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How time flies...
Issue 27 - Feb 07
Real estate, facilities and project professionals are all busy most of the time. But how do you know when to quit on a stymid deal, stop reacting in favour of strategising or know in advance that the shipment will arrive late especially when you are always on the road, on site or even in a meeting. A time management professional tells us that it is possible.
The term “time management” is somewhat of an anomaly because we can’t actually manage time. However, we can manage ourselves in relation to time and we can control how we spend it. Learning about how other people at all
levels of organisational membership, from clerical workers up to top CEOs, manage their time, gives us an insight about how to better manage our own.
Today’s high paced offices are full of time-wasters. The phone is always ringing, bosses are always demanding meetings and there’s always the drop-in visitor who asks“for only five minutes” to leave the person they were visiting feeling overwhelmed an hour later. We all face different time-wasters and, at times, we are our own culprits. Human traits such as ego and pride see us accepting too much work, always picking up the ‘phone and being unable to say “no”. Additionally, economic and job pressures result in us spending more and more time at work but often not achieving any more than we would in a“regular” eight hour day.
The factors listed above lead us to procrastinate. There is so much to do that we feel overwhelmed. We make deals with ourselves such as have a coffee first then start, or do the easier task first. The problem is, that critical but oh-so-big project gets put back time and time again! This just adds to the stress and pressure.
As more control over time is experienced, the mind starts to free-up and people think more clearly and feel more passion for their work. To happen effectively, this requires a clear workspace - keep things neat and tidy and ensure adequate light (preferably natural) and optimal temperatures in the office.
reactive management
In many industries, and particularly for people in FM, workers spend a lot of their time fighting-fires. Suddenly, everything that comes up is classified as both urgent and important. Ideally, such people need to find a mechanism to transform and spend more time working on projects that are still important, but not urgent. This is where effective management of time comes in. Planning and self-examination helps are important tools to determine actual capabilities, when an individual’s most productive energy cycles are and what issues tend to slow the individual down down. Learning to overcome procrastination
is critical, as is learning to trust direct-reports and delegating more work - remembering to delegate responsibility as well as the work itself!
After understanding individual work patterns and mastering the art of delegation, the next step is to set smart* goals and learn how to plan work and projects with built-in contingencies. As more control over time is experienced, the mind starts to free-up and people think more clearly and feel more passion or their
work. To happen effectively, this requires clear workspace - keep things neat and tidy and ensure adequate light (preferably natural) and optimal temperatures in the office. Once individual time management has been mastered it is
time to do the same for others. Not just making sure they go on the same course, but also respecting their styles and preferences and not interrupting them during their most productive periods.
* SMART goals are those which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bounded
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Such people need to find a mechanism to transform and spend more time working on projects that are still important, but not urgent
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time travel
If we can learn to manage time effectively in the office, we can also do the same during business travel. The trick is to always have something on hand to be working on. For example, after checking in for a flight, use the hour
or two to spare for work that won’t require high levels of concentration, such as replying to emails or drawing up loose business plans. Waiting for a client in a conference room can be seen as an opportunity to work on some new
sales ideas or read the latest property news. Effective time management is about always having something that will ultimately need to be done ready to do in whatever situation so that, being made to wait doesn’t create feelings of frustration and unhappiness but rather one of being in full control.
In summary, research shows us that time management (or managing ourselves in relation to time) does work as long as we are committed and start well. Thinking that a one or two day course in time management will produce lasting
results is erroneous. However, a process that produces consistent and long-term results goes as follows examining the current workplace for how time is spent; determining what changes can be made; being willing and able to
make those changes; being committed to lasting time management success. Those who report mastery of their time not only report being happier and more productive in less time, but they also report increased financial success. Like anything that produces a good return, an initial respectable investment is the key
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Dr. Graham Tyler, CEO, PsyAsia International is a registered organisational psychologist who
specializes in maximising performance at work. He has been running time management
courses in Asia and the Middle East for over ten years.
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