Do you know that there are time thieves everywhere and are trying to steal away of your time? It is sad to know that not many people take any action on these time thieves and some even not aware of it. As Thomas Edison said “Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose”. Time is non-renewable resource. There is no point of keep saving time but at the same time someone are stealing away your time. Therefore, your effectiveness in identifying the time thieves and overcome them is critical in order for you to achieve higher productivity and better time management goal.
Below are some of the hidden time thieves that we must know and minimize them
1. Handling Other People’s Problems
A lot of people tend to take advantage other people time by requesting for help. Probably the most dangerous word is “just”. Example, “Can you just ….?”. If you are inability to say “No”, then you will end up solving their problem at the expense of your own time. Some of them even ask for help without trying to solve it by themselves. Helping others is noble but not causing your own problem remains unresolved.
2. Telephone and Unscheduled Visitors Interruptions
It is very distracting to answer phone calls or visitors while you are busy working on something. These interrupters are not limited from your colleagues but could be from your friends, relatives, or even from your loved one. Once you have completed the conversation, you have to recall where you have stopped and motivate yourself to resume your work. One way you can do is set a specific time period for incoming call and get your secretary or receptionist to inform all the callers to call back during that time period.
3. Meetings
A lot of meetings are unnecessary as sometime the person who called for the meeting would like you just to show your face in the meeting or want to get a faster answer from you in case of any question arises. Even worse, some managers or bosses often call for unscheduled meetings. Sometime you may attend meetings without knowing the agenda of the meetings. There are cases where the bosses expect you to recall what have been discussed during the last meeting. Always check with the chairman of the meeting for objectives of a meeting. If you find your present is not required or some other people is more qualified to attend it, suggest it and excuse yourself from the meeting.
4. Procrastination
Edward Young called procrastination as thief of time. Often people procrastinate when they are indecisive on the next cause of action. They fear of making mistake by taking the wrong steps. Some of them could be due to laziness or not motivated to work on a task. You need to find out the root cause of this problem or could it be any of the above mentioned causes. Try to overcome this problem by reading some self-help books, listen to tapes, attend motivation seminar or even self-hypnosis.
5. Socializers
Someone may ask you “Got a minute?” These are people who want to spend time with you on non-job related subjects. Again, they could be incoming calls, drop-in visitors and colleagues. Socializing is important as part of rapport building with customers, colleagues or team but you need to be careful, not to let socializing affects your job productivity. Therefore, you need to evaluate whether the time invested is justifiable with the return and the priority of your current task. If it is worthwhile and your current task is low priority, then just accept it. Otherwise, you can either postpone it or decline it for this round.
You can discover more time thieves by logging down your daily activities in a time log and review it at the end of the day. You may discover some expected or unexpected activities or tasks that have chewed up your time. Only consistent review and proactive action can ensure a better time manager.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Grieving process for a 12 year old
By: petunyabug | 10-07-2008
What is the "normal" grieving process for a 12 year old? (It was his dad) I'm sure that is why he is sleeping a lot and staying in bed and being smart alecky. (yes, I know part of that is his age in general) I just need to know signs to look out for that there may be trouble brewing. Thank you!!
