Time Management: Eliminate Time Killers to Gain More Hours Every Day

There are two types of time killers in everyone's life. Unless you deal with both, you'll lose productive time every single day and be a lot less effective than you could be.

Some time killers are more of less common to most people. This article will tell you more about how to deal with them.

Apart from that, there are also other time killers that are highly specific to each individual. They have to do with your habits, personality and working style.

To eliminate such time wasters, the first and most essential step is to be a keen observer of how you spend your time. Once you have a handle on what specific habits or situations are robbing you of your time, you'll be better positioned to deal with those issues. And deal with them you must, if you want to be more productive.

Before you do that, let's look at six common problems that waste mammoth amounts of time and what you can do about them.

Time killer #1: Phone calls

Someone said that the telephone may be the most misused of all modern conveniences! Phones turn out to be time wasters instead of time savers because they're incorrectly used. Where do we go wrong in using phones?

Do you make the mistake of not starting a phone conversation correctly? When you telephone someone, you should straightaway identify yourself and ask for the person you want to speak to. Instead, if you get into a "who is speaking" routine, you waste valuable time even before the conversation has begun.

The other big issue is how long you chat on the phone. Phone conversations are best kept brief. Going on and on over the phone not only wastes time, but may also prevent someone else from reaching one of you with an urgent message.

Now that mobile phones are ubiquitous, a whole new range of phone usage problems have sprung up. If you answer a mobile phone while you are in a meeting with someone is obviously an irritant to that person. Unfortunately, most people give the person calling more importance than the person they are with, which is extremely bad etiquette.

If you must have a lengthy conversation on your mobile phone, at least excuse yourself and leave so that the other person is not left hanging while you chat and giggle on the phone.

Time killer #2: Machines that don't work well

In many organizations, this is a bigger time killer than many people realize. Examples: A photocopier that takes a long time to produce the first copy, a desk drawer that gets stuck all the time, a door knob that won't open the door till you jiggle it several times and so on.

Until such machinery is either repaired or replaced, it will continue to waste time and lower productivity.

Time killer #3: The endless talkers

We all know people who are in love with their own voices. They lose all sense of time once they start talking! In the process, they can easily waste hours of your time as well.

The best way to deal with such folks is to avoid them in the first place. That's much better than requesting them to shut up! Ask your secretary to divert their calls, or use caller ID to do the same thing.

But make no mistake -- they are serious time killers and you need to deal with them appropriately.

Time killer #4: Traffic jams

This one's a huge problem in most cities. Calculate the amount of time you spend each day in traffic jams, multiply that by the number of work days in a year and prepare to be astonished at the colossal waste of your productive time.

One solution is to leave an hour early. Of course, that still kills your time, although it does help you avoid being late.

Where possible, walk to work, or take the metro part of the way and walk the rest of the distance. You'll probably get there faster. Plus, you'll be in better health too.

Another approach is to use the time you're caught in the traffic to do something constructive. Like listen to a CD on self development or on a professional topic. That way, at least you get something useful out of the time that would otherwise be lost.

Time killer #5: Queues

These days, you can use the internet or the telephone to eliminate much of the need to stand in queue, whether it's for booking tickets, doing a routine banking transaction, etc. Where possible, utilize those options, because they save you considerable time.

Time killer #6: Meetings

Meetings are supposed to boost productivity. Unfortunately, in most cases, they tend to lower it. This happens largely because of bad planning.

Take the time to prepare a crystal clear agenda for the meeting, including what outcomes you're looking for. Then communicate that to all meeting participants in advance. Just this one step will go a long way to converting meetings into productive activities instead of time killers.

Deal constructively with these time killers as well as others that are unique to your situation. And you'll discover that you're adding hours to your day and getting more done in less time than ever before.

Burt Carlson is a top corporate executive whose passion is helping people get more out of life by managing their time better. He has written articles on time management dealing with articles on time management, developing articles on time management and many other related topics.

