As a leader or manager you are probably faced with the challenge of too much to do and not enough time. I know that when I was employed in accounting and consulting roles I often fell into the trap that I now call the ‘first in last out’ syndrome.
So what am I talking about? Well I don’t know about you but in every department there always seemed to be one person who was the first to arrive at their desk every day and was the last to leave, sometimes hours after most people had left. So what can you do to avoid the ‘first in last out’ syndrome?
Tip 1: Set Some Boundaries
The fact of the matter is we only can function at our peak for so long every day. It’s also true that how long we can function at our peak is personal rather than being generic. Make sure you know how long you can perform at your peak and set boundaries on the total number of hours you work.
Tip 2: Focus On What You Do Best
Some people are great at producing financial models. Others are great at preparing reports. Some stand out at chairing meetings. You will of course be good at a number of things. At the same time you want to focus on what you do best. Otherwise you will end up doing tasks that could be done by others in half the time it would take you.
Tip 3: Delegate Whenever You Can
Sometimes those in leadership or management roles think that delegating is passing the buck. It’s not; it is a form of prioritising. It can also be an opportunity for people to gain new skills or experience or build on existing experience.
Tip 4: Know Your Limits
There is a saying that work tends to migrate to a busy person. By that I mean the more capable you are the more you seem to get asked to do. While we all want to be helpful, at the same time, if we keep saying yes all of the time we end up letting people down. It’s funny how all of your achievements are quickly forgotten when you fail to deliver once.
Tip 5: Start With Small Changes
When people want to change something they often fall into the trap of what I refer to as ‘trying to eat the elephant’. By that I mean they try to take too big a leap at first, get de-motivated and give up. You can never go from having never run to running a marathon so why would you expect yourself to be able to go from workaholic to having a work-life balance in one week? Start with small goals and build from there.
Tip 6: Chart Progress
There is a saying that what gets measured gets done. Let’s say your aim is to leave the office by 6.30pm two nights of the week. You can easily chart your progress and see how well you are doing. You might be surprised the difference it makes.
Tip 7: Focus On One Thing At A Time
Multi-tasking is a word that is banded around a lot. Yes, you might need to keep a few projects moving forward at any one time. However it is pointless to try and have a conversation on the phone, type something and give instructions to a colleague at the same time. Start to focus on one thing at a time to boost your efficiency.
The Bottom Line: The only person that can make change happen if you are to avoid the ‘first in last out’ syndrome is you. Start today on one thing to help you achieve more success as a leader or manager.