Conquer the clock to improve your effectiveness and increase productivity
It’s a simple fact of life: people are busy. There never seems to be enough time in any given day to complete each task on that lengthy to-do list. And while everyone has the same number of hours each day, some people manage to use their time more effectively than others. You don’t want to be that person who never seems to finish a task, or who leaves the office each night lamenting all that untouched work. Instead, get ready to take control of your time with these tips.
Start your day by working on the most important — and most difficult — tasks first. The most important tasks (MITs) are typically the biggest and most challenging. By tackling them in the morning when you’re freshest and have the most energy, you’ll have a greater chance of completing them. The feeling of accomplishment you’ll get from polishing off an assignment — and doing it well — will stay with you and help you complete other tasks as the day goes on.
Remain focused on the task at hand. You’re busy and it’s easy to get distracted, so stay off social media. Avoid constantly checking your phone or email and spending too much time talking to co-workers. These distractions prevent you from focusing specifically on any given task, and make it impossible to complete any task as efficiently as you would if your attention were fully engaged. You’ll find that you’re able to accomplish a task faster, and possibly better, when you don’t split your attention.
In offices all across the country, working professionals are doing more with less. Often this means picking up extra responsibilities. Before you do that, make sure that the additional duties align with work you’re already doing. Many employees can’t effectively manage their time because they’re stuck doing work that isn’t really theirs. Learn to say no and to delegate tasks to people who are better suited. When the work you’re doing best fits your responsibilities and the business needs of your organization, you’ll be able to better balance your time and work tasks, and the most appropriate individuals will be doing the work.
Don’t focus on the fact that you don’t have enough time. Instead, focus on what you do have time for. That way you can reframe the work you need to do in a positive light, and identify a start and end time to each task. Your 30-minute window may not be enough to work on your presentation, but it’s enough time to respond to the important emails in your in-box. Choosing to do tasks that fit the time available lets you be efficient, complete tasks, and cross things off your to-do list for that sense of accomplishment.
Be sure to get enough rest every night. Too many professionals find that their sleep suffers because they’re pulled in so many different directions. Professionals need to make getting enough sleep a priority. If we don’t, we won’t be able to function well at work or at home, and we’ll definitely fail to effectively manage our time. You know how much sleep you need to feel rested and ready to take on a new day, so do your best to get that every night.
Don’t forget to give yourself a break! We’re all striving at work and at home, and we need some down time. A five-minute break at work can clear your head, give you a chance to think about your task from a different angle, and allow you to come back and look at things with fresh eyes. Time away from work is also important. That break can reenergize you, allow you to relax, and enable you to go back to work feeling refreshed and ready to go.
The most important thing you can do to effectively manage your time is to figure out what works for you. Maybe you work better in the afternoon, so you work on your MITs at 2 p.m. instead of 9 a.m., or maybe you find that you can’t work on other projects until your in-box is empty. Figure out what works for you and stick to it. Learning how to effectively manage your time is a process, but it’s worth it. Work and responsibilities don’t own you, so get ready to take back control of your day!
Joshua A. John, Navajo, was born and raised in Shiprock, N.M. He joined Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Ariz., in 2005 after earning a bachelor’s in physics from Northern Arizona University. In 2018, he received a master’s in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. At RMS, John currently works as senior systems engineer for the Redesigned Kill Vehicle and Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle programs. His team performs design verification and qualification testing, deployed tactical interceptor analysis, and high-profile flight tests.
Some people are more productive the busier they are. Is that true for you?
I’m more productive when I’m busy because of all the tasks that need to be completed. In my career as a systems engineer, the work is like a sprint. There are short periods of time when I’m very busy and short periods where it’s relatively slow. I need to understand which tasks to accomplish first, especially when there are competing priorities. I feel most productive when I attack those most important priorities first and focus on tasks related to my goals.
How do you handle distractions at work or too many demands on your time?
Based on my supervisor’s input and the program’s priorities, I give attention to the most important tasks. Being a senior engineer on my team, I have the opportunity to delegate responsibilities to junior engineers based on their capability, current tasking, and career interests. I do make it a point to return emails and phone calls, because I know some people are waiting for my answer. However, I sometimes have to go to the laboratory or factory area to get work done, which takes me away from emails, texts, and personal contact. When it’s necessary, I tell people I’ll get back to them later with a full response. It helps them and shows professional courtesy.
What has worked for you in balancing work and personal duties?
Turning off the cell phone, avoiding turning on my laptop while at home, and connecting with friends and family during my personal time. Electronic communication is helpful, but it can be a constant reminder of work while you’re at home. I’m fortunate that I work in the defense industry and so cannot take most of my work home because of the classified information. I do, however, travel a lot for work.
Has your approach to effective time management benefited from any resources offered by your employer?
I’ve taken advantage of lessons learned from Raytheon’s employee resource groups. The groups hold monthly meetings and offer presentations about time management and career building. I know where to find additional resources, if I need to, from my supervisor and other leaders. I also learned much about time management from my military school training while in college.
What tips would you give someone who finds it difficult to get (or stay) organized and complete required tasks on time?
Start in your personal life by removing the clutter. Your surroundings have a significant effect on your mind. Put your clothes in the basket, pick up trash, and keep your home clean. This approach was taught to me by my mother and grandma, and further reinforced by my military school training. You can create order simply by making your bed every morning and cleaning up after yourself. For some people, it can be going to the gym first thing in the morning. These habits get your mind set on a routine, which allows you to start accomplishing tasks. Also, make reminders for yourself. Use lists like sticky notes on your computer or on your phone. Set deadlines for yourself, and make them earlier than the actual deadline. Developing time-management skills is a process, and it undergoes continuous improvement. It’s based upon your personal life and career, so don’t compare yourself to others. Priorities change with life and career events (having a family, marriage, changing careers, changing positions, etc.).
