Tracy and Allen are great. But what they have done is basically "repackaging" common sense concepts. This stuff isn't rocket science. To cut to the chase here is what I do:
1. I keep a running list of "things to do" during the day jotted down on a folded up piece of paper. (sioux keeps ragging on me to use the Treo 650 she bought me a couple of years ago as an anniversary gift but I like things simple.)
2. Then every night I prepare my "Call/ See/ Do" list for the next day. The "call" part also includes an e-mail section and "things to investigate on the web" section.
3. I prioritize the items and add items that did not get done during the current day. (In 54 years I have have NEVER completed an entire Call/ See/ Do list.)
4. Then I do my best to do this stuff.
It is not just working harder but also working smarter. You should always ask yourself, "Is what I am doing the 'highest and best use' of my time?" Can you "delegate" stuff off? For example, I stick Sioux with a lot of my personal errands. We are a team and she knows the more time I spend on errands the less time I can spend on my ICS articles and hanging out on the internet ... Whoops, she just said I can do my own stinking errands now!
Seriously, though, here are some huge time wasters:
1. Television. One way we justify it is going to the club and watching a program while we walk on a treadmill. (We are going to buy our own treadmills and set them up side by side in a spare room with a TV. Less commute time to the club.)
2. Sleep. I finally quit setting my alarm clock most of the time and wake up when I want. But I can get a lot done from 6 to 8 am.
3. Internet surfing. Enough said ...
Steve Toburen CR
Director of Training
Jon-Don's
Strategies for Success
PS John, interestingly, we don't have a separate section in
SFS on "time management". I'd like to include one but even with an intense five day course we don't have enough (you guessed it) TIME! However, even so our
SFS members do tell me they become much more efficient upon their return home. Why? Three things that will help anyone even without coming to
SFS:
1.
SFS gives people a vision of what is really important in our industry. Business cornerstone concepts, if you will, to focus on. (I just finished a thirty minute DVD on these these "core concepts" for a service business. If anyone wants a free copy just send me your mailing address to
stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com and I'll send you one- no charge and no obligation. Yes, even to Australia, John!)
2. Our members also receive over 900 pages of systems and procedures developed specifically for the cleaning and restoration industry. (Many of them by our current members who participate in our free TIPS networking program.) And since everything is written in Microsoft Word and on a CD-ROM they can quickly and efficiently customize these systems to their own company. Result? A huge amount of time saved!
3. And finally, part of their
SFS homework is to fill out an "Action Plan" of one specific thing they will implement every two weeks over the next six months PLUS a detailed description of where they want their business (and life) to be in five years. (We call this part the Master Plan.) Everyone should have this running Action Plan for the next six months plus their "five year vision" Master Plan.
I find we get so wrapped in the urgent we forget what is important. It is good to continually reflect on what you have accomplished in your Master Plan. Ohhh, don't have a Master Plan? Time to get off the computer and get to work ...
Me? I have a past due and very urgent ICS article to get off to my editor! The urgent calls so I must leave all you important people! Have a great (and productive) day! (this is a great idea for a thread.)
Very helpful and a great place to start. I've already printed Steve T's suggestions and they now have an honored place on my desk! I'll let you know how it's going...
