1 Keep a list of the work you need to do under a series of headings. These
headings could make up a priority list of: must do immediately; should do
soon; may be put on the back burner; or reflect a four-way split of each item
of work as urgent and complex or important; urgent but routine; complex or
important but not urgent; routine and not urgent. This task list is best drawn
up on a daily basis, crossing out or carrying forward items as you tackle
them.
2 Avoid the temptation to do the routine and not urgent tasks first! They
tempt because they can be simple, distracting or even fun. But keep a note
of them, they can be done in the quieter patches. However, there are benefits
to be gained from spending no more than half an hour on a non-urgent task
before starting on an urgent one.
3 Whichever kind of to do list you use, remember it is dynamic and will
need to be reviewed daily. Time has a nasty habit of moving things on, and
what was once not urgent emerges suddenly as something needed yesterday.
Remember, too, that you may be better off by doing three things from your
list in part than spending all your time budget on just one of them.
4 Use a wall chart or a ‘What I am doing?’ grid. Such devices provide you
with a means to plan ahead and schedule your known commitments. They
also tell other people about your current activities. It’s useful for your
colleagues if you also include a location and a note of how you may be
contacted.
5 Keep your paperwork well filed. It’s a temptation just to ‘pile’ the in, out
and pending trays! Do this and you’ll inevitably spend ages looking for that
vital piece of information or, in despair, assume that it’s been lost (or not
received). Use a relatively quiet time to set up, maintain and update your
filing system.
6 Is your journey really necessary? Avoid multiple trips to the photocopier
or mail point. Ask yourself: ‘Rather than see someone, would it be quicker
to phone, e-mail or write?’ ‘Do I really need to go to such-and-such
meeting?’ ‘Do I actually need to go to the whole of that meeting?’
7 Work out which tasks you can delegate, and do so. Even with tight
staffing levels, there will be clerical and technical support staff. Often such
staff are better than you at doing jobs like word processing or complex
photocopying. They can be quicker, too!
8 Each day schedule particular times to make your phone calls and to
check your e-mail. Making and receiving calls and e-mails ad hoc across
the working day can be time wasting and distracting from other tasks. Invest
in an answerphone or ‘voice mail’ as a way to control, but not to lose calls.
Encourage those you phone, but who never seem to be available, to invest in
similar technology!
9 Try the do it now technique. Don’t be put off if you can’t do the whole task
in one bite. Break it up into smaller components that you can and will do
straight away. You can eat an elephant, if you do it a bite at a time!
500 TIPS FOR TESOL 89