By Eve Abbott, Excerpted from her new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain” TMNowhere is
line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains' and 'Electronic brains' than when it comes to way people prefer to keep and use their calendars. These scheduling tips will really make your calendar talk to you, whether you use a packaged set, print out a computer calendar because you like paper 'view' for better planning, or you synchronize your Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with your laptop and office computer and it never hits paper.
Time Guidelines Although everyone's situation is different we can learn a lot from CEOs who are running multi-national corporations. Forbes magazine ran a one-page article based on interviews with CEOs and CFOs about their time guideline practices.
Not one scheduled more than 75% of their time, and majority scheduled no more than 65% of their time. So you're looking at no more than 2/3 to 3/4 of their daily time being scheduled. Here are earth-shattering reasons that these world class MBAs came up with for these Time Guidelines.
First, everything takes longer than you think it will. Second, things come up that you've got to deal with right away. (No matter how important what you're working on is.
And Third, he told as an anecdote, "You never walk into a meeting when there are millions of dollars at stake having worked right up until last minute before meeting. Because no-one else in room has." Take a break before important meetings: you'll be more creative.
I share these with you because more I apply these Time Guidelines better my workday goes.
The Buffer Zone Allow one hour in-between any meeting's scheduled finish and your next appointment. If you work with someone who schedules meetings in your absence, explain that you want them to hold this line for everyone except your boss and their boss (or perhaps your spouse).
Leaving/Returning from a Trip If you are returning to work at beginning of business day, schedule no appointments before noon. Give yourself some time to unpack and thoroughly review your voice mail and e-mail. If you return to work mid-day schedule nothing until next morning so you have re-entry time to process action items from your trip or meetings.
The reverse is true if you are leaving on a trip: allow at least a half day to prepare for trip itself, as well as a final review of your in-box and e-mail to make sure there are no 'time bombs' hidden among rest that can wait.
Auto-Response e-mail For every day you will be out of office (or in meetings all darned day again) set up an auto-response e-mail that includes an alternate contact, if appropriate. Even if you're only going to be out for one day, informing every one when you will actually be available, creates more realistic expectations.
Voice-mail Outgoing Message When you are "Out of Office" it's best to change your outgoing message on your voice mail as well. Let them know when you will be 'open for business' and who to contact in your absence. Start by saying "WAIT! Listen to this message carefully."
