What Are the Benefits of Time Management Training for Your Business?

by Denise Landers

Time is the most valuable resource in the business world, yet it is also the most neglected. Do you have a proper time management strategy in place to maximize productivity and prevent loss of opportunity?

Do any of these sound familiar?

• Never seem to get enough done
• Multitasking all the time
• Lack of focus
• Difficulty prioritizing
• Overlooked deadlines
• Stress and Anxiety

The above points are a few of the reasons companies ask about time management training. Problems they are experiencing do not stem from a lack of motivation on the part of employees, nor do they reflect a lack of knowledge and skill relating to the business. There is a simple explanation that can cause many of these complaints.

Few people have been taught how to create effective schedules, how to group activities for maximum productivity, how to limit interruptions in a day, how to develop a practical filing system, or techniques for clearing inboxes. Despite all the degrees and certifications you and your office colleagues may have, chances are you were not shown how to set up an organized work space and then develop efficient systems to use and maintain.

Fortunately, along with the simple explanation, there are simple antidotes. Time management training that zeroes in on creating immediate, easy-to-implement processes for daily work flow will give you the tools and techniques to work both effectively and efficiently, get more done within the actual workday, and decrease stress.

What systems do you want to focus on when you are getting started?

Time

Learn how to set up daily schedules for your department that allow everyone periods of time with limited interruptions so they can focus on the tasks that require the most concentration. Then look for smaller blocks of time where you can group similar tasks like reading, processing email, clearing your inbox, data entry, filing, and paying bills.

Paper

Without a system for paper, you will never be a good time manager because you lose minutes looking at the same items again and again to determine daily priorities, as well as hunting for specific items. Stacks of papers surrounding you are also distracting, contributing to lack of focus. Find a method to help you make a decision the first time by determining the next step and when you will have a reasonable chance of accomplishing it.

Email

Create folders both for your reference files and for daily action. The same issue occurs with your email inbox as with your paper inbox when you fail to make a decision on a message the first time and move it to the appropriate action category. Soon you are scrolling through your inbox several times a day, looking at the same messages again and again because you do not want to overlook a due date.

Filing

Choose one system for your reference files. Be selective in what you choose to keep. Eighty percent of what you file will probably never be looked at again. You know you have an effective filing system when you can find anything you file within seconds, whether it is next month or five years from now. You also need to be able to tell someone else where to find it. Consider a numbered filing system tied in with software to give you greater flexibility and allow you to use the computer’s memory instead of relying on your own.

Finding an effective time management system can be the best investment your company makes. Results include:

• Improved concentration
• Easy prioritization
• Limited multitasking
• Increased productivity
• Reduced stress.

What a long-term return for a small investment on your part!

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