Law Practice Today

Part Two:

Manage Your Time

Dreams and goals often go unrealized because people get too busy in the day to day tasks and obligations of living their lives. By learning to control your time on a daily level, you are more inclined to be successful at managing the obligations and achieving your overall goals.

1. Eliminate Clutter

Things create the illusion of success but can sometimes create more work. Perhaps your closet is bursting with 500 sweaters that you must plow through daily to find one of the half dozen or so that you actually wear or your garage is filled with tools you never use because you can never find them on your workbench. Take a hard look at your things and determine what to keep and what can be tossed.

Paperwork may be the biggest thing cluttering your life. When thinking about your personal or professional “paperwork” recognize there is a difference between “data” and “information.” Data is the entire universe of facts and statistics on a given topic while information is data that has value to you. It is important to cull through the data and only retain the necessary information. That will eliminate the need to swift through mountains of paper when you need to retrieve information.

Next, put things where you need them. Think in terms of traffic flow. Winter clothes should be in the front of the closet in December and in the back of the closet in July. Active files should be within arms reach while dormant projects can be filed further away. Also, decide on a filing system or organization structure that plays to your logic track to avoid wasting time looking for needed information or things. Simply having a designated place for everything from your important papers to your keys to your checkbook to the scotch tape and scissors will make your life more manageable.

Like things, relationships can also clutter your life and zap your energy. Identify the toxic relationships in your life. Who are the arsonists, the dramatics, the critics and judges? Eliminate those you can and develop strategies to minimize the time you spend with those you can’t eliminate entirely.

2. Think Ahead

The success of every project depends on the initial planning stage so get organized. Start by establishing structures for routine activities to create a semblance of order. That will reduce your stress because you won’t have to rethink activities over and over and over again.

No matter the size of the project, for the best results, always start at the end and work backwards. Consider the deadline, estimate the length of time each task will take, consider if several tasks can be completed simultaneously and examine the resources you have versus the resources you need to make contingency plans to get the job done despite any obstacles. Consider related issues that may impact the success of your project (e.g. conference room availability or other anticipated demands on your time, etc.) Finally, always ask yourself “who else needs to know?” to make sure your project does not adversely impact the work or lives of others.

It is often said, “the devil is in the details.” The only way to stay ahead of the devil is to invest the time to think through the details of each project. Depending on the complexity of each project, this critical step could take 5 minutes or 5 hours. Either way, the time invested in the beginning of the project is likely to pay off tenfold in time saved over the life of the project.

 3. Prioritize

Because you have planned and organized, you can map out the sequence of the various tasks that need to be accomplished with the help of To Do Lists and Calendars. Charting everything that needs to be done enables you to prioritize and maximize effectiveness.

Start with the biggest task that will take the longest time to complete. Once the project is underway, you can use any “wait” time to:

• work on other, smaller projects;
• respond to emails;
• return phone calls;
• tend to administrative tasks;
• catch up on professional reading or
• tend to quick personal tasks.

The key error most people make is to focus solely on the immediate task at hand. Such an approach causes us to operate constantly in reactive mode. By opting to think through the longer term projects first and getting them underway (particularly if they involve other people), you will be able to identify the smaller tasks to fill in any downtime, thereby using your time more efficiently. Whenever possible, adopt a “DO IT NOW” mentality. Most stress comes from that nagging sensation that we forgot to do something or from looking for lost items. By handling matters as they arise (add them to your To Do List immediately) you can eliminate such stress and use your time more productively.

We all have parts of the day when we operate at a higher level. Note when your brain surge is and save complex projects for that time. Also, develop defense strategies to mitigate any weaknesses. That will prevent you from procrastinating because you will know how to tackle those difficult projects.

