Sometimes it is difficult to say no. An urgent request comes your way and it has to get done. Right now. Yesterday if possible. If you could say no and turn down the request, you’d have more time for the things that count. But the situation demands action and you can’t refuse. You’re not too happy about it. In that case, you might just have to say yes. But when you do, take control of the situation rather than letting it take control of you. Provide suggestions or alternatives to the person making the request. “I can help you by finding out who really should be doing this,” or, “How about if I show you how to do that and then you’ll be all set to go.”

Or, agree to the request this time. But ask how the two of you might plan better to avoid a rush the next time.

Another strategy is to tell the person “yes”, but remind them that they owe you one. For example, if you have to fill in for them at work, they might reciprocate by covering you for a shift the next time you need time off.

You can’t always say no, but you can you can take control by setting the timetable on your own terms. For instance say, “OK, I think I can squeeze that in. I expect I’ll be able to get it to you by four o’clock today. Does that work?” Set the schedule rather than letting someone set it for you.

Finally, consider putting a tough condition on your agreement. “If it would only take an hour, I’d be able to help, but I can’t give you more than that.” When in doubt, it’s easier to say no now, and then change your mind to a yes later, rather than the other way around.

So take control and manage those interuptions.  After all, your time is worth it.

(Click on the link below, and wait a few seconds for the file to load.)

The Useful Commute Interview with Mark Ellwood

But employees make all kinds of excuses for not delegating. They justify their inefficiency through beliefs that are unfounded. If you want to make better use of your time, you’ll get more done through delegation. Catch yourself when you say one of the following. Often, the opposite is true!

• I don’t know if I can trust her to do it.
•  I could do it better myself. He isn’t qualified to do it.
• She doesn’t want any added responsibilities.
• I don’t have the time to show anyone how to do it.
• There is no one else to delegate to.
• He already has enough to do.
• I like doing this task, or I’m the only person who knows how to do it.
• She messed up last time, so I’m not giving her anything else to do.

Assume that most people want added responsibilities (don’t you?). Assume they are keen to learn. Recognizes that the short term training investment will pay off in the long term.

Look around. Even though you’re not the boss, there are people who will help you if you approach them in the right way.

 WHAT TO DELEGATE:

• Items that can be eliminated. If you shouldn’t be doing an activity, then perhaps you shouldn’t be giving the activity away to others.  Eliminate it.
• Minor decisions that can be found in policy
• Fact-finding assignments
• Preparation of rough drafts of reports
• Problem analysis and suggested actions
• Collection of data for reports
• Photocopying, printing, collating
• Data entry
• Email sorting
•  Things you are good at and do too much of
•  Things that aren’t part of your core competency. For small businesses, these include accounting, web site design, deliveries, hardware upkeep, software help, graphic design, travel arrangements, patenting, legal issues and even HR functions such as payroll.
• Tasks for which you are least qualified, that you dislike
•  Tasks that provide opportunities for employees to grow (Some things you can’t delegate: performance reviews, discipline, firing.)

PLANNING

Create a plan to delegate. Don’t give out assignments haphazardly.

Invest short term time in training to gain a long term increase in productivity.

Others may end up doing a better job than you can or finding new ways to complete a task.

Delegate, don’t abdicate. Someone else can do the task, but you’re still responsible for the completion of it, and for managing the delegation process.

Delegate to the right person. Don’t always give tasks to the strongest, most experienced or first available person.

Spread delegation around and give people new experiences as part of their training.

Obtain feedback from employees to ensure they feel they’re being treated appropriately. A simple “How’s it going with that new project?” might be all that’s needed.

Be sure to delegate the authority along with the responsibility.  Don’t make people come back to you for too many minor approvals.

Trust people to do well and don’t look over their shoulders or check up with them along the way, unless they ask.

Be prepared to trade short-term errors for long term results.

DELEGATION INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Delegate the objective, not the procedure. Outline the desired results, not the methodology. What needs to be done and when should it be finished?
2.  Make sure the standards and the outcome are clear. To what degree of quality or detail?
3.  Clarify the decision-making authority the delegate has.
4.  Outline the resources available.
5.  Ask if there is anything else they need to get started. They’ll tell you. (This can save you time spent showing them.)
6.  Ask people to provide progress reports. Set interim deadlines to see how things are going.
7.  If appropriate, let others know who is in charge of the task.
8.  Give praise and feedback at the end of the project, and additional responsibilities.

Always look for opportunities to delegate, even when there appears to be no obvious person to delegate to. There usually is. Your time is worth it.

