We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Why does it seem like some people are able to use their 24 hours much more efficiently than others? Maybe they have mastered time management skills or maybe what we see as put together and able to accomplish many things doesn't show us the fast-food late-night dinners, the laundry piled up on the couch, the 10 unreturned phone calls, or the stack of mail still needing to be sorted through.
What is time management? To answer this, we first must explain time management is not actually about managing our time. Time management is really task management. Tasks are the pieces of work we do in the time we have. We need to be mindful of the tasks we choose to do and even the ones we choose not to do!
Focus
Veterinary practice managers have a laundry list of daily tasks required to run a smooth, sustainable practice. Between hiring and training support staff, consulting with pet owners, coordinating team members work schedules, and all the other things making up the practice, it can get overwhelming quick. Fortunately, there are several tips and tricks to help you create an easy-to-follow task management system.
Start with the three questions making up a focus funnel. Developed by best-selling author and TED Talk speaker, Rory Vaden, a focus funnel provides the framework for reducing workload by eliminating, automating, or delegating tasks based on need.1 A good focus funnel will help practice owners and managers learn how to assess and evaluate a problem or situation.
Specifically, the tool helps users make quick decisions to eliminate, automate, or delegate tasks by answering "yes" or "no" to three questions:
1) Is this task worth the time to complete it?
Your time is valuable. Imagine starting your day with $160 in your pocket. As you go through your day, for each hour you spend working you take $20 out of your pocket. Every hour has the same $20 value but not every task does.
Is returning phone calls at this moment the best use of your time? If the answer is no, set the task aside for review later or eliminate the task altogether. At the end of the day, your pocket will be empty. Did you spend your money wisely?
2) Can this task be automated?
Should you invest your time now to save time in the future? Is the upfront time spent to create an automated system worth the time it will save in the future? If you find yourself performing a task repeatedly, such as calling clients to remind them about their pets' appointments, the answer to these questions is likely yes.
In this case, invest the time upfront to create an automatic reminder system. This is a great example of time banking. The team member normally calling clients for their upcoming appointment reminders can now use their gained time on other time sensitive tasks.
Think about all the practice's tasks and ask yourself if automating any of them is possible. The ability to reduce time spent on repetitive manual tasks creates a level of optimization that eliminates those time-bandit tasks.
Consider everyone's time an investment. Get your teams input on what they do daily. How much time do they spend on specific tasks and what can improve the process? If automation is possible, take the steps necessary to do so.
3) Can another team member do this task?
If a task cannot be eliminated or automated, can it be delegated? Maybe it is payroll and only you are allowed to run payroll. In this case, this is a task you must do yourself—however, have you automated payroll as far as it could be so your task has gone from two hours down to 30 minutes? If not, go back to question two and find a process to automate it as much as possible. The time spent up front will save you hours in the future.
This begs another question: Can I teach another team member how to do this task? While it may be easier to say, "I'll just do it. It's faster if I take care of this myself," training a team member on a task can be invaluable. Once someone else learns how to do something, you have the option to delegate. Additionally, your team members will continue to get faster, as they have more practice doing the task, and may even bring forward another perspective you had not thought of before.2
Next step
You have asked all three questions: you have eliminated, automated, or delegated—now what? It is time to ask: Does this task need to be done right now or can it be done later?
- If the task cannot wait and requires immediate action it will also require focus and concentration. Create a place allowing you to work uninterrupted for as long as necessary to complete the task. This might be difficult to do, but it is well worth the effort to set up and implement. To minimize interruption, set a daily time or follow a known procedure (e.g. closing your door).
- If the task does not have to be done immediately, add it to your to-do list. Set your calendar to review the task later. When the reminder comes up, go through the three focus funnel questions again: Can it be eliminated, automated, or delegated? From there you can choose to either concentrate and do the task or put it back on your to-do list for another set time to review. Don't worry; by continuing to run the task through the questions, it will either get completed or eliminated.
Increased productivity
I encourage you to practice using your focus funnel starting today. You will soon see how your perception of priorities shift! Allow yourself to delegate and trust the team you helped build. Trust the process and, before you know it, you will be able to quickly review your daily to-do list by eliminating, automating, or delegating.
Prioritizing tasks will eliminate time wasters while simultaneously focusing your energy. You will feel like you have more than 24 hours in a day—and you may even decide to fold the laundry!
Linda Miller, BS, CCFP, has more than 20 years of business experience. As co-owner of Dog Days Consulting, she manages client's social media accounts. Miller is a certified compassion fatigue professional and a certified master life coach. Her passion lies in teaching skills and providing staff with the necessary tools to help them sustain a long enjoyable career in the veterinary industry.
References
- Adam (2020, February 26). The 3-Step Focus Funnel That Will Change How You Lead. Retrieved from Tweak Your Biz: https://tweakyourbiz.com/management/focus-funnel-framework
- Rumple, S. (2019, September 17). Time Management Tips for Veterinary Practice Managers. Retrieved from Practice LIFE: https://www.practicelife.com/en/latest/time-management-tips-for-veterinary-practice-managers
