Wasting Time At Work

Wasting time at work is pretty easy especially with the advent of the Internet.

If you've done everything you can to achieve a work life balance but still can't achieve it, try to eliminate classic time wasters that take valuable time away from you:

1. Stop organizing or attending meetings that serve no purpose.

If you have to attend the meeting, try to keep it on topic and ask the person calling the meeting to put a time limit on it that everyone knows about and stick to it.

2. Stop wasting time surfing the Internet.

How did people waste time before computers? Shut off your computer or at least stop using it to waste time.

3. Stop other people from wasting time (your time).

If you are a nice person and people take advantage of it by popping into your office all the time to talk, shut your office door. If they don't get the hint, tell them you are busy and politely ask them to leave. Same thing with phone calls: keep them short and to the point whether you are making the call or receiving it.

4. Organize your phone calls and emails and how you respond to them.

One way to get work done is to (where possible) only answer your phone and emails at specified times rather than simply answering the phone every time it rings and responding to an email whenever one arrives. Instead, respond to phone and email messages at one time once you have completed your current tasks rather than handling them each time they occur.

5. Learn to tell the difference between necessary and unnecessary work.

Understand what work needs to be done and what can be eliminated or delegated to someone else where applicable. Look for ways to improve the way you complete work and try to automate or streamline work that you need to do regularly.

6. Remember your life outside work.

Whether you have a family or not, you can't neglect your personal life. WorkVillage.com is a resource your family can all use that includes some great business resources you might be interested in.

Workvillage.com
Work Village has resources for the entire family. Check it out for some great suggestions for your whole family to take part in.