Let’s talk about time management

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We’ve all heard of it and, although it’s something that comes around like clockwork, whenever it’s time for a performance review, it’s still something that we ironically don’t always have the time to work on, me included.

It’s easy to be ‘busy’ at work, but are we busy in the right context? Or are we all just busy being fools? And how can we make our time at work more productive?

Alleviate pressure

We live in a world where we are always switched ‘on’. Our smartphones constantly alert us to any new messages and emails, our smartwatches vibrate all day long and alert us whenever we make so many steps, and we always seem to be on the computer where there is no shortage of information being directed our way.

There’s pressure from our peers, directors, business owners and employees asking us questions, and there’s no longer an off switch for anyone.

So, how can we implement some simple structure that will help alleviate some of this pressure?

Plan, plan, and then plan a bit more. It’s not the most revolutionary answer I’ll admit, but it works.

Most people don’t plan for the following day, but you’ll be surprised at how effective setting aside time to assess the rest of your week can be.

Get organised

Create your own spreadsheet or write a list of all of your tasks for the week, whichever method works for you, and take a break every hour to assess what you’ve achieved since you last checked over your list. You will either be amazed at how much you’ve done, or surprised at how much you’ve procrastinated!

Treat your time like you would your finances – keep a close eye on them!

The most important thing is to be honest with yourself, and question how you should delegate your time. Doing this will help you identify your biggest waste of time, so you can change it!

To have a chat about your executive search, contact me at carl@refind.co.uk

You can view more about Carl Hinett our Executive search of HR professionals specialist here.

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Change recruitment – at work and at home

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Organisational design - at work and at home
Change – at work and at home

I specialise in change recruitment at work, but my biggest challenge came from change at home – when I had kids!

I never knew how challenging it would be to manage work and family life. Whilst you can vaguely guess at how it might be difficult to divide your full attention between both, you never really know what the reality of it feels like until you experience it.

 

The main thing that you quickly realise is that you only have some much time available to you, especially when you’re running a small business.

 

I remember when life used to be Eat, Sleep, Rave – Repeat!

 

Now I feel more like a Labrador going round and round in circles, chasing his tail but never quite managing to get a hold of it…

 

I know recruiters get a lot of stick but it is a tough job

I know recruiters get a lot of stick but it is a tough job! Both emotionally and also from a time perspective. There is a reason the big recruitment firms make junior recruiters work so hard, its because until you know what you are doing – doing more = better results. The more that you put out there, statistically the more results that you’ll get (even if those results don’t always hold the greatest value).

 

That said, I don’t think many recruitment firms have moved with the times. Most adverts read; we work hard play hard, we go for beers, you can earn loads of money… I don’t think that’s really why most people go to work.

 

These adverts only really appeal to one part of a large demographic. Whilst these might be great perks for someone fresh out of university, for those that have important commitments outside of work then these things just aren’t as important.

 

Your priorities change when you have kids, now the most important thing to me is ensuring I see my boys as often as I can. Not going out with my colleagues for beers every evening (and being judged if you can’t make it). Whilst it’s great to socialise with your team, and I think it’s great to spend time with colleagues outside of the office, this shouldn’t eat away into your personal time and cause an imbalance in how your time is spent.

 

That’s why I setup re:find, I wanted to create a culture that supported people (rather than stifling their creativity), enabled people to put their lives first whilst having the infrastructure to enable them to be a success at work and rewarded people not just with cash but with recognition.

 

Interested? Give me a call. Send me a message. Or leave a comment below. James@refind.co.uk.

You can view more about James Cumming our change and business transformation specialist here