How Much Is Poor Time Management Costing You?

* If you were paying you to prioritise emails over coaching your team, would you feel you were getting a good return on your investment?

* If you were paying you to waste time on trivia rather than planning your next quarters sales plan ? would you think you were getting good value for money?

* If you were paying you to sit in numerous unproductive meetings would you feel that was a worthwhile contribution?

I suspect that the answer to those questions is no and yet, in effect, that's exactly what you are doing. By choosing to adopt poor time management habits and poorly prioritise what's important you are in effect creating a poor return on investment for your self your organisation or you own business.

No go One Step Further and ask your self "If I was paying me by the hour, day or on specific results what would I pay myself?"

It might be $30/hour, $800/week or $150000/year depending on your skill, knowledge and experience and in what role or business you are in. Let's say for example you are a manager earning $80000/year. Let's assume you work 250 x 8 hour days a year, which means you are earning the equivalent of $40/hour

* For every hour you spend trawling through your emails the cost is $40

* For every ½ day you spend catching up on your personal administration because you are poorly organised the cost is $160

* For every day you sit in unproductive meetings the cost is $320

Now imagine that came out of YOUR paycheck. Would that refocus your priorities? Probably.

You can see now how your poor time management could be costing you dearly and that's only in financial terms. You are probably paying the price physically and emotionally for your lack of prioritisation of what's important versus what's urgent and unimportant. But look how easily you can make impactful changes

Using the same average work pattern look how much extra time you could have if?

* You save 5 minutes a day; you will increase your productivity by 2.6 full days.

* You save 30 minutes a day; you will increase your productivity by 15.63 full days.

* You save one hour a day; you will increase your productivity by 31.25 full days.

Suddenly you have "created more time" with the opportunity to achieve more results. You can see that even small changes can make a huge difference.

Take Control of Your Time an by saving that time or by choosing to reallocate that time to higher priority work you will achieve better results, reach the targets you have been set and help others to do the same. By changing your costly habits you might also help others change theirs.

©2005 Beverley Hamilton

About The Author
Beverley Hamilton is the author of Take Control of Your Time: 7 Straight Shooter Strategies for Success. To learn more, subscribe to Quickstart her free ezine and get more tips, tools and articles visit at One Step Further

NOTE: You're welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered including the "about the author" information at the end.

---

Because Its Been Years Since Youve Seen a Blank Calendar

If you have ever missed an appointment, forgotten to pick... Read More

Organize Your Time

Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More

Time Management: How to Make Your Meetings More Productive

In most organizations, meetings are often the biggest time-wasters. With... Read More

When Is Time Management Not Enough?

A working manager needs more than time management.That old saying,... Read More

Effective Time Management - Delegating Techniques

Do you manage your time or does your time manage... Read More

The Key to High Productivity is Energy Management

One of the issues most often raised by my clients... Read More

Time Management: Eliminate Time Killers to Gain More Hours Every Day

There are two types of time killers in everyone's life.... Read More

Productivity at Home

Increased productivity, the ability to get more value for our... Read More

Handling Procrastination

"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More

How Would You Like to Capture Some Time?

Women's health issues often are focused on goals to reach:... Read More

Time Is Everything

Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More

Are You Running Out of Time?

Here's some time management tips to try:1) Set strict office... Read More

Time Management is Cause Control

Recently I've experienced a barrage of time wasters. Everything you... Read More

Time Management Doesnt Exist! So What Can You Do?

There is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More

Time Management Tips for Busy Moms

If you are like most moms I know you think... Read More

Being Busy Does Not Equal Being Productive

How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More

Work, Work, Work: Making Each Moment Count

Time, time, time. It seems there is never enough of... Read More

How to Double Your Accomplishment Level

Here's a smart system for doubling or tripling your daily... Read More

Four Steps To Make Your Day Dynamic!

There are two ways to start your day. The first... Read More

Tips to Save One Hour Per Day

At Home? Keep related items together, for example the coffee... Read More

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last... Read More

Time Management - Honor Your Time and Energy

Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More

Time is Money - Dont Waste It

"If you control your time, you control your life" -... Read More

Too Many Unfinished Projects?

Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More

Time Management - The Ultimate Oxymoron

Get a grip. Is it possible to manage time? Can... Read More

Let Someone Else Do It

When you decide to become self-employed, you automatically become the... Read More

Creative Leadership; Inspirational Power ( Part 2 )

Time management is absolute crucial nowadays where business decisions have... Read More

Low Tech Time Management

A simple kitchen gadget is transforming my life. I don't... Read More

Take Back Your Time

"You will never find time for anything. You must make... Read More

Procrastination: Why We Do It and How to Change

PROCRASTINATION: You've known about it since high school or college,... Read More

Todays Overload: Tommorrow

Whatever providence has in store for us tomorrow is not... Read More

Setting Time Aside For Studying And Homework

When trying to achieve a quality education, everybody knows that... Read More

Controlling Family Chaos - Time Management for the Family

Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More