Time Management for Managers

1. Time Management for Managers

3. The Value Of Time How much is your time worth? Time is money, right? Wrong! Money is time. You can always get more money � time is more valuable. Exercise - How much is an hour worth to you?

4. Time Management Time management helps you work smarter, not harder. Smart people get the right things done. People who work smart make more money and get promoted faster or get to do the jobs they want. Time management requires self-management and self-discipline.

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

6. Planning Set goals (Always time framed - deadlined). Yearly: Income, projects/tasks, improvement areas Monthly updates Weekly Planners Daily Schedules Prioritize everything: 1s, 2s, 3s.

7. Planning Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of your results come from 20% of your activities. Plan for the full range of your job functions and activities to get the results you�re expected to get. Results are politically defined.

8. Self-Management If you�re unsure about priorities, ask your boss. �I don�t have enough time,� blames time, not yourself. You probably didn�t check your priorities with your boss. Don�t be a victim, take responsibility for managing and controlling your time. According to boss�s priorities, not yours. Take responsibility for results as the boss defines them.

9. Self-Management People who are habitually late or constantly procrastinate: Arrogant: Try to establish power consciously Poor self-image: Try to establish power subconsciously Unhealthy fear of failure Are you in denial about any of the above problems?

10. 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.

11. Planning Yearly goals Monthly updates Weekly planners Daily schedules The keystone of an effective system

12. Planning Tools To-Do List Action folder Management folders Project folders Calendar Weekly planners Daily schedule

13. 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.

14. To-Do List Solutions Scrub it every week to keep it short. Reward accomplishments � give yourself a piece of candy. Deadline all items. Prioritize all items (boss�s priorities). Listen to boss carefully. Listen for stuff you don�t want to hear. Don�t listen defensively � it�s not personal criticism, it�s improvement advice

15. Weekly Planner Assign priorities in an Action Folder and on a To-Do list. Look at last week�s Weekly Planner.

16. Weekly Planner Look at calendar for scheduled appointments and meetings. Synthesize into a new Weekly Planner. Keep Weekly Planners for later analysis.

17. Daily Planning Set a time for your daily planning (first thing in the a.m. is usually best). Look at your email - DRAS (delete, refer, act, or save) it Refer means to refer it to someone else to do. Act if it takes less than two minutes. Snail-mail � TRAS (toss, refer, act, or save) it Keep briefcase or backpack open and toss reading in it.

18. Daily Planning Refer - Delegate, forward, or print out and put in an appropriate folder. Act - Do it immediately if it takes less than two minutes. Save- Don�t save what others save.

19. 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.

20. Daily Scheduling Tips Break big jobs into smaller chunks. Turn off your computer � no email, IMs, Facebook, or Twitter during chunking. Each chunk completed builds momentum. Don�t attempt too much. Make yourself feel like a winner. Allow for interruptions � leave one-quarter unscheduled. If you�re not a manager, leave one-eighth unscheduled.

21. Daily Scheduling Tips Set a time limit on each appointment or meeting. If you add something during the day, drop something. Make 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).

22. Working Your Plan The number-one time management rule: Do one task until it�s finished. We interrupt ourselves (email notifications, IMs, texting, Facebook). Focus intensely Champion athletes know the value of focused concentration.

23. Follow-Up Conduct a desk check at the end of the day. Nothing open 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.

24. Organize Your Desk and Computer Use a headset if you�re on the phone a lot so you can write stuff down. Handy Calendar (Only One-Portable, such as a synched smartphone) Work space neat and clean Write everything down. Put often-used information in Favorite Places.

25. Organize Your Desk and Computer Vital information handy on Desktop Action folder (red if not on computer) Management folder (yellow if not on your computer) Project folders (blue if not on your computer)

26. Organize Written Communications Analyze repetition: use forms, templates. Analyze correspondence. Have separate files and templates for letters and paragraphs.

27. Organize Support Staff Have no-interrupt hours for support people. Utilize quiet hours for the entire office or department .

28. Organize Support Staff Have the support staff keep time logs occasionally. Meet regularly with the support staff to discuss problems, solutions. Make the support staff part of the team.

29. Organize Your Associates Use liaisons. Consolidate meetings (bring management and project folders). Compress meetings (set time limits, use and follow agendas).

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

31. Controlling Time Proper use of time separates winners from losers. Winners take credit, losers blame time and others. View time management as an edge opportunity.

32. Evaluating Time logs (every six months) We misjudge time. What we like to do goes fast. What we dislike to do goes slowly. 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, IMs, Facebook

33. 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

34. Summary Time isn�t money, it can�t be saved. It�s more precious . Know how you use your time (time logs). Know your boss�s priorities. Set deadlines for everything.

35. Next Steps Remember, you�re the one who makes yourself unhappy with unreasonable expectations and disorganization. Create a plan. Get organized and smell the flowers.