Track and Tackle: Identifying Your Time Wasters

Are you struggling to find enough time in the day to get everything done? You’re not alone. Those of us in public works face the challenge of managing our time effectively. But what if I told you there’s a way to boost your productivity without adding hours to your day?

Enter the time audit.

We all have those days where we were running around like a “chicken with its head…” well, you know. But somehow, we didn’t accomplish anything. The culprit?  “Busy” work that doesn’t get you to your goals.

A time audit is tracking and analyzing how you spend your time over a set period. I recommend a week. It may seem tedious, but by documenting your daily activities, you can identify where your time goes and make more intentional choices about how to use it.

Here is what to do:

1.       Make It a Commitment: Treat your time audit as essential part of your job this week. Make it a priority and stick to it.

2.       Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve with your time audit. Are you looking to decrease procrastination, find time for a specific task, or get more done in fewer hours?

3.       Track Your Activities: Use a time-tracking app, journal, spreadsheet or your Outlook calendar to log everything you do. Include meetings, emails, breaks, personal time, interruptions and trips to the water cooler.

4.       Analyze the Data: At the end of the week, review your logs to spot any patterns and room for improvement. Are there tasks that are taking longer than they should? Are there distractions that can be minimized?

5.       Change It Up: Based on the results of your analysis, make informed changes. This might include things like delegating tasks, consolidating meetings, and closing your door during “focus” times.

If you are tired of staying late because that’s the only time when you can get things done, take the first step to better time management by starting your time audit today.

You got this!

Lisa