Tomorrow is coming fast. Do you know where you are headed? The goals you set for tomorrow are your pictures of success. By setting them today, you aim your activities in the right direction. But a goal shouldn’t just be “I want to lose weight,” or “I hope to be rich someday.” Those goals are too vague. They’re like New Year’s resolutions—well-intentioned wishes that are short on substance.

So use a handy acronym known as SMART to clarify your goals. There are different variations on this formula. I have looked at them all and made a subtle change to the acronym that I think works better. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic and Timely. 

Specific

Goals such as being happy, getting rich or having a good time lack specificity. But when they focus on more concrete aims such as getting married, reducing accounts receivable or taking regular vacations, they take on more definition. Being specific also means being focused. Many people find themselves frustrated because “there are just too many things to do and not enough time.” They can’t get more time, but they can specify fewer goals.

The s in “specificity” also stands for “substantial.” It means a goal is concrete and worthy of pursuit. You might decide that cleaning up your desk is a goal. But it’s not the sort of lifetime accomplishment you would want to be praised for in your epitaph. If cleanliness is an issue, then certainly establish a goal to improve. But put it in context with more important pursuits. What will you be proud of five years from now? If you had to write a resume right now, what would you want to put in it? Your accomplishments would be based on goals that are specific and substantial.

Measurable

The second criterion a goal should meet is measurability. State your goal in a way that an outside observer could measure it objectively. For instance, “We will reduce delinquent accounts by one third,” or “I will take two vacations this year,” or “I will stop smoking in two months.”

Something that is important can be measured with more than one goal. For instance, a sales rep might aim for specific sales dollars, profit for the territory, introductions of new products and an increase in distribution channels. It’s possible that she would be successful in one criterion, but not in another. Multiple goals provide greater perspective.

Appropriate

An appropriate goal is within your area of power or responsibility. Don’t try to work on someone else’s goals. Appropriate goals are also consistent with your organization’s aims, culture or standards. For instance, it’s difficult to have a goal of increasing customer satisfaction levels while simultaneously introducing discount pricing.

Appropriate goals also relate to your personal style. What are you capable of accomplishing, given your background, your skills, your training or your physical limitations? People who are only five feet tall have little chance of making the Olympic basketball team.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t extend yourself. It is possible to go beyond anything you’ve done before, and to push yourself past the limits you thought were unsurpassable. It is possible to stretch your imagination to conquer heights you thought were unreachable. Allow your dreams to flourish. But make sure you have the appropriate resources, time and makeup to turn your dreams into reality.

Goals should also be appropriate to each other. For some businesses, a goal to increase sales by 20% by the end of the quarter may be inappropriate with simultaneously reducing bad debt accounts. In many cases, one or the other can happen, but not both.

Realistic

Goals should be a bit of a stretch, but not so much as to be out of reach. A goal might be achievable within the next three months, but this deadline may be unrealistic, given the other constraints you’re facing. In your business, don’t aim for a market share that is simply not going to happen. Often new businesses will make claims that seem to be very modest; a very conservative 1% share would satisfy them. In reality, that’s a huge amount!

How do you know what is realistic? Look for relevant comparisons. Examine historical trends. What has been done in the past? Or look at economic indicators. What are the trends for the future? Or industry trends. What has the competition been able to achieve? Has someone else embarked on a similar journey whose results might indicate what is possible?

A dose of good old gut feeling also helps. Tripling your salary in your current job by the end of this year is a specific and measurable goal. But it’s not very realistic if you’re earning minimum wage by washing dishes at the local greasy spoon. In that case, perhaps your goal should be to find a higher-paying job or to start your own business.

Timely

Put a deadline on your goals—this Saturday, the end of the month, the end of the year, your fiftieth birthday, whatever. Start with the end in mind. What will the final picture of success look like and when do you want it to happen? By determining the end time, you can then work your way back to see what you need to do on the way. The challenge you might face is that your goal seems overwhelming. You just don’t know where to begin. If that’s the case, break your larger goal into smaller ones.

Perhaps the SMART acronym should have one extra letter, and that is “p” for “passion.” Pursue your goals with passion! Don’t become complacent about not meeting them. For example, saying, “We didn’t meet our goal last month, but that’s all right, we’ll make up for it,” should never be good enough. Rework your goals if necessary, but pursue them with a renewed vigour and with a sincere desire to succeed.  Always give it your best, and then some. In Who’s Running Your Career, Caela Farren says, “Passion and purpose go hand in hand. Passion is the fire in the belly, the willpower, the courage you harness to achieve your mission despite all the obstacles and reversals.” Go for it!