 4. Manage Technology

Some people view technology as a blessing; others, a curse. If you respond to every telephone ring, email buzz and blackberry vibration like Pavlov’s dog responded to the bell, you likely fall into the later category. But technology truly can make your life easier, if you learn to manage it well. For example, when you are working on a project requiring intense concentration, work in 45 minute spurts. Use the other 15 minutes to check voicemail/emails. Respond to the critical issues during that time and the others at a designated time later in the day. This method will ensure that no one ever needs to wait more than an hour to get a response to a critical issue and that each message will have your full and undivided attention.. Listen or read the entire message and provide complete and detailed responses. There is nothing that wastes more time then the volley of half-answered emails lobbed back and forth every day in the workplace. Slow down, be accurate, save time!

Finally, live by the 24 hour rule. Respond to every voicemail/email within 24 hours. Even if your response is simply “I will have the information for you next week,” don’t wait until next week to respond. Otherwise you will have to waste time responding to emails or voicemails asking “did you get my message?”

 5. Learn to Communicate Effectively

The ability to communicate effectively is the greatest time saving device. It is critical in every aspect of your professional life—from networking and interviewing, to supervising and delegating, to working with clients, peers and superiors. It is also a basic life skill that can be used to enhance your personal life. While you cannot control how other people share or process information, you can consider their style and adapt your own style to improve communication.

The purpose of adjusting your style to others is not simply to be nice. It is more self-serving than that. By giving your listeners what THEY need, you are more likely to get what YOU need from the exchange.

For example, is your listener a fast-moving, action-oriented extrovert or a quiet, thoughtful introvert? Is this someone who likes lots of details and information or only bottom-line information? Is this someone with whom you can think out loud or someone who only wants to hear the end decision? By being mindful of your own behavioral tendencies, you can improve your communication skills and, ultimately, your likeability.

Do not discount the importance of likeability in the workplace. Strong communicators have a distinct advantage in the world because they know how to relate to people and get things done.

People are judged not only by the words they choose to articulate a thought, but also by the tone and body language used during the delivery. It is important to be mindful of the images you project. You want to ensure that any inferences made about you accurately reflect who you are and the intent of your message. This is not to suggest that form is more important than substance. However, you never want your “form” to impede your ability to effectively relay your message.

To avoid miscommunications take steps to ensure your body always supports your message. Consider the following tips.

Make eye contact. Look people directly in the eye when you are speaking. This serves two major purposes. 1) It engages people. Your eyes are like magnets; people cannot look away. They will feel acknowledged and drawn in to the conversation and you will be more likeable. 2) It provides instant feedback to determine how your message is being received. You will be able to see if people look confused, doubtful, bored, etc., and adjust your message accordingly.

Use your body to project confidence. Your stance should convey power and poise. Stand tall with your shoulders back and your feet firmly planted about hips-width apart. This will allow you to balance your weight and minimize distracting shifts from leg to leg as well as rocking backing and forth or swaying which makes you look nervous and uncomfortable.

The same principal applies when seated. Your feet should be flat on the ground and your forearms should be placed on the table. Sit on the front 2/3rds of the chair to ensure you are sitting straight. While this is not the most comfortable way to sit, it is the most commanding. When you are in the listener role, you can assume a more comfortable position.

Understand the power of your voice. Your voice is a very powerful, seldom thought about, tool. Notice effective speakers. There is a pace and a rhythm to their speech patterns. They project their voices, using pauses for dramatic effect. Always speak slowly, enunciate clearly and smile when appropriate to let your enthusiasm and energy come through.

Remember to breathe. If your speech pattern is peppered with “ums,” “uhs,” “ers,” “likes” and “you knows” it is probably because you aren’t breathing properly. At the end of each sentence, take a breath, focus your eyes and deliver the next sentence or thought. Power is never rushed.

 6. Honor Your Leisure Time

In order to be productive, everyone needs time to recharge their batteries. Schedule at least 30 minutes each day to do something “indulgent” for yourself. Take a bath, go for walk, hit the gym, read a magazine, watch TV. Without downtime, you will eventually burn out and be of no use at work or at home!

Next Month: Manage Your STAFF