Sarah K. Hash, CMCA | Taylor Management Company, AAMC
“I have so much to do and there’s never enough time…”
Let’s be honest, we’ve all said this to ourselves, but what if we flip the script and make the most of our time to do the things we want to spend our time doing?
For most managers, vendors, and the like, we run into this challenge of trying to balance the spinning plates and to know which task or sometimes fire to put out next. This is often caused by a lack of direction and order to be both efficient and effective with the use of our time.
Emails are pinging…
Zoom meetings are popping up…
Residents are coming into the office…
Your family is having that crisis again, that’s not an actual crisis…
Yes, these are all part of our day-to-day life, but what if we focus on how we handle these by getting ahead of them?
Here are 5 “go-to” tips to maximize productivity:
- Chunking & Time Blocking – Break your day into 30, 60, and 90-minute increments and assign specific tasks to each block. This helps with focus, keeping you on schedule and eliminates wasted time.
- Reducing Noise – Silence email and phone notifications to prevent you from constantly stepping away from what you’re working on. Research says it takes nearly 23 minutes to regain focus after a disruption or distraction.
- Eat the Frog – Knock out the hardest, most important or most dreaded task first thing in the day. This sets the tone for the day and will domino into future productivity.
- Daily Reviews – Before you wrap up your day, take time to review what you accomplished, what needs to be worked on tomorrow, and identify areas of growth and opportunity for you and your team.
- Leave It Until Tomorrow – It’s important to show up for those you go home to, or more importantly, yourself when you head out for the day. The mantra, “it can wait” should become a statement you say when that overwhelming feeling or urge to quickly send that email or tackle that next issue arises. You can’t pour from an empty cup so be sure to fill yours outside of the office.
Productivity isn’t about doing more, but what matters most with clarity and intention. When we plan, prioritize, and protect our energy, we reserve it for the people who matter most… our families, our teams, our friends, and most importantly, ourselves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah K. Hash, CMCA is a community manager with Taylor Management Company, AAMC. Sarah war recognized as a member of the inaugural class of CAI Keystone’s Emerging Leaders Under 40 in 2023 and awarded with CAI Keystone’s Shining Star at the 2024 Excellence Awards Gala. Sarah chairs the chapter’s Communications & Content Committee. She can be contacted via email at: shash@taylormgt.com.
