Most people will agree that there is never enough time in a 24-hour day. If there were ten more hours added to each day, would we still have enough time to accomplish what we want? While we will never know the answer, according to the monthly publication, “Communication Briefing,” there are five major time-wasters that we can improve upon. If managed correctly, you may find lost time and dramatically improve your productivity – both at home, and at the office.

1. Spreading yourself too thin.  We can all relate to trying to accomplish everything in a short window of time. However, trying to complete so many things at once can be an unrealistic expectation. Suggestion- Prioritize the tasks that must be completed everyday or hourly. When prioritizing your day, get the most important items done first. This will help you accomplish all of your assignments set aside for the day. You will also feel great satisfaction when tasks are accomplished. A key to prioritizing your day is to schedule some open-time for unforeseen deadlines that could shift your day.
2. Being afraid to delegate.  Delegating tasks that do not require your full attention is important in managing your time. I have heard many people say that it is easier to do it themselves. Well, this misconception can be overwhelming and stressful. Delegating allows for time to be freed up so that the most important items may be completed. Not delegating to trusted employees is, also, a missed opportunity for providing feedback and/or development for employees who you are grooming. In addition, the delegator does not have to lose full control of the tasks, since they can always review the assignment and make final edits prior to completion.
3. Not wanting to say “no” to requests. There is no way to say “yes” to every request while trying to manage your own responsibilities. Make a decision of what you must and want to do. Then say “no” to all other request. This will empower you to be the manager of your time, while not setting unrealistic expectations to you or the person that is requesting something from you.
4. Being tied to the phone.   There are many things that you can do to ensure that your time is not monopolized on the phone. You may have someone screen your calls, use a voicemail system when you don’t want to be disturbed, or schedule phone time to make/return calls.
5. Procrastinating.  There are a number of reasons why we procrastinate; we may feel like the assignment is so unpleasant that it is a chore or, the task is too large. Assignments that are unpleasant should be accomplished first; this will get them out of the way, so that you can spend time on tasks that are not boring. For larger tasks, dividing them into smaller pieces will help make it manageable. Also, remember to incorporate what you learned in steps 1-4. For example, after dividing the project into smaller pieces, allocate time on your schedule to work on the project, delegate portions of the assignment that you are comfortable with delegating, be prudent with your time by saying “no” to assignments that do not require your attention and watch the amount of time that you are spending on the phone.

Remember, managing your time is something that can be only mastered with practice and organization. It is important to reward yourself when you have reached milestones. You may define your milestones in many ways. One can be recognition for having more freed-up time then the previous week or that you trained an employee, because you delegated effectively.