27 Feb PLANNING YOUR WEEK IN 30 MINUTES
Another Monday. There never seems to be enough time in the day to get things done. Experts say that you need only 30 minutes to plan your entire week. How to do it? Follow the OATS formula:
O: Objectives.
What results do you want to see by the end of the week? Write them down and rank them.
A: Activities.
What do you have to do to achieve your goals? List the necessary activities, and put them in sequence.
T: Time.
How much time will each activity require? To plan realistically, allow yourself more time than you think you will actually need. This gives you flexibility if unexpected problems develop.
S: Schedule.
Look at your calendar and decide when you can do each activity. Most people underestimate the power of a schedule, but you won’t get anything accomplished if you don’t schedule time to do it.
And, here’s a bonus suggestion:
Time-management experts recommend setting aside an hour a day to make and return your phone calls. But which hour? The best times of the day are the first two hours of the morning and the last two hours of the afternoon. That’s when most people are in the office and accessible by phone.