Time Management

Time Management Corporate Training Materials.

Module One: Getting Started. Time management training most often begins with setting goals. These goals are recorded and may be broken down into a project, an action plan, or a simple task list. Activities are then rated based on urgency and importance, priorities assigned, and deadlines set. This process results in a plan with a task list or calendar of activities. This entire process is supported by a skill set that should include personal motivation, delegation skills, organization tools, and crisis management. We’ll cover all this and more during this workshop..

Workshop Objectives. Plan and prioritize each day’s activities in a more efficient, productive manner Overcome procrastination quickly and easily Handle crises effectively and quickly Organize your workspace and workflow to make better use of time Delegate more efficiently Use rituals to make your life run smoother Plan meetings more appropriately and effectively.

Pre-Assignment Review. What are your biggest time wasters? What are you currently doing to manage your time? What could you be doing better? If you came away from this workshop with only one thing, what would that be?.

[Audio] Live in the present: the past cannot be changed, and the future is the direct result of what you do right now!.

[Audio] POSITIVE: Who could get fired up about a goal such as "Find a career that's not boring"? Goals should be phrased positively, so they help you feel good about yourself and what you're trying to accomplish. A better alternative might be this: "Enroll in pre-law classes so I can help people with legal problems someday." PERSONAL: Goals must be personal. They must reflect your own dreams and values, not those of friends, family, or the media. When crafting your goal statement, always use the word "I" in the sentence to brand it as your own. When your goals are personal, you'll be more motivated to succeed and take greater pride in your accomplishments. POSSIBLE: When setting goals, be sure to consider what's possible and within your control. Getting into an Ivy League university may be possible if you are earning good grades but unrealistic if you're struggling. In the latter case, a more reasonable goal might be to attend a university or trade school that offers courses related to your chosen career. You might also pursue volunteer work that would strengthen your college applications..

[Audio] Specific: Success coach Jack Canfield states in his book The Success Principles that, "Vague goals produce vague results." In order for you to achieve a goal, you must be very clear about what exactly you want. Often creating a list of benefits that the accomplishment of your goal will bring to your life, will you give your mind a compelling reason to pursue that goal. Measurable: It's crucial for goal achievement that you are able to track your progress towards your goal. That's why all goals need some form of objective measuring system so that you can stay on track and become motivated when you enjoy the sweet taste of quantifiable progress. Achievable: Setting big goals is great, but setting unrealistic goals will just de-motivate you. A good goal is one that challenges, but is not so unrealistic that you have virtually no chance of accomplishing it. Relevant: Before you even set goals, it's a good idea to sit down and define your core values and your life purpose because it's these tools which ultimately decide how and what goals you choose for your life. Goals, in and of themselves, do not provide any happiness. Goals that are in harmony with our life purpose do have the power to make us happy. Timed: Without setting deadlines for your goals, you have no real compelling reason or motivation to start working on them. By setting a deadline, your subconscious mind begins to work on that goal, night and day, to bring you closer to achievement..

[Audio] Most people are unwilling to make a conscious decision to give up the things in their life necessary to achieve their goals..

[Audio] To create a vision board, simply find a magazine, cut out pictures that resonate with the goal that you want to achieve, glue them onto a piece of poster board, and place that board somewhere that you can view it several times a day..

Module Three: Prioritizing Your Time. Time management is about more than just managing our time; it is about managing ourselves in relation to time. It is about setting priorities and taking charge. It means changing habits or activities that cause us to waste time. It means being willing to experiment with different methods and ideas to enable you to find the best way to make maximum use of time..

[Audio] Across the board, you will find that the 80/20 principle is pretty much right on with most things in your life..

[Audio] This concept, coined the Eisenhower Principle, is said to be how former US President Dwight Eisenhower organized his tasks. It was rediscovered and brought into the mainstream as the Urgent/Important Matrix by Stephen Covey in his 1994 business classic, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People..

[Audio] Urgent And Important: Activities in this area relate to dealing with critical issues as they arise and meeting significant commitments. Perform these duties now. Important, But Not Urgent: These success-oriented tasks are critical to achieving goals. Plan to do these tasks next. Urgent, But Not Important: These chores do not move you forward toward your own goals. Manage by delaying them, cutting them short, and rejecting requests from others. Postpone these chores. Not Urgent And Not Important: These trivial interruptions are just a distraction, and should be avoided if possible. However, be careful not to mislabel things like time with family and recreational activities as not important. Avoid these distractions altogether..

[Audio] Examples: "I am uncomfortable doing that because…" "I can't right now because I have another project that is due by 5 pm today." "I don't have time today, but I could schedule it in for tomorrow morning." "I understand that you need to have this paperwork filed immediately, but I will not be able to file it for you." "Yes, I would love to help you by filing this paperwork, but I do not have time until tomorrow morning." "I understand how you feel, but I will not [or cannot]…".

