Many years ago, a management consultant named Ivy Lee was called in by Charles Schwab, chairman of Bethlehem Steel Co., to give Schwab advice on how to better manage his time. After observing Schwab, Lee suggested: "Every evening, write down the six most important things that must get done the next day, and list them in order of importance. Don't begin item two until item one is complete."
Schwab asked Lee how much he wanted for this advice. Lee replied, "Use the plan for six months and send me a check for how much you think it is worth."
Schwab realized the value of this advice. How you spend your time can be as important as how you spend your money.
After six months, Lee received a check from Schwab for $25,000, which was a lot of money in the 1920s.
Time is an organization's most valuable commodity. Waste it, and you are throwing away an irreplaceable resource.
Do you complain that you never have enough time to finish projects or complete your work? The reason may be that you're wasting your time, because you haven't figured out how to use it well. Here are some ideas to get time on your side:
Begin your day with a plan. If you have no plan on how to tackle your workload, you'll end up battered by competing demands. Manage your time better by doing the right things well, not by doing the wrong things faster. At the end of your day, make a to-do list for the next day, so you can be productive immediately in the morning.
Prioritize, don't procrastinate. Many people like doing the easy things first and saving the harder things for the end. But what if those harder things never get done, or there are emergencies that come up? Your plan should be prioritized by order of importance, even if it means tackling the hard jobs first.
