Ten Tips To Save Time in the Lab

Posted on the 20th of Sep 2017 by Westlab

Highly successful laboratory personnel know that time is a precious commodity in the day to day operation of a lab. There is nothing more valuable than time – whilst money can be lost and made again, time can never be reclaimed!

10 Tips to Regain Time In Your Lab:

Measure Your Time in Minutes

Most people measure time in hour blocks – successful persons measure a day as 1440 minutes. Make the most of every minute, organize your day in 15 minute intervals, engender a culture of time management amongst your peers, you will be surprised how much can be achieved in a day.

Important or Urgent

On your most important tasks, not just the urgent ones. Block time at the start of each day while your mind is refreshed to tackle those tasks you keep putting off that could save you time in the long run.

Write It Down

Use a notebook – write everything down that you need to remember, this clears your mind and ensures that nothing gets overlooked.

Don’t Get Distracted

Process your emails only a few times a day, don’t get distracted from your core goals by those incessant emails, social media feeds or interesting articles that you just must read…they can wait!

Handle It Once Only

Touch things only once if possible, handle that piece of paper, or that email once and move on. File items in an easy to retrieve spot should you need to refer to them later.

A Clean Workspace = An Efficient Workplace

Keep your workspace tidy and uncluttered. Each night before you go home, organize your papers, emails and notes so that you are ready for action first thing in the morning. Invest in lab storage systems such as Gratnells and train your team in their use. You will be surprised how well-organized storage can increase efficiencies in the lab.

Have a Smart To-Do list

Start your day with a Smart to-do list. Prioritise your tasks – what will give you the best long-term yield? This will help you reduce feeling overwhelmed and will focus your efforts.

Collaboration Leads to Innovation

Collaboration, Delegation and Communication – talk to your team, share successes and ideas, this will ensure you get external input and waste as little time as possible on dead-end projects. A daily stand up huddle meeting goes a long way towards delegating out the tasks that need to be completed in a day and ensures that there is a clear flow of communication.

Avoid Too Many Meetings

Keep meetings short and to the point – make them regular rather than drawn-out irregular meetings. Have a clear set of action points (not too many) and appoint a follow-up manager.