For us in the business of Carpet Cleaning,
good time management is one of the hardest skills to
Carpet Cleaners who don't manage their time
will feel overwhelmed, tense, stressed and out of balance. They will work
feverishly from one crisis to the next, never feeling like they are getting
ahead, never able to bask in the satisfaction of a job well done. They are
always working on the most urgent matter, rather than what might be the most
important matter.
There is no magic formula for getting control
of time. It takes daily practice of discipline, focus and prioritising on
what’s important.
When I started in the Carpet Cleaning business, I noticed
early on that most business owners didn't make good use of their time. I took
careful notes and modeled my systems and methods of doing business after the
few successful business people who seemed to always make maximum use of their
time. Here are some tip tips on good time management, you may find helpful.
The Daily To-Do List
If you are not using a daily to-do list in
your business, please start one.
A to-do list involves more than keeping a few
notes on a calendar. Although there are many different types of to-do lists,
one of the best to-do list vehicles I have found is a simple pad. I list the
projects that I have to do and get great satisfaction as I complete them and
cross them out.
At the beginning of the day or sometimes the
preceding evening, I take a look at what I did yesterday and what I didn't
accomplish and what I have to do for today. I don't write down specific
appointments.
I just write down everything I have to do and everyone I have to
call. I assign a priority to every task and every call, numbering them one,
two, three, four and so on. Then, I start with number one. That way I am always
ensuring that the most important things are done first.
A to-do list serves the
following purpose:
- It reminds you of things that you are
likely to forget;
- It allows you to set priorities based on
importance, not just on urgency;
- It will help you plan, because you can
estimate how much time each item will take;
- It will help you regain your focus after
being interrupted;
- It helps you control your day, instead
of the other way around;
- It organizes your day so you can handle
specific tasks when you feel like handling them;
- It takes strain off your memory;
- It helps keep your desk clear by
eliminating scraps of to-do papers;
- It makes it far less likely that things
will slip through the cracks.
You should have only one to-do list going at
a time. Be sure that you do not place too much on it. A two-page to-do list is
entirely unrealistic. If your list becomes cumbersome, and you never seem to get
through it in less than a few days, or you find yourself continually re-writing
items, take a moment to review the proper usage of a to-do list.
Remember that not all tasks are the same.
After you write your list, put a priority number next to each item, and focus
on the most important ones right away.
By setting priorities, you will know at the
end of the day whether you spent your time wisely. For example, if you got only
two things accomplished, but they were the only two high-priority items on your
list, you are entitled to feel that you had a good day.
Projects not completed today can be carried
over onto a new daily action list tomorrow.
But don't make the mistake of using the same
list again.
Each day, you should make a new list, and rank the priorities
again. Circumstances change. Yesterday's number five item may rank as a number
ten item on today's daily action list.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of
making a daily list. It is hard to have a clear idea of what jobs you have to
do until you write them down. By writing down a daily action list, you can see
what is on your agenda and get a realistic idea of what you can accomplish in a
day.
Kevin Goodwin, Direct
Cleaners Ltd, http://www.directcleaners.com info@directcleaners.com 020 86871 1711
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