The daily schedule of a financial analyst is unpredictable,
particularly if you are in investment banking or equity
research.
How do you plan ahead when daily urgencies and constant
changes are the order of the day? It could be the end of
the day before you can make time for your top priority task
on your to-do list.
Here are a few time management tips that can be easily
incorporated into your busy schedule:
Set aside the first hour of your day for the most important
task. I discovered one morning when I had arrived at the
office extra early to complete a report for the deadline. I
went straight to work as opposed to starting the day with
my morning news and email routine. My mind was fresh after
a good rest. The phone didn't ring. The office was quiet.
This was the golden hour. I was able to finish the work in
half the amount of time I thought I needed.
I still practice this most important task first routine
today even though I work from my home office.
Have an achievable plan. Allocate a task that can be
completed in one hour. Break down a bigger project into
bite-sized steps. Prepare the information you need the day
before. Set yourself up for success. Making ambitious plans
and then often failing to meet your goals will wear down
your confidence. It's a great feeling to start off each
morning being productive. It gives you a sense of
accomplishment and set a positive rhythm for the day.
Let morning news and emails be second and third on your
to-do list. Most financial analysts have a habit of reading
the news and emails first thing in the morning. I was no
exception. Resist the urge and establish a new habit.
Introducing new ideas will distract your trend of thought
from your top priority task of the day. It is critical that
you reserve your full focus for that most important task.
Batch the non-urgent phone calls and emails. Given that
many phone calls and emails are time sensitive, financial
analysts don't have the option to limit these
"interruptions" to only two or three specific time slots a
day. Still, it is possible to reduce the frequencies of
these interruptions by grouping non-time sensitive requests
together.
Use reminder alarms. Before you start a task, set an alarm
to remind yourself when your next task is coming up. Have
the reminder about 10-15 minutes in advance so you have
time to wrap up what you're doing. This way, you can give
it your full attention instead of taking constant checks on
the time.
Give these time management tips a try. They may just be the
productivity boosters you're looking for. Every minute
counts for a financial analyst.
----------------------------------------------------
Corinne Lor is a success coach for financial analysts.
Visit her blog: http://www.financialanalystblog.com
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