Time Management

Characteristics Of Time There’s a finite amount of time. It’s the same for everyone. Nobody has

more than anyone else.– Non-renewable resource– Cannot be replaced, saved, made up, or

overspent Thus, time is either used or wasted.

How much is your time worth? – Time is money, right?– Wrong! Money is time.– You can always get more money – time is more

valuable. How much is an hour worth to you?

Time management helps you work smarter, not harder.– Smart time management helps you get the

right things done.

Four Steps In Time Management Planning Organizing Controlling (Keeping track of it) Evaluating

Planning Set goals (always time framed -

deadlined).– Yearly – outcomes, projects, tasks, and

improvement areas– Monthly updates– Weekly planning

Planning Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of your

results come from 20% of your activities.– Do not get distracted. Focus is critical to

success. Plan for the full range of your job functions

and activities to get the results you’re expected to get.– Results are politically defined.

If you’re unsure about what results are expected or about priorities, ask your boss.– “I didn’t have enough time” is a cop out –

you’re blaming time, being a victim of time.– Don’t be a victim, take responsibility for

managing and controlling your time. According to boss’s or team’s priorities, not yours.

– Take responsibility for results as the organization, boss, or team defines them.

Take responsibility for being on time.

Self-Management People who are habitually late or

constantly procrastinate:1. Arrogant: Try to establish power consciously2. Poor self-image: Try to establish power

subconsciously3. Unhealthy fear of failure4. ADHD5. Are you in denial about any of the above

problems?

Self-Management Overcome these problems with self-

discipline:– Time management and priority setting– Professional help (yes, a shrink)– Don’t procrastinate on getting started or

getting help in planning your time.

Planning

Yearly goals Monthly updates Weekly planning

Planning Tools

To-Do List Action folder Management folder Project folders Calendar

To-Do List Problems The longer, the worse – depressing. Unconscious, stupid tricks we play on

ourselves:– Do lots of little things first to give ourselves

achievement feedback.– Do the easiest things first.– Do the most fun things first.

To-Do List Solutions

Scrub it every week to keep it short. Put a deadline on all items. Prioritize all items 1,2,3 (boss’s or team’s

priorities).– Listen to boss or team carefully.

Listen for stuff you don’t want to hear. Don’t listen defensively – it’s not personal criticism,

it’s improvement advice

Weekly Planning

Look at last week’s calendar for appointments, tasks, meetings, and stuff that needs to be carried over to the new week.

Look at what you have scheduled for the upcoming week.

Synthesize.

Daily Planning Daily plans are most useful if you have

sovereignty over your time.– Often not necessary for routine daily tasks.

Set a time for your daily planning (first thing in the a.m. is usually best).

Look at your email, then delete, refer, or act on it.

Daily Planning

– Delete as much email as possible Unsubscribe to emails you don’t need.

– Refer – Forward emails to appropriate people for action.

– Act – Respond immediately if it takes less than two minutes.

Daily Scheduling Tips Be tough on yourself – do the hardest,

nastiest things first. Save the easiest, most fun for last in the

day – look forward to them. On every activity, ask “how is this helping

me achieve my goals?” Prioritize 1, 2, 3. You shouldn’t be doing 4s

and 5s– You distract yourself.

Daily Scheduling Tips Break big jobs into smaller chunks and

work uninterrupted:– Close your email program and browser.– Shut down your smartphone.– No email, texts, Facebook, or Twitter during

chunking.– Each chunk completed builds momentum.

Don’t attempt too much. Make yourself feel like a winner.

Allow for interruptions. If you’re a manager or team leader, leave one-quarter of your time unscheduled.– If you’re not a manager, leave one-eighth

unscheduled.

Daily Scheduling Tips Set a time limit on each appointment or

meeting. If you add something during the day, drop

something. Set a time for call-backs.

– Best time for call-backs is when assistants aren’t around — before 9:00 A.M. or after 5:30 P.M. (No-Screening Time).

Working Your Plan The number-one time management rule:

– Do one task until it’s finished. We interrupt ourselves (email notifications, texting,

Facebook).– Focus intensely

– Champion athletes know the value of focused concentration.

Follow-Up Conduct a desk check at the end of the

day.– No random piles of stuff — have organized

piles– No Post-Its all over the place– What color is your desktop?

If you don’t know or can’t see your desktop, you’re not well organized.

Organize Your Desk and Computer Use a headset if you’re on the phone a lot

so you can write stuff down. Work space uncluttered

– Clutter is distracting. Write everything down.

– How you are most comfortable – typing or writing

Organize Written Communications Analyze repetition: use forms, templates. Analyze correspondence.

– Have separate files and templates for emails and paragraphs you write often.

Organize Everyone’s Time Use no-interrupt hours. Use quiet hours.

Manage Your Boss Get specific instructions. Get agreement on priorities. Expand autonomy parameters – gain trust.

Evaluating Time logs (every six months)

– Time logs must be accurate.– Analyze logs carefully and identify the biggest

time wasters: Overextended lunch and coffee breaks Extended, unproductive phone conversations Inconsequential personal discussions, texts,

Facebook, etc.

Evaluating Look at your time log and ask these

questions:– “Am I doing the right things?”– “Could I have done things in less detail?”– “What kind of interruptions? How long did it

take me to recover?”– “How long were my conversations?”– “Did I say ‘no’ often enough?”

Set up “no” systems.

Remember, you’re the one who makes yourself unhappy with unreasonable expectations and disorganization. – Create a time-management system that is

right for you. Trial and error

Get organized and smell the flowers – lower stress.