Doctors are increasingly seen as ‘managers’, people who manage. But why are a few much more effective than the rests? Research indicates it is energy and focus which separates 90% of managers from the top 10%, who are more purposeful and employ useful habits.
The bottom 90%
Do you recognise yourself in this? The ‘distracted’ doctor represents 40% of the workforce; they’re highly motivated, full of energy but switch between activities without much sense of purpose and are not good leaders.
Then there’s the ‘procrastinators’, who make up 30%. Experience has taught them that whatever they do, it won’t make a difference so they’re not good motivators.
The next 20% are the ‘disengaged’, who are focused but unexcited by work; lack energy to deal with problems or drive things forward; and get absorbed by routine and fire fighting, with little time for reflection, planning or creative thinking.
The top 10%
These guys maintain their energy, staying focused despite distractions and deciding for themselves what they need to achieve. They manage their work environment and those around them, to achieve their goals. Think about how you could be effective. Where would you start?
Improving effectiveness
Let’s agree ‘purpose’ is a good thing. Often we find our workshop delegates are more concerned to do a job perfectly than to question whether they should be doing it at all. Perfection has its place in medical training but elsewhere it should not blind you to the need to examine routine critically and regularly. Here are two ideas:
1. The Pareto Principle (being selective): the peculiar relationships of any 80% with any 20%, for example we may say that 20% of what we do each day accounts for 80% of the results we achieve. How can this help? It reminds us to be selective, to focus on the few things that matter while doing our best not to get involved with the many trivial things which take up valuable time.
2 Parkinson’s Law (being motivated): as the old adage goes, work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. This leads to work taking longer than it should because more people get involved and unnecessary tasks are introduced. This damages motivation. Having a sense of purpose leads to doing the right things (being effective). It’s more important than doing things right (being efficient). Look first at where you’re wasting time (Time Log) then plan tasks better.
Useful habits to adopt regarding time
1. Know your time: we all perform better at different times in the day so if we know when this is, we should try to do the most difficult or demanding tasks at that time.
2. Do the worst first: or choose to do these as early as possible and get them out of the way. There’s a sense of relief and a morale boost too.
3. Take breaks: don’t be too busy to take (short) breaks. Those who are refreshed work, think and react better than those who are tired.
4. Impose deadlines: set a timer for 30 minutes to see how many boring admin tasks can be completed before it rings.
5. Plan the day: either do it the night before (preferable) or that morning. If in the morning, you focus on what’s urgent rather than what’s important.
6. Clear for action: whatever you do or wherever you work, it saves energy if you know where you can lay hands on the tools of your trade quickly.
This is Bob Mathers’ final article in this three-part series on time management. Read the first and second parts.
Bob provides non-clinical communications training for health professionals. Email him on bobmathers@btinternet.com or call 07816 230 213.
Tags: Time management