My friend needs closure
By: voterperson | 05-07-2008
Stacy buys blouses, sweaters and blazers at the 99store and they really are gorgeous. She goes every other day and buys a few or more than a few. Yesterday she went and purchased about twelve blouses (both for summer and winter). This morning the following took place:Stacy: ?Mom I am going to go out for about an hour?Mom: ?To the 99 cent store?Stacy: ?Yes?Mom: ?You just went yesterday and don?t you think you have enough, you don?t have enough storage room, it is becoming obsessive. I don?t care how much of a good buy it is?Stacy went anyway. She went to get the three blouses she left behind yesterday. When Stacy came home her mom was reading a book and then they both decided to have lunch.After lunch Stacy went to check her e-mail:Stacy: ?Mom I received the email from Annie? (Annie is Stacy?s cousin and her mom came into Stacy?s room to hear about the email)Mom: ?Ok what did Annie say.?Stacy: ?She liked my message about the book?Mom: ?So what did you buy today?Stacy showed her mom and her mom loved itSo if you were Stacy how would you interpret the remarks the mom right before Stacy left the house and the remark (?So what did you buy today?) her mom made and should Stacy still go the 99 cent store and not care about what her mom thinks.AND HERE ARE MORE THINGS:BACKGROUND: Most of the time Stacy (54 years old) goes ALONE to the 99 cent store to buy the clothes. Sometimes she will go with her mom (in her 80?s). When Stacy goes by herself she always comes home with the gorgeous stuff (items from Talbot?s, Old Navy, etc) and her mom loves the stuff that Stacy brings home. When Stacy goes with her mother her mother comments.HERE ARE THE THINGS HER MOM SAYS NOT ALL AT ONCE BUT AT VARIOUS TIMES(1) That is short, you don?t like short? (when they are at the 99 cent store)(2)?Look it over to make sure it is in good condition? (when they are at the 99 cent store)(3) ?I only told you that it didn?t look good because you weren?t sure if you liked it or not? (when they are at the 99 cent store)(4) ?Even though it is gorgeous I like the other one better if I was going to wear it?(when they are at the 99 cent store)(5) ?I do love that turtleneck you picked out but thick turtlenecks bother me? (when they are at the 99 cent store)(6) ?I only told you what I thought because you asked me if I liked it or not? (when they are at the 99 cent store)(7) ??But you don?t have to be obsessive. I mean it isn?t like you don?t have anything to wear?? (AT HOME)(8) ?You just went? (AT HOME)(9) ?You are not working right now you have to be careful with your money? and her mom will first say that the 99 cent store is NOT included and then when they fight her mom includes the 99 cent store.(10) Aren?t you going to be hot in that blouse. It is going to be a hot summer day 11) Well what you are wearing is not nice. I cant let you go out of the house like that?*she said this when they were fighting (12) People should wear what is appropriate for the weather? she said this when Stacy said well what would happen if I wore a material that might not be cool for the summer(13) Buy what you want, and I buy what I want but you don?t have to talk about it.?(14) I buy the food, and I am supporting you. But do you realize you are rubbing it in(15) I am working I cannot go to the 99 cent store or Kohl?s or any place like that to shop. You are home and shopping. I mean you talk about shopping constantly. I don?t want to hear it anymore(16) I don?t care what you buy but you don?t have to talk about it. They are pretty but again I don?t want to hear about it. When you get a job you can talk to me about your jobHOWEVER, WHEN STACY GOES BY HERSELF THIS IS WHAT HER MOTHER SAYS WHEN STACY COMES HOME:(1) ?I love what you got - I want it.? (AT HOME)(2) ?I love that and I am going to take that from you? (AT HOME)(3) ?Get me that? (AT HOME)STACY AND HER MOM WILL SAY THE FOLLOWING WHEN THEY ARE AT THE 99 CENT STORE:(1) ?Mom you always make comments? which her mother replied: ?I am allowed to say something and I am allowed not to like something?(2) ?Mom I feel you would have said something about the ones you loved that I brought home if you had come with me on those outings here? which her mother replied ?No I wouldn?t have because they are beautiful. And it is your problem if you feel this way, not mine?(3) Her mother also says ?You really lack self-esteem?(3) Her mom also says ?You know Stacy sometimes you tell me you don?t like an article of clothing I buy, but if I really like it you could stand on your head and I wouldn?t care if you liked it or not because I do.SO MY QUESTION: (1) DO you think Stacy is overreacting to the comments her mother makes; (2) DO you think Stacy?s mom would have made comments about the items Stacy brought home If her mom had gone with Stacy on those outings?
What is the proper way for a teenager to break out ...
By: drabsv | 04-07-2008
What is the proper way for a teenager to break out of the parental protection and interference (or just assert one's position in the family), without resorting to bitter conflicts, disrespectful behaviour, etc?I've noticed that a lot of people struggle with this issue even in their mature age. Tight relations and quarrels between parents and children/ between siblings/ etc make some very ugly scenes. And conflict resolution in such cases seems to be very hard to achieve. What works for the world outside the family would not be in place to apply within the family. You can choose your friends (as well as your enemies...) but not your relatives. The adversity you might feel in family relations should not be met the way you should meet adversity outside your home. Moreover, the "external adversity" comes out of truly ill intentions whereas "family adversity" comes out of attempts to protect and love, brought to extremes.
