The Advantages of Time Management – Business and Lifestyle Benefits
Use Time Management Worksheets
The advantages of time management include business and lifestyle benefits. A time management chart helps to track your efforts and focus your time on the key performance indicators for your business.
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When you focus on managing your time and effort, your business can profit from the improved efficiencies.
But the benefits of time management aren't limited to financial gain.
Just as important to many people is the fact that getting your work done quickly and efficiently leaves more time for other things that matter to you; whether that happens to be launching a new business venture, adding a new product line, developing your employees, getting more involved in your industry, or spending more time with family or friends, or whatever your passion in life may be.
Advantages of Time Management: More Personal Time
Many of us feel overworked. But the fact is, we tend to spend more time "at work" than we do actually being productive, and that's largely due to poor time management. Time management is about making sure time spent on the job produces real results that move you towards your goals.
Imagine if you could shave even five hours per week off the time you spend "working", by eliminating time sinks like dealing with an overwhelming volume of emails or voice mails daily or by changing your hours of work so you don't get stuck in peak traffic during your commute to your business.
What could you do with those extra five hours? You could meet a client, find a new supplier, train employees, learn to develop stronger relationships, and so much more.
Greater efficiency at what you currently do opens up more time for learning what you need to know to improve results.
Measure business performance goals and indicators before you start charting and working on improving your management of time and resources.
Time management is about working smarter, not harder. A lot of the work-related stress that's so common these days is the result of putting in more hours than are really necessary.
By being more efficient, you reduce the anxiety created by deadlines or big projects that push your skills to the limit.
Using a Time Management Chart
One of the practical aspects of achieving better time management includes making use of a time management chart. A typical chart is simply a "time map" for the week, showing what needs to be done at what time of day, each day, for you to work at maximum efficiency.
On the chart, you need to track what you actually did. At the end of the week, review the chart and compare the plan to the actual and find out where you are spending too much time and/or not enough.
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A good friend and associate of mine works with a time map regularly (and carries it with her at all times). She is the most organized and efficient person that I know. She runs a number of businesses, has an active family life, and always appears relaxed and happy. Her time management skills enable her to optimize her schedule.
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Remember that the time you spend on work and other activities need to relate directly and indirectly to the goals that you want to achieve.
For example, if you need to increase sales you need to invest your time in activities that will help you get the sales results your business requires: customer calls; working on sales lead generation; launching a direct mail campaign; preparing an effective marketing campaign; and all things that relate to sales key performance indicators.
Time Management Worksheets
Another technique that comes in handy is using time management worksheets to keep track of how well you're using your time.
Rather than dividing up your week with a chart, time management worksheets can be used for tracking time and progress on a particular project. Alternatively, a worksheet may be designed for setting goals and logging the time you put towards them.
The advantages of time management are clearly apparent in the benefits to your business and to your life. When you use a time management chart or time management worksheets to identify, analyze, measure and improve your productivity and efficiency, you will gain better business results and feel in better control of your life, and your business.
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