We are different: someone is used to performing tasks in a strict sequence, someone is just a rough plan of action, and for someone to work effectively it is very important to be in a good mood. But in many ways we are similar: for example, in that we want to keep up with more.
How to better manage your time at work, helped time-trainer to understand, HR-specialist Wrike,
Daria Ignatovich .
Following the principles of time management does not mean living every minute according to plan or building your work only as it is written in the book. This means first of all managing meanings, not being afraid to experiment with approaches to work and choose what is right for you.
There is no one magic pill “How to build a working day better” for everyone. But probably you will be useful at least a few tips, which will be discussed below.
How to tune in to work
Starting work is worth the plan for the day. Many do not like to plan, because the process is associated with a rigid framework, or it seems that the task list is easy to keep in mind all day. But, first, you can write a to-do list and carry them out in a sequence that is convenient for you. Secondly, it is important to understand what will take attention during the day, what to spend more time on, and what forces will not be enough. Memory is an unreliable repository of information: when there are a lot of tasks, it is very easy to forget about one or two, therefore it is worth recording everything that you want and need to do. Here the reception of the unloading of consciousness helps: you need to think about all your tasks, - not only about important matters for work, but also simple, everyday ones - and write them down. After that, select the main and secondary tasks for the day.
Many do not want to plan and are taken only for the work that comes by itself - they live in a state of turnover. From this there may be rush jobs, dissatisfaction,
burnout or the feeling that you are floating downstream.
Work tasks can be divided into three types:
There is no universal council, which tasks should be done at the beginning of the day, and which at the end, no. It all depends at least on the culture in which the person works. For example, there is a lot of teamwork in the Scrum culture: there may be several meetings on the same day, and you need to adjust your work to them. Meetings tear up the day and often do not allow to plunge into a difficult task for a long time, but they always help to keep abreast of what is happening with the project. Some people prefer to perform complex streaming tasks in the morning, with a fresh mind, and then go to meetings. Others like to start a working day with current tasks in order to get results quickly, and then they take up something more complicated. Here it is worth experimenting and looking for what suits you best.
There are cultures where you don’t need to communicate a lot with colleagues, there you can arrange thematic days. For example, three days a week to allocate for deep immersion in complex tasks, a day for discussion, and a day for organizational issues and tails.
What is important in planning? It is necessary to control not only time, but also meanings. For example, if it seems that there are many meetings, and there is little benefit from them, it is worth conducting an audit: talk to the meeting organizers and find out if there is less opportunity to get together for discussion. Perhaps meetings are held by inertia: because someone is sure that they are needed.
To see the meaning in the work is very important: when a person realizes why he does something, motivation and strength appear.
How to enter the stream
Flow is a state when a person is immersed in his activity so much that time flies for him. The American researcher,
Mihai Chikszentmikhii , who studied the state of the flow, came to the conclusion that people of any, not only creative, professions can dive into it. In this state, people are very productive and able to show their best results.
What do you need to enter the stream?
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Clearly formulate the taskIf you face an incomprehensible or very voluminous task, for example, “start a big project”, it will be impossible to plunge into the stream. But to experience stress due to the fact that the task seems overwhelming is easy. One of the main conditions of the flow - the clarity of the problem. For example, you decide to give English half an hour a day at work. The task “to teach English” is blurred. When the time comes to fulfill it, it will be unclear what to undertake. Therefore, it should be formulated more specifically, for example, “watch two videos on TED”. If you face a difficult task, you need to break it into several simple, understandable and take on them.
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Tune in to the taskConcentrate and tune in to the task - stay in its context for 10-15 minutes: gather information, think about the solution. Usually after such a setup it is easy to “dive” into activity and do something difficult for 2-3 hours.
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Think of how to make routine tasks more interesting.When there is interest, it is easy to enter the stream, and when work seems boring, it is difficult. If you cannot delegate routine tasks, you should reconsider your attitude towards them and try to interest yourself. This can be done, for example, with the help of gamification: try to perform tasks faster than before, and reward yourself with something for the work done.
How to prokrasinirovat with benefit
Return from lunch and wallow in social networks for half an hour - you probably know this. Such behavior may indicate that fatigue has accumulated and a respite is needed. After lunch it is useful to give yourself 15-20 minutes of rest. What to do at this time? Take a walk, talk with colleagues or plan simple things you can do in a relaxed state: order something, pay bills, watch a video report. American consultant on management and leadership, author of books on time management,
Stephen Covey calls such tasks "business-sand." He advises to make lists of simple cases and perform them during the switch: then there will be no guilt for wasting time. According to the Covey system, there are still “works-pebbles” and “works-big stones”.
The importance and urgency of these cases is different, but they all need to be done - put large stones, pebbles and sand in a jar of limited size. Covey's concept is that big stones won't fit in a jar when there are already pebbles and sand. Therefore, when planning, it is important first of all to pay attention to business — big stones, which will give significant results in the future, and move away from the “Someday in my free time I will do this” approach.
How to continue to work if the mood is spoiled
It happens like this: you just start working - an angry letter arrives, or the arrangements you are counting on are crumbling. The mood is spoiled, but the work needs to be done. This exercise helps to tune in a constructive way: everything that happened should be recognized as a fact and be said to yourself. For example, "A colleague raised his voice to me." After that, talk to yourself about what you really feel. For example, "I am angry." We need to abstract ourselves from the situation and remind ourselves: the feelings that you are experiencing now are temporary, they will soon pass away. Then you can arrange a little walk, drink tea - do something that will help calm down.
How often should take breaks
If it is difficult to concentrate for a long time, you can use the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes to work, 5 minutes to be distracted. This rhythm is better suited to those who need to perform tasks consistently and alone. If you constantly work with people (communicate, wait for responses to letters), this technique is unlikely to work for you. But once every one and a half to two hours it is worthwhile to arrange a small respite: walk, call your family or do business with sand.
How to understand that it's time to go home
Here, again, planning helps. If in the morning you set yourself the main and minor tasks for the day, it will be clear when it is time to stop. If the goals are achieved, it is worthwhile to arrange the ritual of the end of the day - tick the boxes next to the to-do list. When we notice what we have done in a day, the brain receives a signal that it is enough for today, and you can with a sense of accomplishment (and satisfaction!) Go for a rest.