As a manager, your schedule may be so full that you get home late in the evening and get up early in the morning. Some work may even find its way into your weekends, holidays and vacations. These four action steps can help you to manage a hectic schedule and reduce wasted time.
Delegating to Employees
Being sure to delegate responsibilities is something many managers struggle with. Many business managers have items in their to-do list that could be delegated to subordinates. Delegating some of these tasks to employees can free up time in a busy schedule. Employees will benefit by learning how to do new activities and developing new skills that may allow them to advance in their careers. Managers should be sure to give employees a good review for taking on additional tasks.
Reducing Wasted Time
It is easy to get caught up in chatting in the break room or allowing meetings to run over their allotted amount of time. Spending too much time on email or checking your phone can also result in less time to do what you need to do. Reducing these time-wasting activities makes it easier to complete critical tasks. Being mindful of how much time you spend chatting, emailing and texting helps you to be more efficient.
Staying Organized
Learning how to manage your time and tasks can help make your busy work schedule easier to manage. Earning an MBA in information systems enhances your technology skills. With improved technological skills, you may be able to automate some of the tasks you do, such as generating reports or identifying areas in need of improvement. Information systems degrees also make it easier for you to organize files and data on your computers and servers, which further saves your time.
Say “No” to Unnecessary Busy Work
Consider whether certain tasks need to be done at all. In many companies, things are done simply because they have always been done that way. Take the time to evaluate whether there is still a point to performing a certain task or holding a routine meeting. Eliminating unnecessary busy work and meetings could help you to get more things done during business hours.
Employing one or all of these strategies is a great start to managing a hectic schedule. You can also set clear limits to the start and end of your work day. Preserving your personal and family time helps you to be a happier and better-balanced person. Reducing wasted time, delegating and becoming more efficient will help you to complete your work during business hours.
