When
everything is important
Can’t
choose between two crucial tasks? Masters of prioritising have advice for you
Whether you
are the CEO of a company, or the head of a four-member family, to figure the
art of juggling competing responsibilities takes skill.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone seems to have
mastered it. Padukone turned to corporate lessons, applying one of the finest
management fundas of prioritising to her professional life. Although she had
committed to working with producers Ekta Kapoor and Karan Johar on a
forthcoming film, delays and an unfinished script were enough for her to drop
out and take on the coveted role of Juliet in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s
much-discussed Ram Leela.
When everything on your plate seems equally important
(for Padukone, a Balaji-Dharma project couldn’t have been easy to waive), you
need to figure which tasks are worth your time.
Three experts to tell
you how:
EMPLOY LASER FOCUS CAROLE ANN RICE,
Life coach and author
UK-based Carole Ann-Rice, who is currently a life coach at the London School of
Economics, has trained everyone from working professionals like scientists,
lawyers and stressed executives to homemakers and students.
SHE SAYS: Employ the three Ds — Do it, Dump it or Delegate the task. At
a time when multi-tasking is unavoidable, you can either choose to do a lot of
tasks shoddily, or pick a few over the others. In case you are confused about
choosing one professional task over another, jot down the pros and cons of
taking it on — what will it give you, what will you have to sacrifice, what
might the pitfalls be? List 20 reasons for, and 20 against it, before you take
a call. If one task keeps turning up on your ‘to do’ list, and you haven’t got
around to doing it, delegate it to someone capable, or seek help to get on with
it. Work in short bursts — 20 minutes of focussed work, followed by a small
break. Try to employ ‘laser focus’, where you set out to do one task at a time,
and complete it to a high standard. This way, you feel in control and each task
is given due attention.
JOT DOWN WHAT’S IMPORTANT DR TUSHAR
GUHA
Personality development expert
Thirty-two years of research, says Mumbai-based Dr Tushar Guha, has made him a
specialist in the field of time management. With a doctorate degree in
personality development, he launched an organisation that specialises in
emotion management.
HE SAYS: Divide tasks into four categories — » Urgent and important »
Urgent but not important » Important but not urgent » Important
Once you do this, it becomes easy to pick the task you
should be tackling first. Prioritising is essential for anyone juggling
multiple chores, because it helps dip stress levels, and increase productivity.
The sense of order established in your environment
helps build a comfort zone.
It’s a skill you must acquire if you dream of climbing
the ranks within an organisation.
DON’T STAY ON MAIL 24/7 KRUPA ZUBIN
Principal Partner, ZZ Architects
As the head of a design team of 50 architects and interior designers, Zubin has
completed more than 500 architectural projects, including celebrity residences
of actors Sonu Sood and Hema Malini, and the country’s first paper-less
hospital in Bengaluru.
SHE SAYS: I am an early riser, and that comes with hefty benefits. My
day seems longer, and more productive. I am a working mother, so dropping off
my daughter to school every day is a priority. I enjoy the duality of being a
hard taskmaster at office, and at home.
Although I multi-task, I prefer to address each task
with focussed attention rather than take a bird’s eye-view of things. Meetings,
I have learnt, are more effective if short, and conducted at periodic
intervals. They act as catalysts for effective communication.
Make checklists for the week ahead, rather than waste
time listing a daily task list. Don’t waste time by being on the email 24x7.
Designate specific times in the day (four to five should do), when you read and
reply to mails. Use commuting time to relax your mind. Working while
travelling, I’ve realised, can add to fatigue.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone seems to have mastered it. Padukone turned to corporate lessons, applying one of the finest management fundas of prioritising to her professional life. Although she had committed to working with producers Ekta Kapoor and Karan Johar on a forthcoming film, delays and an unfinished script were enough for her to drop out and take on the coveted role of Juliet in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-discussed Ram Leela.
When everything on your plate seems equally important (for Padukone, a Balaji-Dharma project couldn’t have been easy to waive), you need to figure which tasks are worth your time.
UK-based Carole Ann-Rice, who is currently a life coach at the London School of Economics, has trained everyone from working professionals like scientists, lawyers and stressed executives to homemakers and students.
SHE SAYS: Employ the three Ds — Do it, Dump it or Delegate the task. At a time when multi-tasking is unavoidable, you can either choose to do a lot of tasks shoddily, or pick a few over the others. In case you are confused about choosing one professional task over another, jot down the pros and cons of taking it on — what will it give you, what will you have to sacrifice, what might the pitfalls be? List 20 reasons for, and 20 against it, before you take a call. If one task keeps turning up on your ‘to do’ list, and you haven’t got around to doing it, delegate it to someone capable, or seek help to get on with it. Work in short bursts — 20 minutes of focussed work, followed by a small break. Try to employ ‘laser focus’, where you set out to do one task at a time, and complete it to a high standard. This way, you feel in control and each task is given due attention.
Personality development expert
Thirty-two years of research, says Mumbai-based Dr Tushar Guha, has made him a specialist in the field of time management. With a doctorate degree in personality development, he launched an organisation that specialises in emotion management.
HE SAYS: Divide tasks into four categories — » Urgent and important » Urgent but not important » Important but not urgent » Important
Once you do this, it becomes easy to pick the task you should be tackling first. Prioritising is essential for anyone juggling multiple chores, because it helps dip stress levels, and increase productivity.
The sense of order established in your environment helps build a comfort zone.
It’s a skill you must acquire if you dream of climbing the ranks within an organisation.
Principal Partner, ZZ Architects
As the head of a design team of 50 architects and interior designers, Zubin has completed more than 500 architectural projects, including celebrity residences of actors Sonu Sood and Hema Malini, and the country’s first paper-less hospital in Bengaluru.
SHE SAYS: I am an early riser, and that comes with hefty benefits. My day seems longer, and more productive. I am a working mother, so dropping off my daughter to school every day is a priority. I enjoy the duality of being a hard taskmaster at office, and at home.
Although I multi-task, I prefer to address each task with focussed attention rather than take a bird’s eye-view of things. Meetings, I have learnt, are more effective if short, and conducted at periodic intervals. They act as catalysts for effective communication.
Make checklists for the week ahead, rather than waste time listing a daily task list. Don’t waste time by being on the email 24x7. Designate specific times in the day (four to five should do), when you read and reply to mails. Use commuting time to relax your mind. Working while travelling, I’ve realised, can add to fatigue.
Aruna
Rathod MM120308
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