John Kim, Co-Chairman of Syncis - Useful Time Management Tips For The Workplace

When John Kim co-founded Syncis in 2009, he did so with the aim of facilitating the recruitment and mentoring of people who were looking to start second careers in the financial services. Many of the people who become Associates of the company do so while working in other roles simultaneously, which makes effective time management crucial to their success. This is an area where a lot of people struggle, so try to keep these handy pointers in mind if you want to make the most of the time you have available at work.

Keep A Schedule
If you don’t keep a schedule you will find that your work is often unfocused and you waste a lot of time trying to figure out what you should be doing next. You should wake up each day with a solid plan of action that details that tasks you have to complete and the amount of time you can dedicate to each of them. Your schedule should also include a little bit of spare time, as this will allow you to be flexible enough to take on emergency tasks or add a little more time onto a job that needs completing. 

Make Use of Deadlines
A realistic deadline will motivate you to buckle down in your work to get the job done. Whenever you schedule a task in your diary you should try to settle a time for when it needs to be completed. This helps you to avoid procrastinating and also gives you something tangible to work towards.

Eliminate Distractions
It’s likely you have been in a situation where you have been trying to focus on work, only for a conversation with a colleague to start that ends up lasting more time than intended. The issue of distractions is even more difficult for those who are starting careers and people who are working from home, as they need to make the most out of all the time they have available to them. If you absolutely have to get a task completed, you need to shut yourself off from the world. Close your door, turn your phone off and stop checking emails. Do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Always Question Yourself
It can be too easy to get caught up in the mundane work that doesn’t really serve a purpose other than to occupy your time. Before you start a task you should question yourself and consider how important what you’re doing actually is in terms of how it will help you achieve your career goals. If you don’t think what you are currently doing is the best possible, use of your time you need to stop and find something that serves a more direct purpose.

John Kim Syncis is the Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of Syncis.

John Kim, Co-Chairman of Syncis - Ways To Improve As A Professional

Syncis, which is an insurance marketing organization that was co-founded by John Kim, has achieved so much success since it was formed in 2009 because the company focuses on helping its Associates develop the skills they need to achieve their goals. Professional development is crucial in all industries, as it allows people to develop the skills they need to move forward in their careers. However, it is an issue that many struggle with, particularly those who may not be granted the opportunities that they would like in their careers. In such cases you need to take your development into your own hands by doing the following.

Maximize Your Time

The way you use the time available to you is going to prove crucial in your development as a professional. This starts with your daily schedule, so try to get into a routine of waking up early enough to be able to get to work in good time, while also going to sleep at a time that will afford you as much rest as you need. When it comes to your working life, you should learn how to prioritize your tasks and schedule them accordingly. Do not procrastinate on the little things, as these will build up over time, and consider what you can learn from each task you complete.

Develop Communication Skills

Your ability to communicate is something you should start working on from the moment you begin your career. Whether it is speaking to colleagues, clients, stakeholders or senior management, you need to be able to get your points across clearly and concisely. If this is an area where you struggle you should spend some of your spare time working on it. Consider speaking into a mirror so you can catch any body language that betrays nervousness and try spending a little time writing each evening to develop your written communication skills.

Say Yes To Education

If you are offered any educational opportunities you should jump at them as quickly as possible, even if you don’t think what you will learn will be relevant to your current position. Learning new skills is crucial for advancement in the workplace, plus the desire to develop demonstrates initiative. This will help you to get noticed by the key decision makers in the company, which may lead to even more opportunities coming your way.

Find A Mentor

John Kim and the team at Syncis encourage experienced Associates to act as mentors for those who are new to the organization. If you wish to develop quickly you should try to find somebody who has more experience and is willing to get invested in your work. The best mentors can offer advice when things get tough and will go to bat for you in meetings.