Teams:
More and more companies are going global. And more professionals are working from home.
Because of this, businesses are increasingly relying on virtual teams to get their jobs or projects done.
Like any conventional team, a virtual team consists of a group of people who interact to complete interdependent tasks and work towards a common goal. But instead of working in the same office, the team members work in different places, often at home, and in different time zones. And they may never meet their co-workers face-to-face.
Virtual team working has become possible because of advancements in communication technologies. Members of the virtual team mainly interact electronically by email, messaging and Voice over IP technologies like Skype.
They may also communicate by telephone, teleconference and, to a lesser extent, through video conferencing.
Task scheduling:
The Importance of Scheduling
Scheduling is the art of planning your activities so that you can achieve your goals and priorities in the time you have available. When it’s done effectively, it helps you:
- Understand what you can realistically achieve with your time.
- Make sure you have enough time for essential tasks.
- Add contingency time for “the unexpected.”
- Avoid taking on more than you can handle.
- Work steadily toward your personal and career goals.
- Have enough time for family and friends, exercise and hobbies.
- Achieve a good work-life balance.
Time is the one resource that we can’t buy, but we often waste it or use it ineffectively. Scheduling helps you think about what you want to achieve in a day, week or month, and it keeps you on track to accomplish your goals.
How to Schedule Your Time
Set a regular time to do your scheduling – at the start of every week or month, for example.
There are a number of different tools to choose from. A simple and easy way to keep a schedule is to use a pen and paper, organizing your time using a weekly planner. (Clickhere for a free downloadable planner template to get started.)
You can also use apps and software such as Google Calendar®, MS Outlook® and Business Calendar. Choose a scheduling tool that suits your situation, the current structure of your job, your personal taste, and your budget.
The most important thing when choosing your planner is that it lets you enter data easily, and allows you to view an appropriate span of time (day/week/month) in the level of detail that you need.
Once you have decided which tool you want to use, prepare your schedule in the following way:
Step 1: Identify Available Time
Step 2: Schedule Essential Actions
Step 3: Schedule High-Priority Activities
Step 4: Schedule Contingency Time
Step 5: Schedule Discretionary Time
Step 6: Analyze Your Activities
Key Points
Scheduling is the process by which you plan how you’ll use your time. Doing it well can maximize your effectiveness and reduce your stress levels.
Follow this six-step process to prepare your schedule:
- Identify the time you have available.
- Block in the essential tasks you must carry out to succeed in your job.
- Schedule high-priority urgent tasks and vital “housekeeping” activities.
- Block in appropriate contingency time to handle unpredictable events and interruptions.
- Schedule the activities that address your priorities and personal goals in the time that remains.
- Analyze your activities to identify tasks that can be delegated, outsourced or cut altogether.
It’s important that your schedule makes time for your professional and personal goals. If you have little or no discretionary time left when you reach step five, revisit your tasks to see if you can do them differently – otherwise, your work-life balance will suffer.
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