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With so many distractions around us, being mindful of our time can be extremely challenging and multitasking seems to be the only way to balance it all. There are tools and techniques to make us better at effectively managing our schedule and priorities, and allow us to invest our energy only on projects or tasks that fulfill our personal or professional goals.
Our panelists Shannon Cook (Director, New Channel Activation, Movable Ink) and Caroline McCarthy (Director of Sales, LinkSquares) shared tips on how to be in control of your time and be present.
Protect your time and energy.
While it may feel selfish, granting yourself moments to unplug will make you more productive and give you consistent cognitive sharpness during working hours. Try blocking your calendar with designated project time, assign "no meeting days" during the week, and take real lunch breaks.
Saying no is not a bad thing.
Before saying yes, take some time to consider what is being asked of you and how it relates to your personal/professional goals. Practice saying "no, but" to offer other solutions or delegate to another individual who may be better suited to take on the task.
Safeguard yourself against external distractors.
To ensure you are present in virtual or in-person presentations, remember to close Slack, Teams, LinkedIn, and other communication channels. Take it a step further and silence notifications, or leave your phone in the other room, to force yourself to focus on what is in front of you.
How we manage our time is a choice. When deciding what you can take on, or what meetings you must participate in, make sure you understand the greater goal. If you feel it isn’t aligned with your personal/professional goals, prioritize your time and what matters to you, and do not feel guilty to say no. Want to learn more? You can stream the full event recording here.
Thank you to all of the WISE partners that made this event possible and our panelists for sharing their time and advice.