This is a survey questions is as follows:
By: voterperson | 10-06-2008
this is this is
Another mother daugther
By: voterperson | 03-06-2008
Is Stacy reading into her mothers comments and projecting Stacy?s thoughts onto her mom. You see Stacy feels that her mom is saying ?I don?t think you should ever go to your usual place? but Stacy knows that isn?t what her mother is saying. Today Stacy had to take her mom to do several chores, one was food shopping. The following conversation took place when Stacy and her mom were in the bank parking lot.Mom: ?I think I will go Food Shopping, but first let me go to my bank and you go to your bank and I will meet you back in this parking lot when we are both finished?Stacy: ?Ok and Mom while you go food shopping I will drop you off at the supermarket and go to my usual place?Mom: ?Ok? This conversation took place after they both finished with the bank.Mom: ?I have an idea - how about we go to lunch and then I go to Waldbaum?s Supermarket and then home?Stacy: ?Ok and then when I drop you off at home I will go to my usual place?Mom: ?Then lets do our original plan, I will go to Waldbaum?s and you go to your usual place and then pick me up at Waldbaum?s?Stacy:? Ok? SOMEWHERE IN THEIR CONVERSATION STACY?S MOM SAID: ?YOU EXPECT ME TO DO EVERYTHING, I CANNOT RUN HERE, THERE, I CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH? THIS WAS IN RESPONSE WHEN STACY SUGGESTED THEY FIRST GO TO STACY?S USUAL PLACE AND THEN TO LUNCH AND THEN TO THE SUPERMARKET. Stacy dropped her mother off at the Supermarket, then to her usual place and then came back to get her momStacy: ? Hi mom?Mom: ?Did you get anything? (she said this in a positive way)Stacy: ?Nope not this time?
The store and mom and daughter
By: voterperson | 03-06-2008
MY QUESTION: HOW WOULD YOU INTERPRET EVERYTHING THE MOM SAID AND IF YOU WERE STACY HOW WOULD YOU TAKE WHAT HER MOM SAID -GIVE DETAILS. KEEP IN MIND HER MOM LIKES WORKING AND ALWAYS TELLS STACY SHE LIKES TO WORK. Today Stacy picked her mom up at work at noon. Her mom temps and is in her 80?s. And as you know Stacy goes to a 99 cent store and she buys beautiful blouses, sweaters, blazers. Here is the conversation that took place when they were home:Mom: ?I am glad I worked today and I am working tomorrow and Friday?Stacy: ?I am glad you are glad. Mom here is the blazer and two blouses I purchased?Mom: ?Nice? Then about an hour after they came home and had lunch they had to go the bank and then to the supermarket and this conversation took place on the way TO THE SUPERMARKET:Mom: ?Stacy is there anywhere you want to go?Stacy: ?No I already went to the 99 cent store. Mom if I wanted to go the 99 cent store would you go there?Mom: ?I guess?? This conversation took place in the car on the way home (this was when they passed by the 99 cent store):Stacy:? You know the clothes I got there are really pretty?Mom: ?You think the fish I just purchased is pretty?Stacy: ?Huh?Mom: ?Buy what you want, and I buy what I want but you don?t have to talk about it.?Stacy: ?Huh?Mom: ?I buy the food, and I am supporting you. But do you realize you are rubbing it in?Stacy: ?What do you mean?Mom: ?I am working I cannot go to the 99 cent store or Kohl?s or any place like that to shop. You are home and shopping. I mean you talk about shopping constantly. I don?t want to hear it anymore.? AN HOUR AFTER THEY WERE HOME:Stacy: ?Mom are you saying you don?t care what I buy as long as I don?t talk to you about it?Mom: ?Yes?Stacy: ?But you always tell me they are pretty?Mom: ?What does that have to do with anything. I don?t want to hear about it. When you get a job you can talk to me about your job?
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