Time Management

Friday, April 7, 2023 Copyright© Cher Merrill 2008

Time Keeps on Ticking, TickingTime Keeps on Ticking, Ticking……into the futureinto the futureA Personal Time Management Seminar A Personal Time Management Seminar by Cher Merrill Associated Industriesby Cher Merrill Associated Industries

PASSING TIME…PASSING TIME…

GOT PTM? GOT PTM? OR DO YOU HAVE…OR DO YOU HAVE…

Last minute rushes to meet deadlines

Double booked or worthless meetings

Days that slip by unproductively Unexpected crises out of no where Time slips away

““THOSE WE LABEL NATURAL THOSE WE LABEL NATURAL BORN LEADERS KNOW HOW TO BORN LEADERS KNOW HOW TO

LEVERAGE THEIR TIME.”LEVERAGE THEIR TIME.”

- Warren Blank“The 108 Skills of

Natural Born Leaders”

TIME KEEPS ON TIME KEEPS ON TICKING, TICKING…TICKING, TICKING…

ONE PURPOSE:ONE PURPOSE:

THE PURPOSE OFTHE PURPOSE OFTIME MANAGEMENTTIME MANAGEMENT

TO LET US GET CONTROL OF TO LET US GET CONTROL OF OUR LIVES SO WE CAN MAKE OUR LIVES SO WE CAN MAKE

THE CHOICES WE WANTTHE CHOICES WE WANT

TIME KEEPS ON TICKING…TIME KEEPS ON TICKING…

Today is about controlling the use of your most valuable and undervalued resource:

YOUR TIME

Time Management Benefits Time Management Benefits YOUR STAFFYOUR STAFF Long term objectives don’t suffer Time management allows balance and

objectivity Personnel time needs don’t

get pushed aside (employee reviews, training, etc.)

Planning time Empowerment

Time Management BenefitsTime Management BenefitsYOUYOU

“ME” Time Where do you

want to go? If you do not plan where you want to

go, you are unlikely to get there

Less waste Be prepared Resist extreme

workloads Monitor progress Allocate resources Handle large projects Plan effectively

Time Management BenefitsTime Management BenefitsYOUR COMPANYYOUR COMPANY

Poor Time Management: Poor Time Management: An Energy & Dollar DrainAn Energy & Dollar Drain

Poor TM can lead to: Physical exhaustion Disengagement Illness Loss of good employees

Time Management:Time Management:An Energy Renewal ResourceAn Energy Renewal Resource

4 dimensions of personal energy: Physical Emotional Mental Spiritual

Eight Steps to Taking ControlEight Steps to Taking Control

1. Get up earlier

2. Delegate

3. “Sacred” time

4. Set Unplugged times

Eight Steps to Taking ControlEight Steps to Taking Control

5. Schedule for the unscheduled

6. Take 10 at 10

7. Take another 10

8. Give yourself travel time

TIME TIP!!!TIME TIP!!!

Keep an Activity Log Break your responsibilities into

categories Ask what percentage each should be Check it out with others

Time Waster Letting Go ExerciseTime Waster Letting Go Exercise

Clutter Wastes TimeClutter Wastes Time

"I am a firm believer that our mental processes are influenced by our external environment. It's depressing to be surrounded by clutter.

Clean up and everyone may enjoy a boost in energy and creativity.“ -- Ty Freyvogel

More Sources of Time WasteMore Sources of Time Waste

WORK WITH A CLEAN DESK

Studies have shown people with messy desks spend, on average, 1-1/2 hours a day (a) being distracted or (b) looking for things

That’s 7-1/2 hours per week!

More Sources of Time WasteMore Sources of Time Waste

Telephone calls Unplanned drop ins Conversations

around coffee machine

Instant messaging Frivolous emails Poorly planned meetings

Other Ways We Waste TimeOther Ways We Waste Time

DOING THE WORK DOING THE WORK

OF OTHERSOF OTHERS Be willing to help out But check your work log

How much time you spend on your own work?

How much you spend on others’ work?


GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME Seek clarification Learn the reasons for changes Next time clarify similar points at the beginning Write a small spec sheet for each task and get it agreed upon


“Don’t commit to memory anything you can write down.”

