Time is our most precious commodity. We must fight to protect it, invest to compound it and concentrate to make it matter. If you're anything like me, you are always on a relentless pursuit to do more with less. I hope this guest post gives you a new perspective to do just that with your most precious commodity.
Tips To A Happier Work Life: Time Mangers vs. Time Makers
In the working world, a few mathematical statements tend to hold true: time equals productivity, and productivity equals profitability. On the other hand, there are some additional equivalencies that cannot be ignored: a time crunch equals stress, and negative stress has a directly inverse relationship to productivity. So, how does a person who strives to be a happy worker manage that fine balance between timeliness, productivity, and stress?
One of the first steps to being someone who makes productive time happen, as opposed to simply managing an ever-growing list of time-consuming tasks, is prioritizing. The health gurus at Mayo Clinic agree: knowing how to prioritize is one of the key ways to preserve energy and avoid stress. It’s also one of the secrets of Time Makers. Rather than wasting resources on tasks that aren’t productive and won’t produce results, they eliminate those tasks, either delegating them to better-equipped individuals or finding a way to get rid of the need for those tasks altogether. The elimination of unnecessary tasks allows Time Makers to do what they do best – make time to address the items that deserve the most time and attention.
On the other side of the coin contributing to dissatisfaction with time management at work is simple boredom. Masters of time management may find themselves in a special kind of rut: not enough to do, and too much time in which to do it. Boredom sets in, leading to decreased morale and lethargy.
The suggestion? Act like you’re self-employed. Rather than working based on units of time, the self-employed typically set some kind of task-oriented goal for themselves: a profit margin, a number of units sold, or any other measurable quota to work towards. Upon meeting that quota, there’s a reward. Use that reward to become more engaged in your work; your productivity will increase, and your boss will notice. Your boredom will ultimately be short-lived.
For companies looking to increase productivity, one way to turn your employees from time managers to time makers is to consider an ownership-like incentive. It can be difficult for employees to “take pride” and “take ownership” in work where additional efforts result in little in the way of additional gains. On the other hand, a direct correlation between productivity and incentive rewards of some kind can be a great stimulus to productivity and employee morale and engagement.
This was a guest post from the Niko Niko team. Niko Niko is a real-time mood tracking and analytics platform for teams. You can find out how your team feels at nikoniko.co.
Question: What tools or strategies do you use to make more time?
