Time Management Tips - Part 2

Here are five more tips for managing your time and work, through managing interruptions.

1. When a meeting is scheduled with a colleague, go to their office. It is much easier to leave their room then to get them to leave yours once they are settled.

2. Only have one or two spare chairs in your office, to help discourage people from long visits.

3. When asked if you have a minute to spare, answer that you literally only have one minute, give a brief reason why (people respond well to ‘because’) then ask if that one minute is enough or should you both agree another time to talk. If you agree another time, let them see you note this in your appointment diary.

4. Have a large clock on the wall behind you so that visitors can see that time is moving on.

5. Use verbal clues and body language to encourage someone to leave your office. So if someone barges in and starts talking at you, stand to greet them and remain standing, looking at the clock behind you before you speak to them (not while they are speaking) to indicate you have to keep an eye on the time. Tell them you only have x minutes to talk because you have a deadline to meet.

There will be more tips posted later this week.