Stephen Covey

Issue date:
February 6-8, 1998

New ways to get organized at work

To be more effective, focus on what's truly important. Try the "5-minute rule" and more tips from the experts.

POLL RESULTS

Americans want to slow down A scientific survey of 600 adults commissioned by the Franklin Covey Co. shows: 42% of adults report that too often they feel "life is a treadmill and I can't get off." 20-somethings tend to feel this way slightly more than boomers and much more than those over 55. Women tend to feel this way more than men. 78% of adults say they wish they had more time to "stop and smell the roses." Women feel more strongly about this than men do. Sentiment is also stronger among 20-somethings and baby boomers. 58% believe technological advances have given them more time. Women are more inclined to feel technology gives them more time to do what they want than are men. 81% of people consider themselves organized, yet 83% say getting more organized is among their goals.

n today's workplace, everyone is exhorted to do more, to work harder, smarter, faster. We all make "to do" lists, then get buried alive in all the tasks we feel we must complete.

	Are you an urgency addict? Take our "5-Minute U" and find out.

Most of us feel we're losing the battle. A recent nationwide poll we commissioned shows 8 in 10 Americans wish that they were more organized and that they had more time to "stop and smell the roses.''

Here are strategies to help you conquer your time crunch frustrations and become more effective at work and at home:

MULTITASKING

Multitasking -- doing two or more things at once -- is fine as long as you're dealing with things, not people. We wouldn't discipline a child while watching The X-Files out of the corner of our eye. But there are lots of ways to combine tasks. Flying on a business trip, for instance, you can respond to e-mail on a laptop, or fill out your expense report on the way home. We know executives who carry a file of articles related to their business with them when they're away from the office. Then, when they get stuck in an airport, they read them.

TECHNOLOGY

It can be a time waster or a time saver, if you use it wisely. For example, instead of spending time debugging version 1.0, it pays to wait for later versions. To interview a job candidate who lives across the country, consider video-conferencing. A gadget we have been using lately is a voice memo card. When you're driving and a sudden insight comes to you, the voice memo card lets you dictate that thought into a credit card-sized device you can carry on a key chain. Beware, however, of getting so addicted to gadgets that you spend inordinate amounts of time trying to figure out how to use them without considering if they really fill a need.

THE "5-MINUTE" RULE

Ask yourself, "Is there anything I can do for five minutes to make tomorrow better?" For example, you call a customer and ask about your company's bidding process. You ask questions like: "What was it about the process that helped? Did anything unnecessary get in the way?" If you can improve an item like that by even 5 percent, it's better than improving 10 other things that aren't that critical.

"THINKING TIME"

Institute an hour's "quiet time" each day in which people can close their doors and work without interruptions or answering phones or e-mail. Arrange your day so you accomplish the most crucial, creative tasks when you have the most energy. If you tend to tire in midafternoon, use that time to open mail or return phone calls. Be sure every meeting has a clear purpose, a clear agenda.

A CEO we know at an electronics company keeps a work journal. He jots down the key decisions he's made each day, the issues he has struggled with. He considers this one of the keys to his company's success -- he is able to see patterns and respond quickly.

We notice that really successful executives zero in on what they do that "adds value" to an organization. Often, instead of trying to jam as many things into a day as possible, it's more important to step back and think. So, instead of dictating three letters in the back of the cab on your way to the airport, ask yourself, "What is the most important thing I could be doing?" For each task, ask yourself, "Should it be done? By me or someone else? Is it vital?"

ESTABLISH PRIORITIES

There always will be items on your "to do" list. The trick is to figure out which are priorities. You must first attend to what's both urgent and important. But to be truly effective you should spend as much time as possible doing important things that aren't urgent. Otherwise, you can spend all day in the thick of thin things.

Break down difficult projects into smaller tasks that are easier to start. Schedule exercise and "play time" just as you schedule business appointments. Then, as you head home Friday night, you can take a few minutes to stop and smell the roses.

Stephen Covey, a USA WEEKEND contributing editor, and Roger Merrill are co-authors, along with Rebecca Merrill, of the best seller First Things First.