Time Management Techniques for Busy Executives and CEOs
If you're an executive or CEO with a busy schedule, there are some time management techniques that may help give you some flexibility. But these tactics aren't for everyone.
For example, breaking up your day into 10-minute chunks of focused work and breaks can make it easier to prioritize, but someone who works in a factory or other physical setting may not be able to take advantage of this short burst work model. Some people may like the idea of doing one big project over four days instead of four smaller ones, but they would need to be very disciplined about working during their allotted break time and spacing out their work assignments throughout the day.
Here are some easy time management techniques that busy executives can use.
1. Schedule meetings in short blocks of time.
In most cases, the fixed workday when everyone gets eight hours (or whatever) doesn't fit today's business world. So instead, schedule meetings in short blocks of time so you can do other tasks during those breaks between sessions. For instance, if you need to meet with your manager and key team members for one hour per day, schedule an hour at 5 p.m. every day and then do other tasks such as check e-mail or complete other smaller projects during those breaks in the workday.
2. Focus on one project at a time.
While it may sound like common sense, it's still true: Multitasking often just leads to frustration and distractibility. So single-task with the same intensity you would if you were working on a project at your full capacity (which means not checking e-mail or other distracting websites during that time). And remember, if you have limited time, don't spread yourself too thin by taking on too many projects (or one too many tasks).
3. Take advantage of what non-work time does for you.
For busy executives, the amount of stress and strain that arises from incomplete projects may make them feel overwhelmed and irritable. That's because they've worked so hard on a task or project in non-work time, but it's not yet complete. So take advantage of that pressure to finish things by prioritizing your work in order of importance rather than just "getting things done." As you become more productive, your focus will be less on the "getting things done" part and more on the "being productive" part.
4. Make an effort to limit interruptions when you're working.
When you're constantly interrupted, it's hard to focus on even one task at a time. So put on your headphones if you're a hard-of-hearing executive who frequently takes calls. Or ask your assistant to hold all calls unless they're absolutely critical. Take a phone off the hook if you get frequent calls that stop you from completing tasks. In fact, tell your assistant to hold all internal and external calls for the entire day if necessary, and then turn it on at a scheduled time for when you want to take conference calls, check voice mail or other duties.
5. Work in 10-minute bursts with breaks in between.
While some people may very well like the challenge of working on one project at a time from start to finish, others would be much more effective if they focused on small chunks of work during their breaks and took frequent short breaks (15 minutes or so) throughout the day. This way, they can return to work refreshed and ready to keep going.
6. When you're overwhelmed or stressed out, take a break.
During these times when you're generally "in the zone" and not thinking about anything else but your project, don't ignore your body's signals for rest – as tempting as that may be. Your body will tell you when it needs recovery by getting the sweats or feeling cranky. So put away your work, take a break and do something relaxing (like watch TV or meditate). Then, once you've caught your breath, continue with your task at hand.
7. Use smaller chunks of time to complete an entire project.
For instance, you may consider doing one task for four hours per day (taking frequent small breaks while working) to finish a project that would typically take two days but needs to be completed in one. If this is possible for you and you have the discipline to get the job done in one-half the time, this technique may work well for you.
8. Break up your projects into smaller tasks.
While this may sound a bit like "eat dessert first" (which is contrary to the advice given in the article above), there are times when you can't do everything in one large chunk. For instance, with a project that requires five different tasks, like a piece of furniture, you may complete one task for each day over a weekend and then put them all together on Monday morning to complete your project in one day. Or if another task requires several steps, this technique can be used by breaking those steps into smaller chunks that are completed separately.
9. Schedule some time for social interaction every day (even just 15 minutes).
One way to get around the fact that when you're busy, you won't have any time for social interactions is to schedule some time on your calendar (an hour or two, at least) every day when you're not working to reconnect with friends and family. Or if it's just 15 minutes that works for you, make that your social time and schedule more productive tasks around it.
10. Try working with a team of people who can also free up your schedule for tasks.
If you're a busy executive working alone, you may be able to free up some of your time by working with others who can split up your work by taking on specific tasks. So one person may take on the lead in completing one task and then another person takes the lead for another task, which allows everyone to give their own tasks their full attention without needing to know what everyone else is doing.
11. As much as possible, take one project at a time.
This advice is almost identical to number 6 above because it focuses on the techniques that will best allow you to focus and get things done rather than just doing everything "all at once".
Conclusion: It's still possible to get a lot done when you're busy, but it requires some discipline and focus on the most important tasks in order to get them done in a timely manner. If your schedule is usually very full, then you'll likely have to put these tips into practice on a daily basis in order to be more productive and free up your schedule for other important activities.
About The Author
Donna Fournier is an experienced writer with extensive knowledge of career and job search topics. She has written hundreds of articles, many of which deal with time management skills and productivity issues for executives. If you would like more information about how to increase productivity at work or at home, visit her website: http://www.