Time Management

1. Time Management Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another gets a full year’s value out of a week. (Charles Richards)

2. Why We Fail to Plan… • We would rather “do” than “think” • We don’t have “time” • We can’t control our time • Why bother, because plans always change?

3. Plan Your Time… • Work and leisure • How much time will each activity require? • When will I do each activity? • How much flexibility must I allow for the unexpected things I can’t control?

4. Imagine you are surrounded by family and friends at your 90th birthday party. People from many aspects of your life are there to honor you. Think about what people would say. Think about your roles in life and what their tribute statement would be: Role: Tribute: 90th Birthday Exercise

5. If Money Were No Object… • Think of what you would do with your life if you could do whatever you wanted to do. If it didn’t matter how much money you made, how would you spend your time? What do you really enjoy doing? • The minute you begin to do what you want to do, it’s really a different kind of life. (Buckminster Fuller)

6. Seven Goal Areas of Life • Career • Financial • Social • Mental • Spiritual • Family • Physical

7. How to Establish SMART Goals • Specific – Write down exactly what you want to accomplish. • Measurable – Come up with a way to know that you have succeeded. • Achievable – Make sure it’s within reach. • Realistic – What steps are necessary to be successful? • Timed – What is your deadline? Pick a date.

8. Weekly Planning • Invest 15 to 30 minutes in planning for the next week • Think of each role as you plan • Recover at least one hour a day per week • Do your planning when your mind is its sharpest

9. Setting Priorities URGENT YES NO YES QI CRISIS QII PLANNING IMPORTANT QIII TRIVIA WORK QIV TIME WASTING WORK NO Source: Stephen Covey

10. QI: Important & Urgent • “Crisis” mode • Putting out “fires” • These are things that most of us have little trouble getting done • Urgency often forces us into action • Causes stress and “burnout”

11. Setting Priorities URGENT YES NO YES QI CRISIS QII PLANNING IMPORTANT QIII TRIVIA WORK QIV TIME WASTING WORK NO Source: Stephen Covey

12. QIII: Not Important & Urgent • Trivia work • Interruptions by others • Feeling of accomplishment • Short term focus • Does not accomplish worthwhile goals

13. Setting Priorities URGENT YES NO YES QI CRISIS QII PLANNING IMPORTANT QIII TRIVIA WORK QIV TIME WASTING WORK NO Source: Stephen Covey

14. QIV: Not Important & Not Urgent • Time wasting work • “Busy” work • Feeling of accomplishment • Does not accomplish worthwhile goals • Give these activities a “waiting period” • After “waiting period” throw them out

15. Setting Priorities URGENT YES NO YES QI CRISIS QII PLANNING IMPORTANT QIII TRIVIA WORK QIV TIME WASTING WORK NO Source: Stephen Covey

16. QII: Important But Not Urgent • Planning • Prevention of future crises • Relationship building • Long term focus • Often objects of procrastination • Spending more time in QII results in less time in QI and QIII

17. Setting Priorities URGENT YES NO YES QI CRISIS QII PLANNING IMPORTANT QIII TRIVIA WORK QIV TIME WASTING WORK NO Source: Stephen Covey

18. Focus on the “Big Rocks” • QII activities are “Big Rocks” – do first • QI, QIII, and QIV activities are “Little Rocks” QII QII QII QII QII QII QII

19. Types of Planning Guides • Calendars • “To Do” lists • “Weekly planning guides • “Palm Pilots” • Experiment and do what works for you

20. “Running To Do” Lists • Whenever you think of something you need to do, add it to your “Running To Do” list • Assign a due date to the task • Periodically review this list and prioritize • Free yourself from worry that you will forget about a task • Eliminate little slips of paper • Be sure to remember to check your “Running To Do” list

21. Prioritize Activities Using “ABC” • A = High value • B = Medium value • C = Low value

22. A1 = Go to the bank A2 = Work on annual sales forecast A3 = Work on Michelin presentation for next week B1 = Write thank you note to Jenny B2 = Do expense report B3 = Filing C1 = Do daily crossword puzzle C2 = Return shoes to Belks (have receipt) C3 = Get oil changed C4= Sort through junk mail Prioritize Within “ABC” Categories

