Galway Advertiser 2000/2000_02_03/GA_03022000_E1_012.pdf 

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O'Connor

"OH, LOOK at the time, where has the day gone?", or "How I am going to get all these jobs done before bed time?" are familiar moans.
Time, or more accurately, the lack of it, occupies much of our thinking each day. We wake to a shrieking clock or one whose buzz threatens to erode our brains if listened to for too long. It is time to get out of bed and become a slave to the ticking clock. From organising breakfast to school runs to getting to the office, we skilfully juggle these tasks while keeping an eye on the clock. able mental energy and often a good night's sleep, worry ing about them. Time management courses have become almost a miniindustry abroad, and on a smaller scale are gaining popularity here. However, you can learn to manage your time more efficiently by yourself and with a little trial and error, you can devise a system which works effec tively for you. takes to carry out the individ ual activities. Reading over it will be a real eye-opener. Do you really spend an hour on the phone? Does the ironing actually take two hours? Do you need to visit the shops every day, would it not be better to do a big shop once a week? * Organise your hours. Get a good wall calendar and fill it in as far ahead as possi ble. Mark down school holi days, meetings, birthdays, family get-togethers and so on. Lists are useful too. Have a "things I must do today" list and also one for the fol lowing week. Record every thing from cleaning the bath room to calling to the drycleaners, or writing that important report for work. Cross things off as you achieve them, this will give you a feeling of control. Be ruthless and avoid clut tering up your home and life. Sort through the post you receive each day and throw out anything unimportant. Telephone that friend you promised or write that letter. You'll feel great afterwards * Delegate. If much of your time is being eaten up by performing endless tasks, ask for help. Ask your work colleagues, partner, children, family, and friends to lend a hand. Whether it's household chores, looking after the chil dren, or doing more in the office - learn to shift some of the responsibility onto other people's shoulders * Teach your children to do m o r e for t h e m s e l v e s . Stop waiting on them hand and foot and let the older ones do their own ironing, get their school lunches, and help clean the house. It won't just ease the burden on you, it will also teach them to be responsible * Work rapidly. Once you have set yourself some thing to do, work rapidly and intensively so that you will finish it in a set time * Set goals. Setting tar gets for each day, week, or month will help you organise your time more efficiently. Goals will give you a sense of direction and help keep * Break tasks into seg you alert and focused. They ments. If the task facing you are especially useful in carry is a big one, break it into ing you over dull and tedious parts - it will be easier to patches. Experiments by psy manage this way. Always try chologists indicate the best to finish a job, valuable time goal is accompanied by a is lost picking up the threads mental picture in which you of yesterday's unfinished visualise yourself confident work ly achieving what you want. Goals need not he elaborate, they could be as simple as reading five good novels this year, getting more exercise, or devoting more time to yourself * Make good use of your leisure. Leisure periods are important to help us unwind. Their value is great est if you can direct your full attention to whatever you are doing during your free time. Try to shift your attention right off work/study/family commitments and focus it on something different altogeth er for this period. If you are having a 15 minute coffee break, do not ruin it by wor rying about the state of your house, the fact your car is on its last legs, or that you have not got round to paying all your bills. Try to banish all worry/negative thoughts from your mind and concen trate on relaxing, enjoying a television programme, or reading a good book * Know when to stop. Know the difference between boredom and tiredness. If you have worked hard all day and feel weary, leave further work until tomorrow. You will achieve little if you are in a fatigued, defeated frame of mind

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Avon Cosmetics

Ireland

NEW

YEAR - NEW

START

If

W a n t e d : A real people person to meet our self-employment challenge The Avon Opportunity could be just what you're looking for

The day often passes in a blur with minutes merging into hours. Most people com plain they never get through their daily workload, be it a mountain of filing, shopping for the evening's supper in their lunch hour, or giving the house a much needed spring clean before b e d . Despite the best of inten tions, the hours seem to dis appear, and we end up feel ing frustrated because we've still got lots to do. Even worse, the things we've left undone keep nig gling us and we use up valu-

HOWTO MANAGE YOUR TIME BETTER * G e t s t a r t e d . Avoid dilly-dallying. Don't wait until you feel inclined to organise your time. Start at once and your interest will develop * Keep a time diary. All you need is a sheet of paper with three columns. The headings could be Time Started, Activity, and Time Taken. Use these categories to write down everything you do within a two to three day period and how long it

- fulfil your potential - be your own boss - substantial earnings opportunity As an A r e a M a n a g e r for A v o n Cosmetics,

heading an established team of Representatives, you will motivate, encourage and advise them in the best traditions of direct selling. We need a good communicator, someone who is well-organised, professional, flexible and keen to win - a real people person.

Sales experience not necessary - but enthusiasm and energy sure does help!
Make your New Year resolution now - and get in touch.

Send letter and brief c.v. to:
Sandra Gaughran, National Field S a l e s Manager Avon C o s m e t i c s Unit 9 , S w o r d s B u s i n e s s Park, S w o r d s , Co. Dublin Tel: 0 1 - 8 9 0 4 1 2 1

A V O N
the company for women

Avon Ireland was set up in 1994 and is part of a highly-successful global organisation operating An employer of choice, and equal opportunity