In client services, work can be somewhat unpredictable. A client can call at any time and disrupt whatever plans were laid for the day. Pile on top of that a small business atmosphere, much like the one I work in, where co-workers may need help proofing a proposal or the copier could go on the fritz. All of these factors make planning out my day difficult to nail down.
Through my 4 and a half years in client services, I think I found a strategy that works. I try to plan for 6 hours worth of work in any given work day. This might sound inefficient and lackadaisical, but it works! I find that it offers the right amount of structure and flexibility that I need.
In the 6 hours that I plan, I try to write down all the tasks that I need to accomplish in my planner. This usually happens the day before while it’s fresh in my mind. It includes more than 6 hours worth of work, but I only plan on accomplishing 6 hours worth of it. I then prioritize the list, making note of the most pressing tasks and tasks that I didn’t finish the day before, followed by my less time-sensitive tasks. Client work and important internal tasks such as the newsletter usually rise to the top of my list. Cleaning my desk and emptying my trash are usually pushed to the next day.
The other 2 hours of my day I use for emails, helping out co-workers or other unexpected tasks. Keeping these 2 hours unplanned helps me be very responsive to out-of-the-blue requests. Now if I client calls with a task that will take me an hour, I can easily accommodate that within the flow of my day. I also have time to help out a colleague if they need me or advise the project managers I supervise with their requests. It helps make me a better co-worker and client service provider by being able to respond quickly to these assignments.
These 2 blocks of time are not blocks at all – they’re fluid and can be switched on and off as needed. Knowing about how long the tasks I have planned helps. If I know a task I need to finish only takes 15 minutes, I can easily get it done before I move on to a request from a co-worker. If no requests come in a day, which usually happens, I just move further down my list to my less-time pressing task that I can get off of my plate.
It takes a little getting used to, but I think the benefits are there once you get over the learning curve. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it really works for me. I find that it really gives me the flexibility to handle urgent client and co-worker requested tasks effectively and responsively. I feel that I am a better employee because of this.