Planning is the Key to Maximizing Your VALUE at Work
In these tough times, it is absolutely critical that you continue to demonstrate your value to your employer, to your clients and to your colleagues on a daily basis. Adding Value is THE buzz-word for "safe-guarding" your career and propelling yourself to the top of your profession.
This post is part of our "Adding Value" series. These posts, which will occur intermittently on an ongoing basis, will offer you ideas, suggestions and tips for maximizing the value you add at work.
Today's Adding Value Tip -- The Importance of Planning
Whether it's the end of the day on Friday or first thing Monday morning, set aside some time - 60 to 90 minutes to reflect back over the prior week and plan the upcoming week. Planning will help ensure you focus on the IMPORTANT things -- those things that MUST get done and those things that create the greatest value.
Your Weekly Planning Time should generally include the following, plus any other similar elements specific to your "style" and "personal system":
- Review your business goals and personals goals.
- Review your prior week's calendar and note any follow up actions necessary.
- Review all "to do" and project lists and identify important next actions that should be done this coming week.
- Review, process and file all hand-written notes.
- Schedule your current week calendar for important meetings, calls and events.
- Schedule meeting preparation time in your calendar to ensure you go into all meetings fully prepared.
- Schedule "core time blocks" for important projects that demand focused time to complete.
- Aggressively delegate tasks to direct reports to ensure that you are focusing on the "highest and best use" of your time.
- Review and clean out your email inbox, flag important emails and schedule time to complete important tasks associated with those important emails.
- Review and clean our your paper inbox. File, distribute or discard papers.
- Review your calendar one final time asking yourself if you've focused on scheduling the most important and highest value efforts.
Set a goal to establish a routine, a habit for weekly planning. Avoid falling into the "urgent" but not important trap -- planning will help, without question.
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: Andy@CRGLeaders.com, 239-285-5575
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I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and time into the stuff you post!! Thumbs up
Posted by: Resume Writing | August 10, 2010 at 08:35 AM