Here's how you can spot and eradicate time-wasting activities within your team.

You know that a good team can accomplish anything, but time wasters can get in the way. That's why I was so interested to read a LinkedIn article about how to identify and eliminate those time-consuming things that can slow your team down. The article had great advice for managers like me. It recommended that I first identify time traps by observing my team members and asking for their feedback. After that, I should set priorities to ensure we aren't focusing on the wrong tasks. Then, I should streamline processes, limit meetings, and encourage breaks.

If you don't collect time spent consider it (there is a legal duty in the EU and other locations). You've a duty to make sure people are not working beyond their contract hours and the transparent capture of time taken on tasks is fundamental to understanding how the team approaches work life. If people are worried about transparency, you may have deeper work culture issues?

To root out time-wasting activities, you first need to identify them. Start by observing the daily routines of your team. Look for repetitive tasks that could be automated, lengthy meetings that could be emails, or complex processes that could be simplified. Engage with your team and ask for their input on what they feel hinders their productivity. Often, team members are aware of inefficiencies but might need encouragement to speak up. Once you have a list of potential time-wasters, you can begin to tackle them head-on

After pinpointing the culprits, it's time to prioritize tasks. Encourage your team to differentiate between urgent and important tasks using a priority matrix. This tool helps to visualize where time should be allocated, ensuring that important tasks that contribute to long-term goals are not overshadowed by the false urgency of less critical activities. By focusing on priority tasks, your team can avoid getting sidetracked and can dedicate more time to what truly drives progress.

With priorities set, streamline your team's processes. Analyze the workflow and identify any steps that can be eliminated or combined. Simplify communication channels to reduce the back-and-forth that often accompanies decision-making. Introduce project management tools that can help keep everyone on track without the need for constant check-ins. By creating a leaner process, you enable your team to work more efficiently and with less wasted effort.

Set a culture where meetings are short, and purpose and goals are clear. Make it acceptable for people to refuse meetings where there is no value, but don't let it turn into an excuse for not working together.

Meetings are notorious time sinks. Scrutinize your meeting schedule and determine which gatherings are truly necessary. Replace status update meetings with concise written reports that can be read at the team's convenience. When meetings are essential, keep them focused with a clear agenda and a strict time limit. By reducing the frequency and duration of meetings, you'll free up significant time for your team to engage in more productive work.

It is a paradox, but try having those smaller breaks and you may find yourself gaining a laser sharp focus. Make sure as a leader you role model behaviours that work. As a leader and a manger try these things out, don't let people think, back to back meetings should be the norm in a remote/hybrid setting. You wouldn't expect it in a physical setting. Your behaviours soon become cultural norms, be wary of them

Paradoxically, one way to combat time-wasting is to encourage regular breaks. Continuous work without pauses leads to burnout and decreased productivity over time. Teach your team the benefits of the Pomodoro Technique, where work is broken down into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. These intervals help maintain a high level of focus and prevent fatigue, which can lead to time-wasting behaviors.

Finally, implement a system to monitor progress and ensure that time-wasting activities don't creep back into your team's routine. Use time-tracking software to provide insights into how each member is spending their day. Regularly review these reports with your team to celebrate efficiencies and discuss areas for improvement. By keeping a watchful eye on how time is spent, you can maintain a culture of productivity and motivation within your team.