Time Management-The Start of a Business day
How you manage time will be one of the greatest single items contributing to success at your work, whatever type of work it is you do. There are many things that happen each day at work and in our lives that are unexpected. The unexpected event needs to be handled and the individual that has a sense of time and timing directed towards solutions will move smoothly through difficulties.
The first time element that needs to be addressed is getting to work on time. Seems elementary, but I have observed that there are a large number of people that do not recognize the importance of a punctual arrival at work. I believe that a timely beginning of the day is like the start of a race. If the start is bungled the race will not be won. At work if the start is not organized, it often will not be a successful day.
There are folks that are late for everything. I’m sure you know some people like that. These people are often dealing with issues other than organizing time. Many of them need some counseling other than time management. My effort here is to offer advice to those that are concerned with late arrival and want to get to the office, game, dinner, ball park or date on time.
Understanding the importance of being on time and setting up the schedule for getting to work are the first steps needed. Being on time at work means being at your desk, bench or in the locker room early. Leave enough time before the starting bell or whistle to prepare for your day. Professional athletes do not show up for the game just in time to walk on the court and start playing. They are at their place of work long before the starting whistle. Their opponent is reviewed and thought is given as to how the game needs to be played for victory. Your work day needs a little bit of this type of preparation.
It doesn’t need hours but every day at work no matter what you do deserves some time for preparation before the official start. Fifteen minutes is enough time for most jobs to get the tools of your trade in place and ready for business.
When you get up and start to get ready for work, a brief review of the things to be done before work starts should include that fifteen minutes before work starts to review and prepare. How long it takes to get out of the house, travel to work and spend a brief time reviewing the day and arranging equipment are the three elements to schedule. A shower, brushing the teeth and getting dressed should be a thirty minute to forty five minute deal including at the least a nutritious breakfast drink before leaving the house. This time slot.should get you ready for the trip to work. Models, movie stars and politicians probably need more time but they are not like the most of us.
Travel time is often tough to schedule in a metropolitan area. Pubic transport is generally best but if you drive, allow 25% traffic jam time beyond what it normally takes.
Arriving at work 15 minutes early allows time for organizing your day. Reviewing your order forms, letters to write or placing hammers and saws in their proper position for use, identifying the toppings for the pizzas needing preparation or putting pine tar on the extra bat. Simply put: doing everything you need to do to prepare for your day at work whatever work it is that you do. Whatever your job that extra time for preparation will make the day go smoother and help prepare for the unexpected occurrences.
Your supervisor will note this consistent timely preparation for the work day. It will pay off along the way when promotions happen or conversely when someone needs to be let go. The time conscious worker has a big head start over the employee that thinks if you are only ten minutes late it doesn’t matter. It does matter and on a busy day 10 minutes late for work often interrupts an even flow of production for hours.
The days start time schedule is simple, as are most of my rules for success.
a.Alarm goes off and start on your schedule.
b.Shower, dressing and breakfast, say 45 minutes
c.Travel to work, say another 45 minutes
d.Prep for the start of work, say about 15 minutes
Genius is not needed here, that can be saved for performance of your job.
If you start work at 8;30 that alarm should be going off at 6:45 and you only need to remember three elements to start a successful day at work. If you need more or less time on one of the elements simply adjust the times involved.
Follow a schedule for early arrival and you will be prepared for your day and favorably regarded. It will also help if you do a good job during the day.
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