Getting Work Done (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Harvard Business Review

• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781625275486
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business Skills
• Index: Business

Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work you need to accomplish? Being pulled in different directions by competing priorities? Getting Work Done runs you through the basics of being more productive at work. You'll learn to:

• Align your schedule with your priorities
• Focus your attention and avoid distractions
• Create effective daily routines
• Set boundaries and learn to say no

Don't have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR's 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic. Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives--from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.

Index

accomplishment, sense of, 29, 35

accountability, personal, 56, 73

administrative tasks, 15

agendas, 78–79

all-nighters, 54–55

assessing progress, 87–90

brainstorming, time for, 64

breaks, 59, 63–64

busyness, productivity vs., 5–6

calendars

—prioritizing and, 30–31

—putting deadlines on, 28, 29

career goals, 12

categorization of tasks, 14–15

—delegation and, 25

—by urgency/ importance, 22–25

change, committing to, 5, 7

clothes, planning, 48–49

clutter, eliminating, 40, 41

collaboration, 67–83

comfort, organizing workspace for, 41

commitment, personal, 5, 7, 83

communication

—clarity in, 81–82

—with teams, 68–70, 80–83

—urgent vs. important, 22–25

—virtual work and, 68, 80–83

core responsibilities, 14

Covey, Stephen, 23–24

creativity, 58, 64

crises, 14, 23

deadlines

—avoiding procrastination and, 54–55, 57

—on calendars, 28, 29

—interim, 26–27

—pressure and, 27

—realistic, 27–28

—on to-do lists, 34

—using to your advantage, 25–28

decision making, routines and, 45–49

delegating, 25, 32, 70–74

dos and don’ts of, 75

—learning to delegate, 74

distractions, 40, 42–43, 53, 58, 61–62

efficiency, multitasking and, 62

eliminating tasks, 32, 71

e-mail

—advantages and disadvantages of, 42–43

—assessing progress on, 88

—avoiding unnecessary, 61

—filters for, 61–62

—as interruption, 58, 59–62

—organizing, 42–45

—“Reply all,” 60–61

—setting norms for in teams, 81–83

—task managers, 44–45

—turning off, 59–60

—urgent vs. important, 22–23

energy levels, 29–30, 47

environment, organizing your, 39–45...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Series Page
• Title Page
• HBR Press Quantity Sales Discounts
• Copyright Page
• Preview
• Contents
• Why Invest Time in Improving Your Productivity?
• Identify What Needs to Get Done
• Schedule Your Work
• Find Your Focus
• Keep Up the Good Habits
• Work Effectively with Others
• Assess Your Progress
• Learn More
• Sources
• Index