Most were gifted with what we call as the “focus masters“, these are those individuals who have no issue with their time management. The biggest obstacle for these people is the ir-responsibility of everyone else around them.

Cubicle Trends is here to provide those (certainly you) “focus masters” some tips to help them (and you) find a little more guidance and patience with how to deal with the struggles of others.

First, understanding of these individuals.

Time management is a stress to most people. By just having a straw poll of an audience and find that 95% of them or more are having significant time management challenges. Just having that expectation in your mind will perhaps help you be more patient with others.

Second, providing a clear deadline.

When you task someone to do an assignment or project, give them a deadline, give them a date of when you expect it from them. And if they task you for a project or assignment, ask the same from them. When do they expect to received it from you. This will help both of you stay on schedules and progress.

Third, adding buffer in your schedule.

As discussed on our previous article “Managing never ending tasks“, building buffer can help you be prepared when those inevitable interruptions occur. Your time management might be perfect. However, because others aren’t, they’re very likely to interrupt you.

Fourth, provide reminders for people.

It’s a good practice to send out a little reminder in the middle between the task/project has started and its deadline.

“Hey, looking forward to getting this from you”

Perhaps, just the day before, send another reminder. Put in mind that 95% or more of people are struggling with time management. Because you don’t, you can help them out.

Fifth, follow up.

After the deadline of the assignment or project, follow up with people. This should be done always, not just when they didn’t do the assignment, but when they did do it. And provide some compliment by saying,

“Hey, thank you for being on top of this.”
or
“You’re doing great!”

The more other people see your example, the more they will expect it of themselves, that they can do better with time management. And this will help improve their behavior and their way of thinking.

CTTO to the images used.

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