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Trapped in Time: Six Ideas on Making the Most of Your Workday

You know the feeling of always running behind. You know the nagging doubt when you are ready to shut down your computer at the end of the workday and wonder if you should really leave, or stay and burn the midnight oil in an attempt to conquer the unfinished work you still have left on your desk. You hope that you have done all you could, but did you? Would an unbiased observer agree that you have worked as hard as you could, or would she or he give more credence to that nagging feeling of doubt that seems to reside inside your conscience? Rather than waiting for someone to offer their opinions, there are some tried and true methods of making the most of your workday.

Keep a record of your time.
If you have ever worked in a business that required you to keep time of billable hours, you will most likely already have experienced the surprise of how much time actually slips through your fingers on any given day. You will realize how much time the little trips to the copier actually ate up, how much time is lost because you got sidetracked during an Internet search, and how much unproductive time you actually spent on the telephone on hold for someone. Go ahead -- find out for yourself! Make an activity log that allows you to record your actions in 15 minute increments and prepare to be amazed. The more thorough and details you will be, the more you will gain from this exercise. A week of recordkeeping would be perfect, but three days will do.

Anticipate the time crunch.
Mortgage and bank employees know that the end of the month spells crunch time. Emergency personnel have found that following trends allows them to pinpoint the most likely days and times for increased emergency calls and have adjusted their staffing needs thusly. Office workers know that lunchtime is usually a somewhat quiet time of day, while after breakfast is usually a rather busy occasion. With a little bit of care, you will be able to anticipate and plan for your own personal crunch time. This knowledge will then enable you to avoid any scheduling conflicts or deadline disasters that may coincide with your busiest time spent talking to customers.

Anticipate change.
Much time of the average workday is lost because of miscommunication, over-scheduling, and inflexibility. No matter what line of work you are in, change is most likely the only constant. There is always the new client or customer who has some extraordinary needs or problems; there will always be the possibility of a computer malfunction, a power outage, or a phone downtime; suppliers may be delayed and shipments may be cancelled. The boss may wish to give you an emergency project, and your regular team meeting may have been canceled. No matter what the circumstance is, be resolved to take the change in a stride and work with it. Additionally, anticipate change and build it into your everyday work schedule. Do not schedule impossible deadlines that can be thrown off by the slightest change.

Schedule a break.
While eating your lunch at your desk may seem like a good idea at the time, it does very little to refresh you and allow for a true break that will leave you refreshed and ready to go. Instead, a habit of remaining chained to your desk will have the negative effect of quick burnout, and decreased productivity.

Find creative avenues for increased productivity.
The time you spend commuting does not need to feel like wasted time. Instead, if you are fortunate enough to live close to major public transportation systems, you may wish to avail yourself of public transportation and bring a laptop to help you finish up some work or perhaps get set for the next day.

Delegate!
True, while the only way to get something done right the first time may be by doing it yourself, you need to resist the temptation to take this attitude as gospel truth, and instead direct your resources to training a support staff that will be able to handle some things you may wish to delegate. This will allow you to increase your personal productivity, thus making the most of your workday!