Q. Hi! I work as a public relations executive at a well-known firm in Qatar. I often find myself working beyond office hours as I try to keep up with the fast pace of my industry. I manage my deadlines, but I am so stressed by the end of each day. It would be great if you could give me some time management tips so that I can do everything within work hours and lead a more balanced life. - Rani. A
Sometimes, you wish there were six of you to finish all your work in one stretch. It’s quite difficult to manage your time effectively at work, with so many tasks at hand and many more distractions. In fact, 35.4% of professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region very often work outside of work hours, according to the Bayt.com 'Work-life Balance in the MENA' poll, September 2012. But fear not, experts at Bayt.com know just what you can do to finish all your work on time, and lead a stress-free life.
1) Say ‘no’ when required I know that it could be really hard to say no, especially to your boss. You think it could create a bad impression, or lessen your chances for a promotion. But in truth, your manager might respect the fact that you are being assertive. In fact, 7 in 10 professionals feel comfortable to voice their opinion to their managers, according to the Bayt.com 'Employee Engagement in the MENA' poll, April 2014. This doesn’t mean you refuse flat out. You could say something like “I won’t be able to fit it into my schedule right now, but I am happy to do it at a later time” or “It would be great if I could do this task another time, as I want to focus all my energy on the task at hand to produce the best results.”
2) Keep what you need to do in front of your eyes Having a to-do list might seem cliché, but believe me, there is no better feeling that checking off completed tasks during the day. 94% of professionals use a to-do list to organize their day, according to the Bayt.com 'Distractions at Work in the MENA' poll, December 2013. You could do it the old fashioned way. At the beginning of the day, write down everything you need to do in order of priority in your notepad. As the day progresses, you will feel much lighter as you know most of your tasks have been done. Never leave out anything either. You could use your computer, mobile or pen and paper, anything that suits you really, to list down your work and do it efficiently.
3) Take breaks Sometimes, all you need to do is pull yourself together and go downstairs for a walk. Other times, you could switch your computer screen off for some time and close your eyes. Working for long hours at a stretch can be stressful. Taking 10 minute breaks every hour or so will improve your productivity, and in the long run, will make you more efficient. As a result, you end up saving a lot of time.
4) Finish all ‘thinking tasks’ when you are the most fresh Every professionals has two types of tasks, those that require your utmost focus and attention, and those that can be done without thinking. It is advisable to finish ‘thinking tasks’ before lunch, when you are fresh, and the latter after lunch. This way, tasks that require brain work can be completed faster, saving you more time.
5) Reduce distractions Six out of 10 professionals in the Middle East see distractions as a real problem at work, according to the Bayt.com ‘Distractions at Work in the MENA' poll. It’s okay to drift off once in a while, but the problem with social media and other idle web browsing is that one link often leads to another, and before you know it, an hour of your valuable time is gone! Give your web browsing activities a time limit, maybe half an hour a day. This way, you can focus on important work tasks.
