Randy Anderson – “The first and most enjoyable thing is to do what you WANT to do.”

Randy Anderson works with individuals, teams, and organizations to help people become more engaged, equipped, and empowered. He specializes in workplace productivity and personal excellence. His strategies are designed and proven to help individuals become more productive and experience greater fulfillment in life, while at the same time, helping the organizations they work for become more profitable. When he is not working, Randy spends most of his time with his wife Cathy and his three kids, Clayton (age 16), Carley (age 13) and Cole (age 8).

1. Why does efficient time management make sense?

Anderson: “Time is the only thing you have in life to trade for whatever you’re going to do or be or have. If you use it inefficiently, then obviously, you have a diminished return on your investment. Using time efficiently will allow you to get more of the things that you HAVE to do done in less time so that you have more time to spend on the things you WANT to do.”

2. What is the biggest mistake impeding efficient time management?

Anderson: “Inability or unwillingness to compartmentalize tasks and opportunities. If people don’t look at the most logical sequence of tasks, then time “slips through the cracks”, and you lose a lot.”

3. Where should I begin, if I want to keep my appointments better?

Anderson: “Try to put more appointments on the same day, rather than having them spread all across the week. If you put multiple appts on the same days, then you get in that mode, and generally move more efficiently from one to the next. This also leaves blocks of time (hopefully as much as half-days at a time) without appointments so you can focus on uninterrupted personal productivity.”

4. What are the basics for meeting all my deadlines?

Anderson: “Have visible reminders to which you can easily refer (in a phone calendar, on a wall or desk calendar, or in a portfolio calendar). Set intrusive reminders such as an alarm on your phone halfway through the time frame, then a week before due date, a couple of days prior to, and the day before.”

5. How can I strengthen my willpower to follow my plans?

Anderson: “Reminder yourself of WHY they matter and WHAT they will yield. If all you think about is WHAT you have to do, it is easy to become overwhelmed, bored, or discouraged.”

6. What can I do if others complicate my own time management?

Anderson: “Re-teach or retrain them on how you prefer them to interact with you. If people come to your office or call you and interrupt you, your response will either redirect or reinforce what is “ok”. If you stop what you’re doing to address their issue, you’ve just (accidentally) reinforced that it is ok for them to come interrupt you. If, on the other hand, you ask them if you can set an appointment to address that later (15 mins, two hours, right after lunch, or tomorrow morning) then you redirect them to that mindset. You should also model that for them by offering them the same courtesy. Instead of asking them to stop what they are doing to respond to you, allow them to choose the time. Start with something like, “I have xyz that we need to discuss. Is now a good time, or would you rather come to my office in a few minutes when you finish what you’re currently working on?” OR “Do you have time to talk about xyz now, or are you working on something more pressing?” By offering this professional courtesy, you earn the right to ask it of them.”

7. What is the difference between time management in private life and in professional life?

Anderson: “NOTHING! This has to become an all day mindset…not an on/off mentality.
I am less rigorous with what “has to happen” now if it involves my children, but I never get out of the most efficient way of thinking. Also, by incorporating that mindset into my personal life, I am able to teach my kids to value their time and to learn to use it more effectively.”

8. What personal price do I have to pay for more efficiency?

Anderson: “You may have to say “no” or at least put off some of the “fun things”, so that you can say “yes” to those things that are most important, more pressing, or more profitable long-term.”

9. What success does a better time management yield?

Anderson: “As I said above, the first and most enjoyable thing is time to do what you WANT to do. If I quit procrastinating, and get the “have to’s” done, I then can move on to the “get to’s”. It will also allow you to become a highly productive team member, which can lead to greater opportunities professionally.”

Further information:

www.e3professionaltrainers.com

Schedulemailer is a visible reminder.