A very successful way to get ahead of the competition is the mastery of effective time management technique. Intelligent use of time management technique can help you become more efficient, professional, and organized. A lot of people lose a substantial amount of available business due to the lack of these skills.
Why put off to tomorrow what you can do today. That well known saying has been used so often that sooner or later it's got to become imprinted in people's sub conscious. But be careful you don't take it too far. So what am I getting at?
Good time management technique isn't just about getting everything done today; whatever it is so you can have plenty of spare time on your hands tomorrow. That is bad management, believe me, I've been there and while it works for a little while this is what I found. I thought I was being time smart. I thought with all the extra time I had I could get more accomplished. Instead though, I started to become precious with my extra time. I would ark up if unscheduled work suddenly found it's way to my desk. Yes, I created free time but didn't want do any work at all during it. Imagine that, I was going to my job to enjoy my free time. I eventually became bored and unhappy with my environment and became...dare I say it, unbearable for my work colleagues.
It sounds a bit drastic doesn't it. I had to realise that prioritizing tasks plays a big part in good time management technique. When I finally realised this I made the necessary adjustments and yes, I was back!
Efficient time management means that not only can you make more money, but you can also have time left over for other activities. I have compiled a list of tips on time management techniques.
Cultivate the habit of maintaining a good appointment calendar. Schedule appointments well in advance and while scheduling, pay attention to small details like, location of the appointment and arranging the time so that you do not have to commute during the rush hour traffic.
Networked events should also find their place in your appointment calendar. This helps you gain more efficiency in coordinating your schedule with your clients.
You must decide on what your minimum billing time will be. If you do not have a minimum billing time to refer to, it is very easy to fall into time and money loss. While calculating the minimum billing time, do not omit to factor in travel time.
Keep a record of every minute that you work and not just billable hours. The time spent on tasks like administrative, training, marketing, and selling should also be accounted for, so you can study and decide where to spend more time or less. Task lists or to-do lists are great organizing tools for daily use. You can also buy one of the many software programs which come with reminders and automatic triggers, to help you remember all the important things you need to do.
If you are in the habit of listening to audio books on technical or business training, then a very effective time management technique is to listen to them while driving.
Effective time management techniques are basically tools to ensure that everything gets done, and more so, gets done on time. So, set time aside for miscellaneous tasks like billing, banking, revising the marketing strategy, and so on. Professional development continues throughout your career. A lot of people neglect this vital time management technique once their business gets going. Set at least one day aside every three months for professional development.
Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) is often sold alongside loans, credit cards or mortgages to cover repayments if you are unable to work through accident, illness or unemployment in certain circumstances. It has picked up a bit of bad reputation in the last year or two, not because it was a poor product, but because it wasn't always being sold in the right way.
The questions is, is it a good time to buy PPI?
After having a look at what has gone wrong in the past the Competition Commission has come out with a report this week that will, by late 2010, ban completing the PPI application at the same time as taking out a loan or other finance.
In its report, it said the vast majority of the UK's more than 12m PPI policies were sold at the same time as people took out credit cards, loans or other credit agreements, with many consumers unaware that they could buy PPI from other providers.
From 2010, the Competition Commission has announced that there must be a seven day gap period between taking out your loan and any PPI proposal being completed. That gives you a useful bit of time to hunt out the best deal, saving money along the way.
So far so good, but there could be a few hidden downsides here.
Some PPI providers may find it too expensive to change their systems to meet the new requirements and will withdraw their products. They might do that quite soon. That in turn may have the effect of pushing prices up, which isn't what the Competition Commission will want. With fewer providers it might make some PPI, particularly stand alone PPI, much harder to find.
And whilst a delay period sounds good, buying behaviour can often be to take the ?do nothing? option if a barrier is put in the way. If you're buying PPI for the right reasons, and at the right price, not buying might be the wrong move in a recession.
So what should you do? Well firstly if you're in the market for standalone PPI now might be a good time to hunt for the best deals. Secondly, if you get a period to think about what you want to do then use it, but don't make it an excuse to do nothing if the product is right for you.
Both Dean Caporella & Alan Gill are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Dean Caporella has sinced written about articles on various topics from Parenting, Golf Guide and Surveys. Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster. Get the latest by visiting:. Dean Caporella's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Alan Gill has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Time Management Skills and Personal Finance. Let us know what you think of our and if you find some good deals or have advice on. Alan Gill's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.