Enhance Communication Efficiency Using the 4 Ds of Time Management

Contributed by: Curtis Newbold, PhD

Difficulty level: Easy

If you’re finding yourself in the throes of work-task overload—with way too much to do and far too little time—it’s quite possible you simply have too many tasks. If that’s the case, I regret that this Shortcut may not be able to help you.

But…before you stop reading, it just might!

Time management is tricky because it requires you to navigate the sheer number of things on your plate while seeking consistency- and efficiency-based tools to keep you productive—all while working within unpredictable environments shaped by people and problems that need varying levels of attention.

Fortunately, there are techniques you can employ that will help free up time by cutting down on the tasks that might otherwise bog you down. Because email and meetings often function like time vampires—the Wall Street Journal has reported that the average employee spends 57% of their week on email, in meetings, or on chat! Routine workplace communication is a good place to start for improving your time management.

The goal is to recognize which communication tasks you need to do, which ones you don’t, and which order they should be done in.

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