Ashley limo service .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

The FBI is warning timeshare owners of a telemarketing scam tied to a Mexican drug cartel. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides steps to stay safe.
Protecting your home network includes securing your router, just like your phone or laptop. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals six ways to protect your Wi-Fi router from hackers.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: ConnectOnCall breach leaks sensitive data of 910,000+ patients.
Rising elder scams: How to recognize them and protect yourself and your loved ones. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you outsmart the scammers.
There are common habits and oversights that could leave your financial information vulnerable to cybercriminals, according to Kurt the CyberGuy.
Counting calories just got easier with The Drop, the world's first automated nutrition tracker using advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence.
A virtual private network can help ensure your information remains security and your privacy remains intact. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Artificial intelligence-based cameras are giving air defense operators unprecedented capabilities in monitoring and protecting airspace.
Apple's iOS 18.1 Inactivity Reboot automatically reboots your iPhone if it hasn't been used or unlocked for more than three days, providing better data protection.
An inventor designed rooftop solar panels for a Tesla that draws solar energy while the car is parked, adding travel mileage without plugging in.
There are currently no laws governing what artificial intelligence can and cannot do with the information it gathers; here are 10 things to avoid telling AI chatbots to keep yourself safe.
A credit union with over 240,000 members recently revealed it was targeted by cybercriminals, resulting in a data breach that was part of a two-month attack by hackers.
Scammers have become skilled at creating convincing fake websites that can easily fool unsuspecting users. The CyberGuy offers tips to protect yourself.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
CAPTCHAs, which are used by websites to confirm whether users are people or bots, are harmless, but hackers are using them to infect PCs with malware.
Hackers recently leaked personal information of about 500,000 Americans and stole patient medical records that included lab results and insurance details.
The holiday season sees a rise in mobile shopping scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to stay safe.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a VPN enhances online banking security by encrypting data and protecting privacy.
Beware of these six sneaky holiday scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives you tips to avoid falling victim.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to securely back up and factory reset your Android to protect your privacy and data.
Artificial intelligence is making life easier for cybercriminals, allowing them to create elaborate scams to trick people. Kurt the Cyberguy explains how to protect yourself.
Cut through all the digital clutter and delete multiple emails from your Android simultaneously. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how it's done.
Tips to prevent your holiday decorations from being stolen
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Are You Always Late?

"Fashionably late" is no longer in fashion. In today's heavily... Read More

Time Management: How to Make Your Meetings More Productive

In most organizations, meetings are often the biggest time-wasters. With... Read More

Time Management Training - A Necessary Investment or A Waste Of Money?

Many organisations view time management training as something they'll spend... Read More

Could you use a ?Stop Doing? list?

One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools... Read More

Shifting Priorities Are The Norm

Years ago when I started in this business, it seemed... Read More

It?s Not The Same Old Routine

We are constantly inundated with routine (often boring!) tasks around... Read More

5 Tips To Get More Out Of Your Work Day

It's easy to waste time on things that seem urgent... Read More

When Is Time Management Not Enough?

A working manager needs more than time management.That old saying,... Read More

How to Make More Time For Your Life

Do you wish you could work less and play more?... Read More

Perfekt!

Are you obsessed with getting everything just right? Do you... Read More

Find The Time -- Before Its Too Late!

People always seem to be in such a hurry, everywhere... Read More

Time Management is Cause Control

Recently I've experienced a barrage of time wasters. Everything you... Read More

Spend Less Time at Work and Get More Done

Sounds too good to be true?It really isn't!In fact, studies... Read More

Handling Procrastination

"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More

How To Pack 48 Hours Into Your Day

Too much to do, too little time, constant stress. Most... Read More

Have You Got a Minute?

Such an innocuous little phrase, yet when you are hard... Read More

Time Management For Home Business Owners

As each day passes, and more and more things need... Read More

Having Time on Your Side

Clarity brings accomplishmentOne of the most important things you can... Read More

Beyond Time Management ? Seven Ways to Leverage Your Time for Greater Results

Most of us have a to-do list ? some of... Read More

Time Managements

There are the golden rules that apply to time. If... Read More

Tips to Manage Your Time

Time and money are both very important in business. Yet,... Read More

Time Management -- Urgent vs. Important

"It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to... Read More

Measure Your Time Against Active Inactivity

We don't realize many things we do until we draw... Read More

Time: Do You Spend it or Invest it?

Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Manage Yourself - Time Wise

"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More

car service from Midway Arena ..