Module Four: Planning Wisely. The hallmark of successful time management is being consistently productive each day. Having a daily plan and committing to it can help you stay focused on the priorities of that particular day. As well, you are more likely to get things accomplished if you write down your plans for the day..

[Audio] We recommend keeping a separate journal for work and for your personal life, so you can focus on them at separate times, thus maintaining your optimal work/life balance..

[Audio] Personal development expert Brian Tracy believes that when you write down your action list the night before, your subconscious mind focuses on that plan while you sleep..

[Audio] The glass jar represents the time you have each day, and each item that goes into it represents an activity with a priority relative to its size..

[Audio] Large projects can sometimes be so overwhelming it is difficult to even plan to start them. This time management technique is ideal for taking on these jobs. Simply break down the project into manageable chunks, block off time to work on the project, and then tackle it with a single-minded focus..

[Audio] We've all heard the saying, " Ready, Aim, Fire!" Often in time management planning, it is better to think " Ready, Fire, Aim!" instead. This is because most people aim for the target, and then they keep aiming at the target, but they never seem to fire. They get so caught up with the planning that they fail to take action. This is just another form of procrastination, which we will discuss in a moment. Better to take a shot and see how close you were to the target..

Module Five: Tackling Procrastination. Procrastination means delaying a task (or even several tasks) that should be a priority. The ability to overcome procrastination and tackle the important actions that have the biggest positive impact in your life is a hallmark of the most successful people out there..

Why We Procrastinate. No clear deadline Inadequate resources available Don’t know where to begin Task feels overwhelming No passion for doing the work Fear of failure or success.

Nine Ways to Overcome Procrastination. Delete it . Delegate . Do it now . Ask for advice . Chop it up . Obey the 15 minute rule . Have clear deadlines . Give yourself a reward . Remove distractions ..

[Audio] Your frog is the task that will have the greatest impact on achieving your goals, and the task that you are most likely to procrastinate starting. The key to reaching high levels of performance and productivity is for you to develop the lifelong habit of tackling your major task first thing each morning. Don't spend excessive time planning what you will do. You must develop the routine of "eating your frog" before you do anything else and without taking too much time to think about it..

Module Six: Crisis Management. With better planning, improved efficiency, and increased productivity, the number of crises you encounter should decline. However, you can’t plan for everything, so in this module we’ll look at what to do when a crisis does occur..

[Audio] The key to successfully handling a crisis is to move quickly and decisively, but carefully..

[Audio] The threshold time is the time that you have before the situation moves out of your control, or becomes exponentially worse. You may also find that the crisis will resolve itself after a certain point of time..

[Audio] Once you have gathered the data, it's time to create a plan. The best approach is to identify the problem, decide on a solution, break it down into parts, and create a timeline..

[Audio] In this example, your manager is probably pretty anxious to get that report!.

[Audio] In the case of illness, for example, you could prepare a short contingency plan indicating who will be responsible for your correspondence, projects, and general responsibilities in case you are ill for an extended period. Make sure you share these plans with the appropriate people so that they can be prepared as well..

Module Seven: Organizing Your Workspace. In order to effectively manage your time and to be productive each day, you must create an appropriate environment. By eliminating clutter, setting up an effective filing system, gathering essential tools, and managing workflow, you will be well on your way to creative an effective workspace..

[Audio] Working files: Materials used frequently and needed close at hand. Reference files: Information needed only occasionally. Archival files: Materials seldom retrieved but that must be kept. For ease of retrieval, organize files in the simplest way possible. For example, you could label files with a one or two word tag and arrange the files alphabetically..

[Audio] How do you process the mountain of material that collects in your paper and electronic in-baskets? The answer is one piece of paper, one electronic message at a time. Many time management experts agree that the most effective people act on an item the first time it is touched. Although difficult at first, the practice can become habitual, and is made easier with the four Ds..

Managing Workflow (II). Remember, to take the S.T.I.N.G . out of feeling overwhelmed about a task, follow these steps: S elect one task to do at a time. T ime yourself using a clock for no more than one hour. I gnore everything else during that time. N o breaks or interruptions should be permitted. G ive yourself a reward when the time is up..

Dealing with E-mail (I). Electronic communication can be managed easily and quickly with the four D’s. Like other routine tasks, e-mail is best handled in batches at regularly scheduled times of the day. Ask your e-mail contacts to use specific subject lines, and make sure to use them yourself. This will help you to determine whether your incoming mail is business or personal, urgent or trivial. Once you know the subject of the message, open and read urgent e-mails, and respond accordingly. Non-urgent e-mails can be read later. Delete e-mail that you have no interest in..

Dealing with E-mail (II). Create folders for different topics or projects, or by senders. Most e-mail systems also allow you to create folders and add keywords or categories to messages. Many e-mail programs allow you to create rules that automatically move messages to the appropriate folder. This can help you follow your e-mail plan. Finally, don’t forget to delete e-mail from your trash can and junk folder on a regular basis..

