Successful time management

The first step to managing our time effectively is getting our priorities right:

Spending time on things that matter

This has less to do with managing your time and more to do with managing your life, so that you spend more time on things that matter to you.

Successful time management starts in the mind; it starts with being aware of your key goals in life and with knowing the difference between things that are urgent and things that are important, both at work and out of work. Urgent situations require speedy action and make pressing demands on your time, but they are not necessarily important. On the other hand, important matters may not need urgent action but they need close attention over a greater time span.

Being clear about your different roles

Time management is more effective when you are clear about your different roles in life. Apart from being a GP, you may also be a parent, a partner, an avid sports enthusiast, an amateur photographer or gardener, etc. Being able to attach importance to the activities that are required in order for you to be successful in your different roles will help you make the best use of your time.

Concentrate your time and energy on important but not urgent activities in each of your roles. This practical approach to time management helps you to shape your priorities on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

Remember the 70/30 principle

This applies to most things in life: 70% of a task will be achieved with the initial 30% of energy/time devoted to it; the further 70% of time will only achieve the last 30%. For each task, decide early on if 70% is adequate, or if you really have to invest more time to go towards the 100%. Only do so if you are convinced it is worth it in the long run.

Common time wasters

· Meetings (unless they are well organised and keep to the point): they take up planning time, attending time and follow-up time (to follow up on what has been decided)

· Procrastination: sometimes this can be the biggest time thief; it is often because we don’t want to deal with unpleasant situations; in more complex cases it can be due to feelings of inadequacy, low self esteem, and fear of failure. Break the cycle of procrastination by:

-divide seemingly complex tasks into smaller, simpler ones

-set up a timescale and deadlines for achieving each part of a task

-arrange for supportive colleagues to check on progress

-deal with unpleasant tasks first, so that they are out of the way

· People: inevitably other people will make demands on your time. You need to ask them to respect your time. You have to be assertive and say “no” to people when it matters, without ending up upsetting them. Make people aware of your time limits and be firm but fair with them; also respect their time and priorities too.

· Delegation: professional responsibility comes at a price; professional people often find it difficult to let go or delegate. Delegation is an art, because it requires skill and creativity to be able to define:

-what can be delegated?

-to whom can a task be delegated?

-how is the delegation to be managed?

You need also to let go of the mistaken belief that the best way to do a job is to do it ourselves. One of the main advantages of being an accomplished delegator is that it gives you more time to do important things. Good delegation also helps other employees learn and develop new skills, and spreads accountability amongst staff.

Delegation is not dumping: successful delegation is based on a planned strategy, rather than just offloading work at the last minute. Tasks that are delegated without communication create-rather than solve-problems and may lead to time wasting if the task has to be repeated. The delegation strategy should entail:

-task analysis

-timescale

-responsibility

-staff selection

-expectations

-agreed performance standards

Whenever a task is delegated, as much information as necessary should be provided:

-supporting information

-resources

-contact names

Deadlines for completion of the task should be discussed and agreed at the outset.

Seeking feedback

Having delegated a task, don’t reclaim it but reflect and evaluate on the success or failure of the delegation. If it was successful, give credit where it’s due. Reflect on your own skills as a delegator and analyse whether you performed well.

Bibliography

McGuire R, “Successful time management”, BMJ Careers, 11.10.2003, s117