– Albert Einstein

If tasks are large, break them down into their component

elements

If these still seem large, break them down again

Making Your Meetings MatterMaking Your Meetings Matter

To make your meetings shine:1.List meetings and cut in half

2.Take each one of those planned meetings and cut their time in half

3 alternate way to communicate:1.Face time

2.Phone Conference

3.Email

Making Your Meetings MatterMaking Your Meetings Matter

You can direct and control meetings.Have a pre-distributed agendaAdd content to make meetings

interestingEncourage robust dialogEvaluate yourselfSolicit different points of view, dialogue

Do You To Do?Do You To Do?

Gallup Poll, 1990: Do you make time-management lists or calendars to help you organize your time, or not?

Reply PercentageNumber Total of

1024 People

Yes 51.92 864

No 48.08 800

STRESS TESTSTRESS TEST

We’re all trying to beat the clock – for some of us, the clock is winning. And that causes undo stress.

How are you doing?

Take a few minutes to take the Stress Test in your folder.

Appointment List: Starting SimpleAppointment List: Starting Simple

A sheet or legal pad List all known appointments

for the foreseeable future If large, break them down If these still seem large,

break them down again Do this until you have all

tasks as manageable pieces of work

Daily TO DODaily TO DO

Task Oriented Projects Appointments Other contacts:

PhoneEmail

The TO DO List ApproachThe TO DO List Approach

Allocate priorities from A (very important) to C (not as important)

Base priorities on two criteria:Task’s urgencyTask’s importance


To Do Lists are very personal Different approaches are valid

Paper Lists List on computers Palm Pilot

Must suit the way you work It will make it easier to keep the list and sort

it into order


Taking note of how you spend your time for a period of time

Make a note of everything you do, and the time you take to do it

The first step is to appraise how you

spend your time and question habits.

Auditing Your TimeAuditing Your Time

What to do if you’re overloadedWhat to do if you’re overloaded

Delegate to another Get more time Eliminate the unnecessary Make schedule

changes

Scheduling ProjectsScheduling Projects

How do you handle deadlines?Leave the work until it’s too late? Is there usually a final panic

toward the end?Are the last few hectic

hours often marred by errors?


For each appointment on Your To-Do List, consider what actions you might take to ensure that no time is wasted

Manage deadlines with the same techniques you use tomanage projects

Monitor your progress


An impossible deadline affects not only your success but also that of others

Planning tells you how much time is needed

Time management tells you how much time is available

Ways to deal with impossible deadlinesWays to deal with impossible deadlines

1. Get the deadline extended

2. Ask for more resources

3. Get the deliverable redefined to something practical

4. State the position clearly so that your boss has fair warning

5. Scram! Pull out all remaining hair and run for the hills!

Getting buy in…Getting buy in…

“I can’t do them all, which should I delay?” Keep a database of time estimates and

actual time tasks take Move deadlines forward and allow time for

proper work to be done

Monitoring StaffMonitoring Staff

Delegated tasks should be given with deadlines and deliverable(s)

Have necessary information in your calendar or To Do

Monitor progress Initiate action only if indicated because

end date has passed


TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR TIME We never GET the

time for anything. We have to TAKE the time! Take charge Just say “no”

Thirteen Ways to Put TimeThirteen Ways to Put Timein a Bottlein a Bottle

1) Spend time planning and organizing

2) Set goals

3) Prioritize

4) Use a to do list

5) Be flexible


6) Consider your biological prime time

7) Do the right thing right

8) Eliminate the urgent

9) Practice the art ofintelligent neglect


10. Avoid being a perfectionist

11. Reward Yourself

12. Learn to say “NO”

13. Make a decisionnot to procrastinate

Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

Procrastination is an escape route

Procrastination is a decision not to decide

Procrastination usually stems from early choices

Ways to Overcome Ways to Overcome ProcrastinationProcrastination Recognize the unpleasantness Identify your payoff Exaggerate your resistant

behaviors Take responsibility for

each delay Decide everything now

Ways to Overcome Ways to Overcome ProcrastinationProcrastination Prime yourself with

lead-in tasks Finish things Block off your escape routes Stop perfectionism

JUST DO IT!

Time Management ACTION PLANTime Management ACTION PLAN

What actions can you take now to improve your management of time?

“All meaningful and lasting change starts first on the inside, and works its way out.”

- Lou Tice


Time Management

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