markewicken in Time ManagementTips and Advice

Time Management Is Your Responsibility

The transition from school to the workplace presents many challenges for graduates. The excitement of the new job can often overshadow some of the basic disciplines and skills required to manage the new environment and expectations placed on you.

Here are a few thoughts and ideas to help you with this transitions:

KNOW WHO YOU ARE: Know how you like to work, when you work best, when you are most productive.
SAVE TIME: Plan ahead, make lists – know what you have to do and finish what you start.
MAKE TIME: Every day, plan for things you want and need to do.
PRIORITIZE: Make a plan of action (weekly and monthly).
CHECK YOUR PRIORITIES. Circumstances change and so can the priorities.
PLAN YOUR NEXT DAY. The night before or before you leave your office.
WRITE THINGS DOWN: If you write things down you will remember them.
RETURN PHONE CALLS ʻIMMEDIATELYʼ : By returning calls right away you donʼt have to remember to do it. You might eliminate a potential problem or even better, open up a big opportunity.
LISTEN AND READ CAREFULLY: Before you react understand the problem or situation
RAPID RESPONSE: Do it, Delegate it or Defer it. Get it done immediately. Donʼt hesitate and you wonʼt waste time.
AGENDAS: Insist on them for all meetings.
LATE-COMERS: Donʼt wait for them at a meeting, proceed on schedule.
BE ON TIME: Not being punctual is not only rude, it waste the time of those kept waiting.
KEEP PROMISES: Always! It is human nature to underestimate the time for a job. Learn to be realistic and donʼt make a promise that you cannot keep.
PERSONAL BUSINESS: Your personal life is important. Don’t let your work ruin your personal commitments. Incorporate personal business into your schedule.
DONʼT PROCRASTINATE: some decisions can be made by flipping a coin.
STAY HEALTHY: Keep yourself in good health. You cannot perform well when you are not.
DO IT NOW! If you have a small unpleasant task ahead, -clear it off at the start of the day”.

Managing your time is your responsibility.

If you are not managing your time, who is?

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markewicken: Mark Wicken is a marketing professional with over 30 years of advertising, communications and strategic planning experience within the retail and packaged goods industries. He has been a senior member of agency management teams with both account and brand management responsibilities. His strengths have always been on innovative thinking, solid organization and strong interpersonal skills. Starting in the advertising agency industry, Mark held senior account management positions at several multinational agencies including Leo Burnett, Foster, Caledon, Vickers & Benson and Saffer Advertising, and has been responsible for the management of accounts like IBM, McDonald’s, Esso and General Motors. Mark moved from his agency roles to the Client side and held the position of Divisional Vice President of Marketing for Domino’s Pizza International and Director of Marketing for KFC, Hardee’s and Sbarro restaurants in the Middle East. In 2002 he established The Mark Wicken Group, a business specializing in executive search, training and consulting within the marketing, advertising and communications industries. In addition to executive search, Mark has devoted much of his lifetime to teaching, education and youth development. He is President of MusicFest Canada ‘The Largest Annual Music Festival in North America’ and has been an instructor at the International Academy of Design and The Toronto Film School since 1998. Mark graduated from The University of Toronto, took post-graduate studies at Northwestern University, and is married with two sons.