Three Tests to Analyze Your Time Usage
Analyzing how you use time is the first step to managing your time. You must have specific, reliable data before you can find ways to improve. To collect data about your time use, keep a time log.
Once you’ve kept a time log for a couple of weeks, you should examine it from three points of view: necessity, appropriateness, and efficiency. This will allow you to discontinue unnecessary tasks; delegate other task; and determine ways to increase your efficiency through technology, processes, or work habits.
A careful analysis, can often earn you another eight to ten hours each week to spend on activities of your choice.
1. The Necessity Test: Start by carefully reviewing each activity on your time log to ensure it is necessary. Be ruthless in identifying those tasks which are nice, but not necessary. Get rid of them!
It is common to do things past their usefulness, (i.e., monthly reports where the information is no longer used). This “test of necessity” should help reduce your tasks to the essential elements.
2. The Appropriateness Test: Once you have identified tasks which are essential to complete, figure out who should complete the task. Match the appropriate task to the appropriate department and skill level.
There are activities that could be given to others. You may also find you are doing work beneath your skill level which can be easily reassigned.
3. The Efficiency Test: The third test reviews the remaining tasks. Once you are satisfied the work you are doing is necessary, should then ask, “Is there a better way?” This will help you find faster and better ways to use technology or help you establish better processes to handle recurring activities.
When reviewing your work, ask these three questions:
- What opportunities do I have to eliminate unnecessary tasks or activities?
- What opportunities do I have to delegate tasks or activities to others?
- How can I become more efficient by using technology or developing better procedures?
There Are Only 3 Ways to Make Better Use of Your Time
- Discontinue low priority tasks or activities.
- Find someone else to take some of your work.
- Be more efficient at what you do.
Related Posts:
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
This is a great reminder, Ian, about how important it is to remove the non-essentials from your to-do list. Whether they just get cancelled or your delegate them to a more appropriate resource, it is vital that you spend your time on those things that bring about the highest return.