Your time is worth it.

•  Stick to your plan. If you have a written set of goals and strategies, this gives you a reason to stick to your course. (“Thanks, but I already have an investment plan, so you don’t need to send me a newsletter about stocks.”)
•  When someone persists, repeat your position, perhaps in a slightly different way. (“As I already said, our policy is to donate to charities that help children only.”)
•  Make sure you understand exactly what is being asked of you before you respond. The task might be much more time consuming than you thought.
•  Excel at just a few things, rather than being just average at many. Don’t try to do everything.
•  You have a right to say no. Remember that others may take you for granted and even lose respect for you if you don’t.
•  Be polite, but firm in saying no. You only build false hopes with wishy-washy responses. For instance, the phrase “I’ll try to be there” in response to a party invitation is giving yourself an excuse to avoid a commitment. It doesn’t do anyone any favours.
•  When a superior asks you to do a new urgent task;
• Remind her that you are working on other projects that she has already identified as top priorities
• Ask for help in deciding where the new task should fall on the list of priorities
• Ask “What you like to give up in order for me to do this?”
• Point out that you might be able to do everything, but not to the usual high standards that are expected.
•  Some experts recommend keeping your answer short. This way, you can say no without feeling the need for a lengthy justification. (“I’m sorry, I’m not available that night.”) On the other hand, others say that giving a longer answer with reasons reinforces your credibility. Let the situation decide.
•  Provide suggestions or alternatives to the person who is asking. (“I can’t do that task today, but how about next week,” or “How about asking John instead?”)
•  When in doubt, it’s easier to say no now, then change your mind to a yes later, rather than the other way around.

When You Have to Say Yes

Sometimes, saying no is simply unavoidable. Here are some techniques to use:

•  Tell the person you can agree to their request this time, but ask how the two of you might plan better for the next time.
•  Tell them yes, but remind them they owe you one. For example, they might cover you for a shift next time you need time off.
•  Tell them yes, but take control by saying you’ll come back to them with a timetable. For instance, say, “I expect I’ll be able to do that for you by the end of the week.”
•  Put a tough condition on your agreement. “If it would only take an hour, I’d be able to help, but I can’t give you more than that.”

Procrastination is the intentional and habitual postponement of an important task that should be done now. Procrastination is fostered by habit. So if you want to stop procrastinating, you will have to break old habits and develop new ones.  But first, try to understand the causes for your procrastination. If you can, you’re halfway there.  Recognize the difference between an appropriate decision to delay and an irrational postponement without justification. If you find yourself waiting for information from someone else, then it is appropriate to delay a project.  If not, overcome procrastination through task strategies in an environment where distractions are minimized.

 TASK STRATEGIES

Unpleasant tasks

• Unpleasant tasks rarely turn out to be as bad as you think.
• Complete these tasks first. Schedule them for early in the day. Give yourself a reward for doing them.

Complex Projects

• Something looms ahead of you: starting a small business, getting a job, preparing the annual budget. The job is too big or will take too long to do now, so you put it off.
• Break large jobs into smaller, more manageable tasks. Plan and complete a start-up task, no matter how small.

Indecision

• People delay because they can’t make up their minds.
• Determine a time for making a decision and the criteria for making it. Share your deadline with someone else.

Fear of failure (lack of self confidence)

• People don’t want to face the consequences of failure, so they delay. (Some people suffer from fear of success too!)
• Develop a clear mental picture of the completed task and how you will feel at that time. Maintain a focus on the end result, not just the process. Remind yourself how good you’ll feel when you’re finished.

Lack of interest

• You are tired or  lazy. You’ re just not very interested in the task.
• Reward yourself for accomplishments. Go out for special lunches when major projects are completed. If you don’t earn the reward, don’t take it.
• Schedule the task for when you will be at your peak.

Perfectionism

• People delay because they want to get the project perfect.
• Set deadlines for yourself. Tell other people your deadlines and encourage them to check up on you.
• Maintain your high standards, but recognize that sometimes 80% for you may well be 100% for someone else. Don’t spend hours conducting a detailed cost breakdown when a rough estimate would suffice.

Hostility towards a boss

• People delay because they don’t like the person who assigned the task.
• Review with your boss what exactly is needed. Clarify the expectations.
• Make a game out of unpleasant tasks. Give yourself points, or do a running commentary on yourself as you do the task.

