We all have them – project management tasks we dread doing. But they need to be done, so how can we accomplish them without the fuss? Below are a few tricks to get you started.
Group tasks when possible. Not only is it good time management, it will also help you get into the groove on tasks you really dislike. If you can tackle all your phone calls, e-mails or memo-writing at one time, you’ll get through the tasks faster with less opportunity to dread doing them.
Take advantage of downtime. Get a handsfree headset and use your commute time to handle phone calls and check voicemail messages. If you commute by train or bus, see if you can hop on to a WiFi or other wireless signal to tackle your e-mails. You’ll feel great when you arrive at the office knowing you’ve already sifted through your new mail and answered the important stuff. This is also a good opportunity to delete spam, so you aren’t saddled with a list of worthless e-mails upon arrival at your desk.
Do the tough stuff first. Procrastination is more likely to grip you when facing a task you don’t like, so get it out of the way early. You’about also less likely to stall on other things if you can check off the distasteful items first. For tasks requiring focus or concentration, tackle them as soon as you reach your most productive time of day.
Delegate if you can. If you can delegate your least favorite tasks, then do it. As long as you aren’t constantly handing off the sludge, you’ll be using the resources at your disposal while accomplishing your objectives. Be sure to delegate fun stuff from time to time as well, to keep the rest of your project management consulting team from avoiding you.
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