Gestionar tu tiempo, primero lo primero

Time is a precious commodity. Yet when we talk to project managers, it seems that no matter how hard they work to budget it, they never have enough. They need to make a realistic assessment of the "time killers" in their daily schedule: How are they spending their time and what are they doing profitably or unprofitably? We have found that the simple practice of keeping a daily time log for a short time can be an eye-opening experience. Many project managers discover that they spend far too much of their time in unproductive ways: project team meetings without agendas that grind on and on, unexpected telephone calls in the middle of planning sessions, quick "chats" with other managers that end up taking hours, and so forth. Efficient time management—one of the keys to successful project development—starts with project managers. When they actively plan their days and stick to a time budget, they usually find they are operating efficiently. On the other hand, when they take each problem as it comes and function in an ad hoc, reactive mode, they are likely to remain prisoners of their own schedules. A sure recipe for finding the time and resources needed to get everything done without spending an inordinate amount of time on the job or construction site is provided by Gosselin (1993). The author lists six practical suggestions to help project managers control their tasks and projects without feeling constantly behind schedule:

• Create a realistic time estimate without overextending yourself.
• Be absolutely clear about what the boss or client requires.
• Provide for contingencies (schedule slippage, loss of key team member).
• Revise original time estimate and provide a set of options as required.
• Be clear about factors that are fixed (specifications, resources, and so on).
• Learn to say "Yes, and …" rather than "No, but …" Negotiation is the key.