking the caller ID |
| to do, then stop reading right now and send | | | | every time it rings.Ask your employees, |
| me YOUR time management tips. If not, you | | | | coworkers and family to send high priority |
| can effortlessly and automatically add | | | | messages with 911 or some other special code |
| several hours of productive time to your week | | | | at the beginning of the subject line, to make |
| with the following strategies.1. Limit | | | | sure you read those first when you do scan |
| Television. There's a reason the TV carries | | | | your new mail. Keep in mind that probably |
| such disparaging nicknames as the "idiot box" | | | | 90% of so-called emergencies can be handled |
| and "boob tube." For many people, the | | | | by someone else. Whether you own the place |
| television wastes incredible amounts of | | | | or just reside high enough up the food chain |
| precious time. I'm not saying all TV is | | | | to warrant urgent calls for help, letting |
| evil; it's simply a matter of priorities. | | | | your staff learn how to make good decisions |
| Many people who say they have no time to | | | | will save everyone time in the long run. |
| exercise always find time to watch The | | | | When you leave a phone message for someone |
| Sopranos, American Idol, and CSI. If you're | | | | else, leave a good callback time to avoid the |
| going to watch something, get a DVR, if you | | | | dreaded, time-consuming telephone tag. |
| don't already have one. At least you can | | | | Example voice mail: "Good afternoon, this is |
| record your must-see TV and fast foward | | | | Joe Block, from Block & Block, returning your |
| through the commercials when you watch it | | | | phone call. I can be reached at |
| later. I can't stay up late enough to watch | | | | 401-555-1772 between the hours of 2:00 to |
| Jay Leno, but since we got the DVR a couple | | | | 3:00 this afternoon, or tomorrow morning |
| of years ago, I watch his monologue every | | | | between 10:00 and noon. I look forward to |
| morning while eating breakfast. I have never | | | | your call." If possible, change your voice |
| seen nor have any desire to watch most of | | | | mail greeting each day to indicate the best |
| today's popular TV shows. Occasionally, I | | | | times to reach you. Example greeting: |
| get around to the list of episodes of | | | | "Hello, this is Joe Block with Block & Block. |
| Mythbusters on our DVR, usually on a morning | | | | I'm sorry I missed your call. Today is |
| when the previous night's Leno was a | | | | Friday, June 5th, and I will be in the office |
| rerun.There are almost always more important | | | | between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, as well |
| things to do in the evening than watch TV, | | | | as from 3:00 to 5:00 this afternoon. If |
| like building my business or reading to my | | | | you'd like to leave a message, please do so |
| toddler. If you run your own business, think | | | | after the tone."5. Put the Brakes on |
| of it in terms of your hourly rate. How much | | | | Waiting. You can both minimize waiting and |
| would a customer or client pay you, or how | | | | make the most of time that you must spend |
| much could you earn in other ways, during the | | | | waiting. While waiting on the telephone on |
| hour you spend watching that rerun of Law & | | | | hold, check and respond to email. While |
| Order? Of course, you can't put a price on | | | | driving to work or waiting in traffic, listen |
| family time, and you can't give full | | | | to educational or motivational audiobooks. |
| attention to your spouse or offspring with | | | | Use this time to learn a foreign language or |
| one eye on the tube. If you have the space | | | | perhaps pick up new business strategies from |
| and funds to furnish a room with a | | | | one of the many tycoons who have written |
| television, DVD player and/or DVR, and a | | | | books.When scheduling medical appointments, |
| treadmill, you can actually make good use of | | | | try to get the earliest available |
| your TV time. Add more exercise equipment | | | | appointment. Some of the |
| for even better results. You can make time | | | | |
| for your favorite programs while staying in | | | | best medical providers get way behind as the |
| shape.2. Banish Mindless Internet Surfing & | | | | day progresses because they spend whatever |
| Computer Games. The Internet is a wonderful, | | | | time is necessary to answer all of their |
| miraculous piece of work, but can also | | | | patients' questions and attend to their |
| quickly pull you into a nearly infinite | | | | needs. The later your appointment time, the |
| galaxy of interesting but not-terribly-useful | | | | longer you will wait. Avoid Monday and |
| information. You can easily lose track of | | | | Friday medical appointments for routine |
| time while clicking one intriguing link after | | | | visits. Sick people line up to be seen |
| another. Many folks set timers for their | | | | before the weekend, or call first thing |
| children to limit their computer time, but | | | | Monday after feeling progressively worse all |
| think nothing of losing valuable sleep time | | | | weekend. Avoiding Mondays and Fridays means |
| staring dazedly at the screen. Computer | | | | avoiding the most crowded waiting rooms full |
| games also can quickly suck the life blood | | | | of |
| out of your work and family time. If you're | | | | |
| not careful, you'll lose track of time - time | | | | sick people and their germs.Since some |
| that could be spent in more productive | | | | amount of waiting is inevitable, always take |
| endeavors.3. Turn Away From Office Gossip. | | | | along a newspaper, magazine or book to pass |
| Resist the temptation to spend 15 minutes | | | | the time. Some medical offices rely on |
| here and there in idle chit-chat with | | | | donations of old magazines from employees to |
| coworkers. Don't get me wrong - some degree | | | | fill their racks. If a 1999 issue of Field & |
| of relationship building at work is | | | | Stream doesn't interest you, you'll be glad |
| important, even critical to your professional | | | | you brought along today's newspaper. |
| happiness and success. But you can easily | | | | Alternately, you can use the free service to |
| turn 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there | | | | download fresh content directly to your PDA |
| into a major disruption. The next thing | | | | before any appointment. It's a great way to |
| you'll be discussing is that you don't have | | | | carry around enough reading material for a |
| nearly enough time to do all of your work, | | | | long wait without needing a heavy backpack.6. |
| and you don't know where the day has gone!4. | | | | Don't Finish It Just Because You Started It. |
| Disconnect From Constant Monitoring of Email | | | | If the book doesn't live up to its ratings, |
| & Phone Calls. Just because you can be | | | | or you bought into the hype of a very bad |
| constantly available doesn't mean that you | | | | movie, you have already wasted money. Don't |
| must be. If you have a secretary or | | | | waste your time as well. I have abandoned |
| assistant, this person can screen your calls, | | | | books after only a few chapters and walked |
| visitors and emails. Set aside time on your | | | | out of the theater during terrible flicks. |
| calendar to return calls and answer emails. | | | | Studying reviews may save you both the |
| Many unannounced outside visitors will be | | | | dollars and the hours sometimes, but not |
| salespeople. They often provide a valuable | | | | always.Please note that I am not heaping |
| service by introducing you to new or less | | | | criticism upon those who watch hours of TV, |
| expensive products and services, but out of | | | | spend a lot of time in conversation with |
| consideration for your time, they should make | | | | coworkers, check their Blackberries every 10 |
| an appointment, if you have any interest in | | | | minutes, surf the Internet, play video games |
| their wares. If you have no interest | | | | or read boring books. I merely offer an |
| whatsoever, don't waste their time or yours. | | | | outline for raising your achievement level by |
| When you're in a time crunch, close your | | | | breaking away from common time traps. The |
| email program so that you are not tempted to | | | | rest is up to you.Beth McIntire is a |
| keep checking it. You can program your cell | | | | marketing guru, technical writer and computer |
| phone with a distinctive ring for calls that | | | | geek. |
| you know you'll want to accept, like those | | | | |