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If you discover oneself going to operate with the very best intentions of making the most of each minute, but finish up at the close of the day asking yourself exactly where it all went, the chances are that youve been hijacked by the Time Stealers.

Time Stealers are individuals who, without anything at all to do with their own time, steal yours from you as well. They fill up their hours by wasting yours. Often these are close colleagues, clients, even your personal boss, so it can be difficult to know how to deal with them. But, unless you want to join this gang of thieves, you ought to learn to say No to Time Stealers.

1. Manage Your Interruptions. One of the reasons why we enable others to take over our time at perform is our need to have to know what is going on. Henry Mintzberg, professor of management at McGill University in Montreal, discovered that the majority of a managers time is spent receiving and responding to hearsay, rumour, and news. Managers really feel a wonderful need to know whats going on and they do this by letting themselves be interrupted by others. If this is you, you want to be conscious of how considerably of your time is usefully spent in this way, and how much is wasted. In brief, you need to have to know how to manage your interruptions.

2. Stay away from These Three going here Groups. A single of the keys to managing your interruptions is to distinguish between individuals who bring you helpful information and these who dont. This latter group comprises 3 types in specific that you ought to stay away from like the plague:

moaners, whingers and complainers

the coffee-set who congregate throughout operate

the watering-hole set who congregate right after perform.

Socialising with your team is fine if you can manage it. Excessive socializing is like begin sucked into a time-consuming swamp.

3. Remain Clear Of the Gossipers. in 1650, Jeremy Taylor, chaplain to King Charles I, wrote a book known as Holy Living in which he warned against the dangers of wasting time on gossip. He said, Avoid the firm of busybodies and all such as are apt to talk significantly to tiny purpose. For no man can be provident of his time that is not prudent in the selection of his company. And if one particular of the speakers be vain, tedious and trifling, he that hears and he that answers in the discourse are equal losers of their time.

4. Find out To Be Brief. In business, your time is your cash. Wasting more info time with unnecessarily lengthy meetings with other individuals is a way to let money trickle down the drain. Channing H Cox once visited President Calvin Coolidge whom he had succeeded as Governor of Massachusetts. Cox, who was usually detained at his desk till well into the evening, was astonished to find out that Coolidge was able to see so several individuals and still leave the office at five.00pm.

Whats the distinction? Cox asked.

You talk back, replied the President.

5. Get The Briskness Habit. When you learn how to be brisk with others, without getting rude, youll find a excellent ally in your quest to handle your time. Clement Attlee, prime minister of post-war Britain, was known for his briskness at cabinet meetings. His knack was to stifle unnecessary speak. 1 of Attlees exchanges ran as follows:

A very good paper, minister. Do you want to add something? (ie theres no need to have to say anything if its just a repeat get more information of whats in the paper).

Has anybody any objections? (ie dont say anything at all if its currently been covered).

Appropriate, then. Subsequent item.

6. Be Graciously Ruthless With Undesirable Callers. So, what if you do get individuals who want to trap you in your workplace and steal your time? How do you get rid of them with no getting rude? The answer is to be polite but determined. Here are some strategies to use:

ask straight what they want and how extended they might be

suggest a time when you know you'll be free of charge

have a normal "green period" slot when you are free each day to see individuals

do not succomb to the temptation of a break from what you are performing

agree to meet them at their workplace

point out that what you are carrying out is critical and ask if their interruption is more crucial

use appropriate physique language to indicate they are not welcome to stay, for instance, stand up, perch on the edge of the desk, move towards the door, steer clear of eye contact.

Use these methods and youll be letting individuals know that while youre willing to be gracious with folks, youre going to be ruthless with your time.

The way you manage your time is a single of the most public approaches you manage your life. Treat your time as one thing that is low cost or worthless and youll fall prey to the Time Stealers. Treat your time as precious and beneficial, and youll defeat the time stealers and stay time-rich.