Time Is Money In The Window Film Business
It's all about time my friend!
Klingshield Johannesburg South Africa 13th January 2012
Are you making the most of your time? Most business people face distractions and interruptions in the course of a day. When wearing so many hats ,white and black, and working hard to keep your ship afoot, one needs to maintain a calm and professional image at all time, as making the most out of every moment is absolutely essential.
Releasing the importance of time management is the first step to conquering your problem. Begin by becoming more aware of how to use your time. The best way to do this is to write things down and keep making lists of what needs to be done. Details of your activities are also important for follow ups and to be able to see what one has achieved for that particular day.
As they say in the classics "time is money" so don't waste it and don't delay tasks for a later time. Get the job done - that is what your company is paying you for. Not to sit around on facebook or surfing the web to kill time.
Many interruptions are sometimes unavoidable but when your mate phones to talk bullshit, cut them short and tell them your boss has given you a shit load of work and he is waiting in his office for it and I don't want him to walk in and hear me wasting time keeping you entertained.
Good jobs are hard to find and especially a job you enjoy, so don't play around with your future. If a person is happy at work they are generally happy at large. Most people hate their jobs and if that is the case rather pack your bags and move onto greener pastures.
If you don't take charge of your phone calls they will eat up your day. Here are some tips when handling calls to enable you to make the most of your day. Prioritize calls. Always write down messages in a telephone book and not on pieces of paper as these bits of paper get lost and then there is no reference to messages at a later stage. Klingshield have message books but only a handful of staff members use them. Always check with the caller that you have the right phone number and try to get a land line and a cell number. Slap dash message taking shows a lack of job satisfaction.
Always delegate calls to the correct person most capable of handling the enquiry but should they be busy on another call take the initiative to help the caller yourself. However if it is out of your depth, then take a message or pass it on to someone else who is capable of dealing with the caller’s query. We don't want to be like Government concerns who send callers from one person to another to get shot of them.
It is amazing how people cope with desks that look like a dogs breakfast. Always keep your desk in an orderly fashion because a person with a messy desk normally has a messy mind. In my opinion one cannot operate in a professional manner with a mountain of papers all over one's desk. All you do is waste time looking for things. Handle each piece of paper once. If you need it for future reference file it. If it requires immediate action, place it in a stackable letter tray labelled "To do" To read” , “To pay” , “To discuss with the boss” , “To action” etc. All other unwanted paperwork should be dumped in the rubbish bin.
Ensure you have standard company letter forms ready to be filled with the concise and detailed information like our dealer collection sheets or our flat glass work sheets or our lead books.
Spend 10 minutes at the end of each day cleaning up, filing and making notes of what to follow up or what needs to be discussed with the boss or colleagues the next day.
Also get your “to do” list in order and ready for you to tackle when you walk in the next day. Each day one should have objectives to what one would like to accomplish and plan your day like Errol Geyer. He makes a list every day of who he wants to see once he hits the road.
When one arrives in the morning get going. Don't sit around waiting for things to happen, make them happen. Action governs reaction. The greater the output the bigger the input.
If your are delegating work, give clear instructions about the tasks. Always let the person know you are available to help if they have a problem and check on their work to make sure they understand what is expected of them
To deal with procrastination one needs to change one attitude. It's the difference between do it now attitude or do it later or it's not my job or I am happy to do it any time. If you are not born like that make sure you change as there are many fish in the sea who are waiting to swim to grab your job. Thank G-d for what you have and stop complaining about what you don't have. Make the best of your life. You only have one chance at it. Enjoy every day as if it is your last and then you will be living life and utilising your time to a maximum.