|
|
How can I plan for the strain that other people put on my time?
Home » Careers » Time Management » How can I plan for the strain that other people put on my time?Posted by Your Guide on October 31, 2005 11:10 AM
Most of us work in situations that require continual interaction with other people, and as much as you enjoy working with your co-workers, they do put a drain on your time. It’s one of the hazards of being a human. You will never be able to plan for every aspect of working with other people, but you can learn to manage your time in light of working relationships.
First, practice limiting your workload by delegating responsibilities and learning to say no. If you have work that can (and should) be done by someone else in your company, let them do it. Don’t feel that you have to do everything yourself, but free up your schedule by passing on tasks appropriately. In addition, learn to say no to co-workers who ask you for help. Certainly, you will want to help them much of the time, but sometimes, it is better if you simply state, “I’m sorry, I don’t have time to help on that right now. I could get to it sometime next week, if that would help.”
Another way to limit yourself is to guard against the temptation to over promise. Our natural tendency is to want to impress co-workers by making grand promises of how well and quickly we will complete a job. Instead, when your boss asks you when you will finish a project, give a conservative estimate. You will feel less stress, you will make your deadline, and if you beat your deadline, your boss will be pleasantly surprised. In that same vein, ask for realistic responsibilities and deadlines. Many times, your superiors simply do not realize how much work they are giving you and that it is not feasible for you to finish as quickly or as much as is expected.
Finally, try to minimize your distractions caused by other employees. If you are having a particular busy day, shut your door or turn your desk away from the door so that you won’t be interrupted by as much walk-through traffic.
Related Articles
- What is Time Management and why is it important?
- How can I evaluate my current Time Management?
- How can I improve my Time Management?
- How can I plan for the strain that other people put on my time?
- What are some myths of Time Management?
- How can I eliminate procrastination?