Peer to Peer Magazine

BEST PRACTICES Controlling Chaos Do you find yourself increasingly unable to keep up with the incoming barrage of requests? So much so that at times you can’t even prioritize the incoming messages fast enough to consider responding or delivering work product based on those requests? This is an all too common complaint in our world of instant communications. The first step in finding a solution, as always, is admitting you have a problem with the chaos that controls your life. N ever wanting to reduce my workload or lessen my responsibilities, I used that goal to help forge what works for me today. A routine of missed deadlines and unreturned phone calls was not how I wanted to run my professional and personal life. I have found some methods to deal with the chaos that is my life, and I’m providing my observations based on my experiences below. These may not be for everyone. Know what is important to you and develop ways to ensure that you prioritize the right things at the right time. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR INBOX That inbox overflowing with unread items seems like a good reason to abandon all hope. In fact the contrary is true. It’s just the impetus you need to manage your time better and adjust your allocation of time spent on certain tasks. Leave time to deal with inbox “cleanup” as part of each day’s routine. TOMORROW BEGINS TODAY I dedicate time at the end of each day to plan what I will be working on the following day. This exercise identifies projects that will or won’t be dealt with on the horizon so that you can keep your constituencies, up and down, apprised. Communicating your changing timeline on any assignment or project is very important; you want to manage others’ expectations. 14 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer CLEAN DESK, CLEAR DIRECTION A clean desk affords me clarity for the project on which I am currently focused. I dedicate time each day to prioritizing incoming items and then work on them in that order. I keep the workload organized, and any items that are not my current focus are out of view. Work on items that are most important and not what is easiest or most comfortable to do. STUCK AT LAX For me, business and personal tasks commingle from the time I wake up until I fall asleep. I manage my time for everything in one place rather than separate systems. I find that I can enjoy the latest issue of Peer to Peer during my son’s lacrosse (LAX) practice. I plan my tasks, both work and personal, around when they can be completed most efficiently. Some tasks, like budgeting, must be done at the office for the most efficient use of my time. PAY IT FORWARD As you demonstrate your mastery over chaos, your teammates learn from your example. You’ll build a culture of good time management as you discipline your team to take control of their time. My team must provide weekly reports of major projects that include what they’ve completed compared to what they planned to complete. They also forecast what will be completed the following week. The most important part of this exercise is that it

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