23. “ABC” Categories (continued) • “C’s” can become “B’s”; “B’s” can become “A’s” • Example: neglecting an oil change can become urgent • Think of Important/Urgent matrix when doing planning • “A’s” and “B’s” could be QII

24. How to Schedule • Planning is an intention; scheduling is more like a commitment • Plan for interruptions • Schedule quiet time • Schedule family/personal time using one calendar to avoid double-booking • Don’t forget the “Big Rocks” • Group “like” activities • Develop a list of “Instant Tasks” that can be accomplished in five minutes of less • Make use of “waiting time”

25. Procrastination - We Do It To Avoid: • Unpleasant things • Difficult things • Tough decisions • Upsetting others

26. Facts About Procrastination: • It is the #1 factor in stress • We can only blame ourselves • Perfectionists often procrastinate • We “keep busy” doing low priority tasks instead of the important ones

27. Beat Procrastination With the “Salami” Technique • Divide a large project into several smaller chunks (or tasks) • Smaller tasks are less overwhelming • Establish due dates for each task • Use of smaller tasks helps you to resist the feeling that one large block of time is needed to complete the project • Work on smaller tasks when you have extra time available

28. More Ways to Beat Procrastination • Start with a small task and build enthusiasm • Don’t be a perfectionist • Delegate • Analyze why you put things off • Promise yourself a reward • Just get started … and keep going

29. Reactivity vs. Proactivity S R S Freedom to Choose how you react R Reactivity Proactivity “Knee-jerk” reaction Think before you act Can result in poor choices Use ability to reason Source: Stephen Covey

30. Circle of Influence/Concern Circle of Influence Circle of Concern = Reactivity Worry about things you can’t control Source: Stephen Covey

31. Circle of Influence Circle of Influence has expanded due to Proactivity Focus on what you CAN control Circle of Concern Source: Stephen Covey

32. How to Handle Interruptions • Keep records of interruptions to identify patterns • Are there certain people who interrupt your work? • Are there particular times of day when you are interrupted? • Train yourself to get right back to work after the interruption • Let the phone ring (voice mail will answer)

33. How to Handle the Office Visitor • Arrange furniture so that you don’t face the door or traffic flow • Make visitor chairs unavailable • Stand up to indicate a conversation is finished • Summarize conversation as you walk toward the door • Politely explain you have a deadline to meet

34. How to Handle Long-Winded Phone Calls • Stand up • Recap the conversation • Recap with action statement • Politely explain you have a deadline to meet

35. How to Use Communications Technology • Save time by leaving a voice mail message when a person is likely to be out • Save time and reach multiple people by sending email • Send email messages ONLY to the people who have a need for the information

36. How to Manage Email • Delete • Follow-up for action later • File in a specific reference folder • If you are not sure what to do with a message, file it in a “hold” folder • Periodically review items in “hold” folder and delete those that are more than a few weeks old

37. How to Manage Clutter • Clutter Law: Clutter expands to fill the space available • Clutter takes valuable time and energy • Some estimates indicate we spend as much as 6 weeks a year looking for things • Make a habit of putting things away on a daily basis • Set aside time on a regular basis to deal with clutter if things are out of control

38. How to Manage Paper • Think of your “time planner” as a CPU • Never operate your life from a stack of paper, but from a prioritized task list • Try to handle a piece of paper only once • Paper should be Trash, Things to be Filed, Action items, or Things to Read

39. Time Management Quotes • Make your life a mission – not an intermission. (Arnold Glascow) • Successful people have the habit of doing things failures don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either, necessarily, but their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose. (Albert Gray) • Even if you’re on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. (Will Rogers)

40. More Time Management Quotes • Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. (Benjamin Franklin) • Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved. (William Jennings Bryan) • The reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first. (Robert J. McKain) • You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. (Abraham Lincoln) • You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do. (Henry Ford)

41. More Time Management Quotes • There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. (Peter F. Drucker) • Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as his specific opportunity to implement it. (Viktor Frankl)

42. Final Thoughts on Time Management • The (vital) task rarely must be done today, or even this week. The urgent task calls for instant action. The momentary appeal of these tasks seems irresistible and they devour our energy. But, in the light of time’s perspective, their deceptive dominance fades. With a sense of loss, we recall the vital task we pushed aside. We realize we’ve become slaves to the tyranny of the urgent. (Charles E. Hummell) • The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. (Stephen Covey)