Time management is a modern dinosaur.
Millions of companies worldwide are spending thousands of dollars training their staff on time management and yet…their employees are still behind their deadlines and have average productivity.
What is wrong?
Maybe the trainers are not good? Or your staff is not ready or willing to learn?
The truth is – in the last few centuries we went from very few distractions, mainly produced by human interaction to hundreds of them in just one hour. Social media, emails, phone calls, messages, app notifications, tons of reminders, even about standing up and stretching, various types of alerts, such as home cameras and more…
And yet, most time management trainers say: do what’s urgent and important first and what’s not important/not urgent – move around or delegate. Well, the whole world makes everything mega-important and urgent! An 80-year-old grandpa, learning how to use Whatsapp and sending tons of silent voice messages non-stop, would make anyone feel like it’s pretty urgent!
So what can you do to help your teams to get better at their work with their time?
Start with these 5 tips on time management:
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Step One: Help your team to manage their distractions.
Many people are still unaware of how much time it takes for them to gain momentum again and refocus after they got distracted.
I know from my personal experience that when I get distracted, it takes me about 5-20 minutes to get back on track, depending on the distraction and the task I was doing before.
There have been many studies made about gaining focus back, one of them, a study by the University of California, Irvine found that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get yourself back on track after being interrupted.
What kind of distractions are we talking about?
- Any notifications made by phone or computer. Switching them off will help to reduce the desire to check them. Most of my clients choose to switch off all their notifications as soon as we have this discussion and personally, I only have my phone and messages showing me notifications, not even Whatsapp.
- The phone itself when it is nearby. My own productivity skyrockets when I leave my phone in another room or just keep it out of my sight!
- TV, Radio, and anything else making noises in the background. Some people would say they can focus better with some music in the background. If you measured that and it definitely is helping you, then please choose at least lyrics-free music. The reason for that is that any lyrics, words, or sentences you hear in the background are programming your subconscious even if you don’t listen to them. So be careful what you and your team listen to at the background!
- Random questions by your colleagues whilst you are fully focused on a task. Many companies I worked with on their staff time management came up with creative signs to communicate to each other that they are focusing on a task or are open to discussions and conversations.
- Many other distractions vary between companies and industries. The most important thing is to start monitoring them and eliminating or reducing them as much as possible.
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Step Two: Introduce more regular and physically active breaks.
When your body produces energy – it is easier to focus versus just sitting for hours. Whether you choose to stretch, go for a short walk or anything make sure you move. The movement will help you to focus more! You can either do it as a team of two or a whole team, whichever suits your organisation better. But remember, it always starts with one person, so be the leader of this! And if you add a competitive element to this, it will become more of a game!
Step Three: Implement working in segments.
I love working for 55 minutes straight even though some suggest working for 25 min and then taking a 5 min break. I take mine every 55 minutes and it works for me. Everyone is different so whether you choose shorter segments or longer, make sure your team members don’t multitask and do one single task at a time. Less is more!
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Step Four: Provide mental health and well-being support, as well as options for your staff to find specialists to work with on their personal and professional stuff.
When your team members are going through personal stuff, that will impact their time management for sure! Some might say that people should separate their work from personal life, but it is easier to say rather do. When your staff are busy with internal drama, it will impact their work directly, without exception.
Step Five: Allow your staff to work more on what they LOVE doing and let them delegate or swap other duties with other members of the company.
Everyone is more effective and productive with tasks they love versus those they hate. In fact, many companies I worked with reported that this change brought incredible results because teams finally started loving their work more than ever!
What are you going to implement in your organisation to help your team with their productivity and time management?
Olga Geidane is a highly engaging, thought-provoking speaker, a powerhouse of inspiration, a catalyst for change, and a champion of self-leadership on a global level. With her infectious energy and unwavering commitment to personal development, Olga has become a sought-after expert on topics ranging from productivity and communication to mindset and influential leadership.
As an event host and facilitator of online and in-person events, Olga has honed her skills in engaging audiences from all corners of the globe. Her ability to connect with people on a personal level, while still delivering powerful messages, is what sets her apart from other speakers and event hosts.
As an award-winning mindset coach for high achievers and C-suite executives worldwide seeking to elevate their leadership skills, Olga is committed to delivering her best expertise and experience every single time! Her unique approach to coaching combines practical tools with a deep understanding of human behaviour, allowing her clients to achieve breakthroughs in both their personal and professional lives.
Header Image Credit: Thirdman. Find it here.
