7 Steps to Help Facilities Managers Work Smarter and Accomplish More
Do you find that you just aren’t getting as much done as you would have hoped, despite putting in what seems like longer and longer hours at the office? Many facilities managers are finding themselves in this particular scenario, especially as workloads keep increasing, and the dynamic of the workplace continues to evolve. Sometimes all it takes is a little “smarter” working habits to save time and accomplish more.
Working smarter and accomplishing more doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work harder for longer. Instead, employing a few strategies can help free up time from your hectic day, while still helping you be productive. While hard work is admirable, working smarter can make your entire working life much easier.
Here are 7 simple techniques that you can put into effect to save time and doldrums from just about any task at work.
1) Prioritize Your Work
Like all FMs, you’ve probably got a lot on your plate. Don’t bother multi-tasking, thinking that this will help you get things done faster. On the contrary – you’ll most likely get less done because your brain is constantly jumping back and forth between projects. Instead, just pick one thing to focus on at a time, and put your best effort into the task at hand. By prioritizing your work and identifying what jobs are more time-sensitive, you can assess what needs to be done, and by when. Look over all aspects of the job and give yourself enough time to make sure that every detail has been done properly.
2) Avoid Procrastination
Your day will inevitably become longer every time you needlessly check your email inbox or continue surfing the net even after you’ve found what you’re looking for. It can be easy to get distracted, or find yourself drifting off into a daydream. Make a conscious effort to do work when it’s time to do it, and save these other leisurely things for the end of the day.
3) Measure Your Results, Not Your Time
Instead of measuring your level of productivity by the amount of time it takes for you to complete a project, measure your productivity. You might find that you’re putting in more and more time at the office, without actually getting everything done that you feel should have completed within that time frame.
By measuring your results instead, you may notice a difference in your productivity and how you work. Keep a “project complete” list, which can help you measure your accomplishments. Keeping a log like this can help keep you more motivated to tackle various tasks, and help you stay focused and get more accomplished.
4) Identify Where Time is Wasted
If you find yourself being unproductive at times, don’t just automatically change up your routine – until you’ve identified what the problem is. Start by pinpointing exactly what is sucking time out of your daily schedule. Track what you do throughout your work day, and identify any obvious patterns.
Maybe you’re getting distracted by water cooler conversations, or perhaps what was intended to be a 2-minute update on your latest project turned into a half-hour conversation. Once you’ve identified things that caused procrastination, you can start making some changes.
5) Evaluate Your Methods
Accomplishing more at work and being effective and productive means being as efficient as possible in the workplace. Aside from morning breaks and the lunch hour, every minute of your work day should be maximized. Try to find a place to do your work where there are no distractions.
If you’re the type to get discouraged after a little while of tackling the same project, consider doing things in batches instead of one thing at a time. Switching between tasks occasionally can take the monotony out of your work, and help you optimize your efficiency level as much as possible.
6) Delegate Work to the Right People When Called For
As a facilities manager, it’s your job to understand what work you need to do, and what work should be tackled by your employees. Ensure that your work team is properly ordered. If one particular employee is more efficient and tends to work faster, delegate that individual to a task that will take the longest. If you’ve got a specific project that is of particular importance, put the most skilled and accurate employee on that job. Knowing how each employee works and putting the right person to each task is part of being an effective facilities manager.
7) Make Use of Innovative Tools
The job of a facilities manager has evolved, and requires a greater amount of responsibility and ability to manage workspace flow, productivity, and mobile employees. While the office of yesteryear may have been easier to manage, these days the exponential rise in digital technology has put FMs in a position to adapt along with these technological innovations. This redefined responsibility can throw a curve ball for many, which can affect their own level of productivity and workplace satisfaction.
By implementing innovative solutions, such as integrated facility management software into the workplace, facilities managers will find that their jobs can be more streamlined and simplified. With the simple click of a button, you can essentially keep tabs on all your mobile employees, process new work orders, and trigger workflow through the proper channels. It just makes sense to take advantage of such software to tailor your particular needs in the workplace.
