03/ 27/ 2002
by Ruth Klein
Jonathan Novak is a successful art dealer and collector who works out of his Los Angeles home. His large dining room table acts as his office desk during the day, where papers and phone messages get piled all day. Three employees and a phone that never seems to stop ringing keep the office hopping.
Time problem
Needs more time to return calls, work through stacks of papers and increase energy.
Time Prescription
- Novak receives more than 40 phone calls each day. His first priority is to return calls that are considered "active or potential sales." He then delegates calls with his comments for staff to communicate to clients.
- A high-energy morning person, it's essential that Novak exercise first thing in the morning and not attempt low-energy tasks such as meetings, until later in the day. Mornings are also good times for planning and concentrative work. He needs to keep the answering machine on until he's ready to "start the day."
- Files and papers pile up while Jonathan travels to art shows. Novak now quickly makes three stacks labeled: 1) trash; 2) delegate; or 3) sales.
- It's extremely hot in his office by mid-afternoon, which lowers Novak's work output. This is an excellent time for him to visit clients, galleries or review paperwork outside his office.
Results: Novak boasts a substantial increase in business since we first started working together.
"Ruth helped make us more profitable by making us more time-efficient. And she has given us new positive energy for years to come," he says.
Novak says he now feels that his home is a home again after working hours.
Klein is a time management and marketing coach and author of Manage Your Time, Market Your Business (AMACOM, $21); go to http://www.ruthklein.com.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2001 issue of MyBusiness Magazine, NFIB's member magazine.
