Time management for those who are stretched thin
Short-staffed, overworked, and exhausted seems to be the new standard for many of us in hospitality. If you feel stressed, overwhelmed, and unproductive, keep reading. This article is for you. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. What you do with them will determine your success.
Perhaps hiring more employees, or the right employees, is at the top of your list right now. Are you making it a priority to accomplish this goal? When spread thin, it’s even more critical to take stock of your priorities and take steps each day to achieve the results you desire.
It’s important to not overcomplicate what needs to be done right now. Breathe. Try implementing these five changes to make progress on what’s most important to your success.
1. SET SPECIFIC GOALS
Busy does not equal productive. You’re going to be busy whether you set goals or not. If you spend all your time reacting to things that happen during the day, you likely will lose sight of what matters most. That can quickly lead to frustration and boredom. Setting goals provides you with a clear plan of defined actions to gain the results you want and keeps your focus on what you’ve determined is most important.
2. DEFINE THE ACTIVITIES NEEDED TO REACH YOUR GOALS
What is the return on your time investment in the activities you perform in a day? Consider each activity and assign it an ROI value between zero and infinite. What is the value of the things you are doing? Are you getting out what you put in? Are these activities directly related to your success? After you have set your goals, it’s equally important to set specific, trackable activities that you need to complete toward those goals.
3. ENGAGE OTHERS
Consider how people in different roles could help complete various tasks throughout the day. If you aren’t comfortable with delegating, start practicing this today. You may be capable of doing plenty of things, but that doesn’t mean these activities are the most productive use of your time. I’m perfectly capable of buying groceries or running errands. Still, if I can use a service like DoorDash to handle these tasks, I may not only save time, but I may save money as well by not making my way down an additional aisle and grabbing 10 things that weren’t on my list. This is no different than on-the-job tasks.
4. SCHEDULE IT AND STICK TO IT
How many of us have intended to get something done during the day only to realize the day got away from us? Studies show you’re more likely to commit to something if you schedule it. The time you plan out your calendar will help you gain minutes and hours back into your day. Setting aside specific time also will enable you to complete more items on your list and do them well.
5. STAY FOCUSED
Prioritize and schedule the right tasks at the right time. Consider when you are your best self. If you’re a morning person and start to deteriorate by mid-afternoon, schedule your most important or challenging tasks in the morning. If you have the calendar blocked for a half-hour to work on a project, dedicate that time only to the project at hand. Multi-tasking is for the birds. When you multi-task, you’re more likely to start multiple tasks and not finish any of them or not do them well. Focus allows you to put your best self into the task at hand.
AN ONGOING PROCESS OF IMPROVEMENT
Time management is an ongoing process of exercising conscious control of your time on specific activities to increase your effectiveness. It is never “finished,” which is good news. There always is room to improve, every day. Making this time to plan and practicing it over and over adds up. Soon, you’ll find that your success has skyrocketed and you’re enjoying your work more.
As a dynamic presenter who facilitates training workshops to sales professionals, management companies, and hotel brands, sales knowledge and transformative concepts have established her as a leading speaker and facilitator in the industry. In her role as Director of Instructional Design for Jacaruso Enterprises, an AAHOA Silver Industry Partner, April provides education and techniques based on current, in-the-trenches experience that gets results.
