Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/138003
WINE WISE MARKETING ELIZABETH SLATER Another idea is to set time limits, working on a project for a certain amount of time. This is great for meetings: allot a certain amount of time and stick to it. Others will realize you are serious about making the best use of your time, and more will be accomplished in a shorter period of time. MANAGED BY OTHERS Prioritize projects as they come in so you know which tasks should be tackled first. Photo: Thinkstock it urgent and important? Is it important but not urgent? Or is it neither urgent nor important? Sort and prioritize your tasks by these answers. Based on its size, does a task or project need to be broken into smaller pieces that can be done over the period of a week or a month? Sometimes it's easy to get overwhelmed by a large project, which can make it hard for you to get started. As the saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant?" You know the answer to that – one bite at a time – so use the same philosophy on your projects. What if someone else sets your priorities? If you are handed work from another person, always ask what the priority is on the task. You and the person giving you the project should agree on an assigned priority (A, B or C). If it's a B priority, show the person the list of priorities marked A and ask he or she if the new task should have priority over the previously determined one. If you keep taking on more work without coming to agreements on the priority of each task, you may well be setting yourself up for failure. I spent some years in advertising, working for an agency at which the catchphrase seemed to be, "We don't have time to do it right but we've got time to do it again." Take the time you need to do things right the first time. You will save a lot of time in the long run. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Take breaks. Get out of your office for a few minutes. Take a walk or retreat to have a cup of tea. Change your focus or read a magazine article you have been meaning to get to. Taking a little time off, even as little as five minutes, can rejuvenate and energize you and make you much more efficient when you go back to work. My embracement of time management techniques seems to be helping. Ask my editor. I actually got this article in on time. For more time management tips from Elizabeth Slater, see our video: https:// vimeo.com/67915313 Elizabeth Slater is the owner of In Short Direct Marketing, a direct marketing company that works with individual wineries and winery associations. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. Large or Small...to us you are just right! Local Bank. Local Lenders. www.exchangebank.com 707.524.3000 w w w. v w m media.com We have a wide variety of loan products available for a business your size J u l y - A u g 2 0 13 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 19