Distraction, lack of focus

• Sometimes losing concentration causes delays.
• Create a to-do list with priorities.
• Block your time for projects.
• As you get distracted from a work project, make a rule that you are not allowed to move out of your chair, make a call, surf the net, pick up a book etc. until you return to your task.
• Complete something. Make a very small task for yourself and finish it. Very small. Then, make another one.

Unimportant tasks

Something needs to be done, but it isn’t that important. You have a leaky roof, but you don’t mind putting a small glass under it. The trouble is, things will get worse. Or you have a few repairs around the house that need to be done. All of a sudden you need to move. Fixing those repairs to make the house saleable will be difficult.

• Calculate the possible future cost of not doing things.
• Schedule time. Break tasks into small pieces.

ENVIRONMENT STRATEGIES

      Tailor your environment for work. Close your door, clean up the clutter on your desk.

• Remove distractions such as water coolers, snacks, in-boxes, coffee machines and magazine racks.

      If you work at home, treat your office as an office. Don’t go out to lunch before lunchtime or watch television before the end of the day.

• Tell your family that you are not to be disturbed in your home office

• Turn off your email notification to prevent interruptions.

Time study data collected by Pace Productivity indicates the typical knowledge worker plans his or her day for a total of 2.3 hours per week. Results from sales reps indicates that those who spend more time in planning tend to be more successful. Here is how to plan your day:
• Visualize your long term picture of success and put it in writing. Review your goal frequently. Your goal should be specific, measurable, achievable and compatible with where you are now. There should be an end date as well. Steven Covey calls this “Begin with the end in mind.”
• Write out a To Do list every day. Include items that can be completed, such as “Prepare exhibits for monthly report”, rather than just “Work on report.”
• Separate your To Do list into A, B and C priorities.
• “A” items are important to your long term success (If you had nothing else to do today, these would be the activities that would affect your results one month from now),
• “B” are things you must do today as part of your job description (they may be urgent but not as important)
• “C” are unwritten or unavoidable but necessary (administration, travel, personal)
• “D” are things you could delay, delegate, or delete
• Start with the A items. Don’t work on a C just because it’s easy to do. Also, break your A items into small manageable chunks, so they’re easy to accomplish.

• Check off items as you complete them to give yourself a sense of accomplishment.
• Block off time for major activities. This might include a block of time for working alone on major tasks. If someone wants to meet you during that time, say “I’m sorry, I already have an appointment.”
• Don’t jam your day full of activities. Leave time for emergencies, special opportunities and thinking time.
• Be your own manager. Ask yourself if you have met your goals, and what changes you plan to make to achieve them.
• Do it now. People will often say “Call me next week, and we’ll book an appointment then.” Respond by saying, “Let’s save ourselves a call and do it now.”
• Always plan time for balance; include family, fitness, recreation, social and spiritual activities.
• Conduct a time study to see how you’re doing and where the opportunities for improvement lie. Many people are only able to spend one quarter of their time on top priority activities. Moving this up to one third of the week means almost 4 more hours per week on key activities.
  

1. Write down your long-term goals. Use the SMART formula; make them Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic and Time-bound.
2. Every day, divide your tasks into A, B and C priorities. Always start with a high priority “A” task, even if you can only accomplish a small part of it.
3. Block off time for activities that are important. Make an appointment with yourself, and don’t let anyone schedule anything for the time you’ve put aside.
4. Stop spending time on trivia. Don’t spend hours preparing a high tech presentation when a good conversation will suffice. And stop fussing over routine administrative tasks. Delegate or automate them.
5. Have the courage to say no. Don’t try to please others all the time. Create personal policies that make it easy to say no and stick to your plan.
6. Always start meetings on time. Don’t punish those who show up on time and reward those who are late. Do something however minor, but get started.
7. Slow down. Productivity isn’t about going fast. It’s about doing the right things. Stop rushing around, driving too fast and getting upset at things you can’t control. A couple of minutes gained aren’t worth the added stress.
8. Avoid procrastination by completing unpleasant tasks first. The tough stuff usually turns out to be not so bad. Break complex tasks into easy pieces and give yourself a reward for getting something done.
9. Don’t be a slave to technology. Communication devices are simply adding more and more ways to be out of touch with each other. Simplify your life and leave your phone off now and then. Plan for people to reach you some of the time, not all of the time.
10. Create time for balance in your life. Set aside time for family, fitness, social, educational and spiritual needs. Plan for balance the way you plan for work.