Using Calendars. A calendar (paper or electronic) is the obvious place to record meetings, appointments, and due dates. For people with multiple responsibilities, an annual calendar organized by areas of responsibility may be especially valuable. For each of these areas, one can list the major responsibilities month by month and thereby see glance what tasks must be completed in a given month of the year. Don’t forget the Productivity Journal that we discussed earlier..

Module Eight: Delegating Made Easy. If you work on your own, there’s only so much you can get done, no matter how hard you work. One of the most common ways of overcoming this limitation is to learn how to delegate your work to other people. At first sight, delegation can feel like more hassle than it’s worth. By delegating effectively, you can hugely expand the amount of work that you can deliver. There’s a lot to this, but you’ll achieve so much more once you’re delegating effectively!.

[Audio] Delegation allows you to make the best use of your time and skills, and it helps other people in the team grow and develop to reach their full potential in the organization. Delegation is a win-win situation for all involved, but only when done correctly..

[Audio] When you first start to delegate to someone, you may notice that he or she takes longer than you do to complete tasks. This is because you are an expert in the field and the person you have delegated to is still learning. Be patient: if you have chosen the right person to delegate to, and you are delegating correctly, you will find that he or she quickly becomes competent and reliable. Also, try to delegate to the lowest possible organizational level. The people who are closest to the work are best suited for the task because they have the most intimate knowledge of the detail of everyday work. This also increases workplace efficiency, and helps to develop people..

[Audio] Delegation doesn't have to be all or nothing. There are several different levels of delegation, each with different levels of delegate independence and delegator supervision..

Keeping Control. Now, once you have worked through the above steps, make sure you brief your team member appropriately. You will want to make sure that the team member knows that you want to know if any problems occur, and that you are available for any questions or guidance needed as the work progresses. We all know that as managers, we shouldn’t micro-manage. However, this doesn’t mean we must abdicate control altogether. One way to encourage growth is to ask for recommended solutions when delegates come to you with a problem, and then help them explore those solutions and reach a decision..

The Importance of Full Acceptance. When delegated work is delivered back to you, set aside enough time to review it thoroughly. If possible, only accept good quality, fully complete work. Of course, when good work is returned to you, make sure to both recognize and reward the effort. As a leader, you should get in the practice of complimenting members of your team every time you are impressed by what they have done..

Module Nine: Setting a Ritual. Rituals and routines can actually help increase the spontaneity and fun in your life. Because routine tasks are already planned for, you have more energy to spend on the tasks that will bring you closer to your goals and bring more joy to your life..

[Audio] Identify the Task. Let's say you want to build an exercise ritual. Identify the Time and/or Trigger. For example, perhaps you normally exercise right after work. Identify the Sub-Tasks. For you, perhaps your ritual involves going to the gym, getting changed, stretching, doing 45 minutes on the treadmill, performing three reps of weights, and doing a lap around the pool to finish things off. Then, you shower and go home. Remember, a ritual shouldn't be set in stone. Once you establish a ritual, it can be modified at any point in time, depending on what works for you. With our exercise example, you could easily decide to exercise before work or even at lunch and still use the basic task and sub-tasks..

Ritualizing Sleep, Meals, and Exercise (I). Sleep: Establish a ritual for half an hour before you sleep. This might include filling out your Productivity Journal for the next day, enjoying a cup of tea, taking a warm bath, performing some stretches... All of these activities will help you wind down and sleep better. It is best to try to go to bed at around the same time every night, too..

Ritualizing Sleep, Meals, and Exercise (II). Meals: Take a half hour each weekend to plan meals for the next week, including lunches and suppers. Then, make a grocery list and get everything you will need. Appliances like slow cookers and delayed-start ovens can also help you make sure supper is ready when you are..

Ritualizing Sleep, Meals, and Exercise (III). Exercise: Try to exercise for one hour three times a week, or half an hour each day. One easy way is to go for a brisk walk at lunch, or do yoga in the morning before work..

Example Rituals. Instead of checking e-mail, news, and Web sites throughout the day, set aside one or several periods. Then, batch and sequence your activities. Set up a system for maintaining your Productivity Journal. In the morning, perform your tasks in an organized, routine manner. You can also lay out your clothes and prepare your lunch the night before for maximum efficiency..

Using Rituals to Maximize Time. Once you have been using a ritual for a while, you may find that you have bits of extra time here and there. This is where the “Trigger” part of rituals can come into play. Instead of setting a specific time of day, you choose a situation or an event that will cause a ritual to come into play. During a break at work or at home, read for ten minutes. Take one minute to do some deep breathing and stretches. Take five minutes to clean off your desk or some other small area. Take ten minutes to update your Personal Productivity Journal. Set aside one lunch hour a week to do personal errands. Or, make a list at the beginning of each week, and do one a day..