Crackberry: A Perspective on Time Management from a Human Resources Expert

The issue of this decade may be how we handle time management. HR legal regulations around FMLA and purposed mandatory paid sick leave shows that the politicians are paying attention. How are management and employees handling their time at your place of work?

Interruptions

How many interruptions does management get a day? Between email, voice mail, smartphone and impromptu meetings we could be talking hundreds…per day! If the biggest accomplishment you had this day was to clear your emails, you are in trouble.

We make fun of the little old people who spend hours throwing quarters into the slots. How is our smartphone any different? The attraction is that we can’t predict when the reward is coming. Even if we put the phone on vibrate, you have to look because this could be the BIG one.

Try this…

Keep track of your emails everyday for a week. How many do you average per day? How many are critical? Not urgent, but critical. Critical emails scream, “This one will change everything!” My prediction is that less than 10% of your emails warrant this level of attention from you.

Get Focused!

Employees typically don’t burnout because the amount of work. It’s the lack of an end point. There is no sense of accomplishment. No chance to spike the ball.

How can you help them stay inspired and focused?  Set up short term and long-term goals. Help employees stay focused on what’s important. Then say “Thank You” for the effort and celebrate any positive results.

Hunter Lott’s human resources consultancy helps clients in positions like yours make informed decisions.  If you have a question for Hunter, or a suggestion for a future blog post, please contact us today!.