Questions? Questions? Questions?

One of the best time management techniques is 'Asking the right questions'.

• Ask questions to make sure you are on track. Don't assume anything.
• Don't ask negative questions or questions that are closed-ended.
  
• Ask questions that requires the person answering to give more than single-worded answers. For example: Can you provide more details? Can you give me an example as to how you arrive at that conclusion?

Some thought-provoking questions:

• Ask WHY (and you may eliminate it)
• Ask WHERE (and you may find a better place for it)
• Ask WHEN (and you may find a better schedule)
• Ask WHO (and you may a more appropriate person)
• Ask WHAT (and you may avoid working on a wrong problem)
• Ask HOW (and you may find a better solution)

"Don't ever talk until you know what you're talking about."
- Sam Rayburn -

Do it right, the first time

This phrase has been around for sometime but it is still as relevant as when it was first conceived.

If you are serious in working smart, the first thing is to change your thinking i.e. Do it right the first time. Your thinking (your thoughts) influence your attitude. Your attitude influences your actions. Your continual actions creates your habits. Your habits determine your lifestyle.

You can apply this concept to your daily incoming mails (including e-mails). Keep to a minimum the number of times you handle your mails, one time is good.

• Set aside a specific time to deal with your mail. (e.g. An hour each day.)
  
• Avoid distractions. Complete the task at hand before proceeding to other tasks.
• As you progress to a more manageable workload, reduce the time set aside to handle you mails.
• Organize and prioritize your mails - 1) Must deal, 2) Deal later, 3) When I have the time.
• Junk the junk mails. For e-mails, get a good anti-spam software. There are many freeware anti-spam softwares. I use Thunderbird e-mail client, which has built-in spam filtering. It is free.
  

The objective is to break your mails into groupings. Within each group, you break it into smaller groups. For example - Must deal mails - Prioritize it into 1) Response now, 2) Delegate it, 3) Deal with it later (Information are not available - waiting for colleagues information). As you prioritize, write notes directly on the mails, so that when you reply, you have an idea of your response.

Be flexible with your scheduled time. If you find yourself, unable to complete your mail handling regularly, schedule more time each day. As you progress, it will take less time to handle your day-to-day mails, schedule a shorter time.

"Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."
- Lawrence D. Bell -

Clearing your 'twin towers'

Your in-tray is higher than the Petronas twin towers and that you hardly have time to clear the backlog. Here are some tips:

• Take a deep breath and don't panic.
  
• There are only 24 hours in a day and 60 minutes to each hour. Be realistic! You cannot clear your backlog in an hour. Don't set an unrealistic time frame to clear the work pile. Why give yourself unnecessary pressure, stress and increase your blood pressure.
  
• Deal with your present (current) work properly, don't allow these to join the backlog.
• This is ironic, the more time you spend dealing with your backlog, the more manageable it becomes.
• What needs to be delegated, delegate. Only supervise and follow-up on the delegated tasks. Trust the person to do their job.
• If the tasks really require your attention, get them done quickly.
  

The aim is avoid adding more paperwork to your backlog as you clear your backlog.

Getting the work done

Remember that in every work, there is a work cycle. Each piece of work (or task) has a beginning, middle and end.

The beginning of a task requires planning, preparation and setting up. The middle of a task involves action, the doing of the task. The ending of the task includes maintenance (like wrapping up the task), cleaning up and ensuring the conditions around you are better than when you first started on the task.

"Problems are only opportunities in work clothes."

- Henry J. Kaiser -

4S

4S stands for

SEI-LI = Organization
SEI-TON = Orderliness
SEI-KEZ = Neatness
SEI-SOU = Cleanliness

4S originated from the Chinese but has been successfully implemented by the Japanese. 4S takes a bottom-up approach compared to other quality improvement concepts which normally takes a top-down approach.

To put 4S in a simple manner "Organize your materials. Perform the job in an orderly manner. Cleanup afterwards." The 4S approach is more gear to the individual (more personal), getting the individual to be more orderly and organized.

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

Henry Ford

Sorting your incoming mail

Use the DRAFT system to sort your incoming mail into groupings.

• D - Items that must be distributed or delegated.
• R - Items you must read.
• A - Items you must act on.
• F - Items you must file.
• T - Items which can be thrown out.

Understand that mails includes e-mail, voice mail, faxes, memorandums.

Four Secrets of Life

1. Establish specific goals for your life.
2. Persevere when you encounter failure.
3. Build financial security.
4. Listen to your critics.

Robert Jeffress - Condensed from "The Solomon Secrets"