What happens when you are NOT practicing good time management? Stress Tasks take longer Illness/fatigue Disorganization Lack of accomplishment 2

What is time management? Time management refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage events in your life in relation to time. 3

Strategies Know how you spend your time Set priorities Use planning tools Get organized Schedule Delegate Stop procrastinating Manage time wasters Avoid multi-tasking Stay healthy 4

Activity – Rocks in a Jar The wise use of time is an important skill. By learning to set priorities and use time most effectively, you develop skills and confidence for leadership and self-discipline.

The Professor A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a large empty jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

The Professor So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full.

The Professor The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. 

Rocks in a Jar The Glass Jar represents your life. The truly important things, such as, family, health, and relationships. Now remember, no matter how powerful, famous, rich, or insignificant any of us are, we all have the same size jar. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful.

Rocks in a Jar Large rocks represent those activities that matter most in our lives and that have the most profound consequences, either good or bad, that result from their completion or non-completion. The Pebbles are the little tasks that might add up to be something significant, but if we miss one or two, it’s typically no big deal.

Rocks in a Jar The sand represents all the non-essential things that tend to full up our days and our lives. Sand in this represents wastefulness, non-producing activities that full up your jar and prevent use from fitting in the larger rocks that are meaningful for our lives.

Rocks in a Jar What would happen if I put the pebbles in first? Will there be enough room for the larger rocks? This is what happens when we allow the least important priorities to fill up our day instead of focusing on what is really important…

Rocks in a Jar By focusing on the most important things first, we are able to get a lot more accomplished!!!

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Use a Log to Determine How You Spend Your Time exercise family education work sleeping hobby 15

Wkst: Time Log: How Do You Spend Your Time Now? Activity Wkst: Time Log: How Do You Spend Your Time Now? 16

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Determining Your Priorities Using the Matrix Urgent Not Urgent Important Not Important 18

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Planning Tools 20

To Do … or Not To Do 21

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Tools to “De-clutter” 23

Excuses for keeping things around A TOP TEN LIST… Excuses for keeping things around I’ll use it SOMEDAY! It’s too good to throw away. It will be worth something one day! It will come back in style! It was a gift from ______. I paid good money for it. As soon as I lose weight, I’ll wear it. It just needs to be fixed. They don’t make these any more. I’m saving it for… 24

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KNOW YOURSELF! When are you most productive and alert? When do you tend to overcommit? When can you more easily balance responsibilities? When do you make time for YOURSELF? 26

Schedule Your Most Productive Time Block out time for your high priority activities first Only schedule about 70% of your time to leave opportunity for creativity 27

Activity Weekly Planner: Create a log with Different Colors for different activities 28

NO Just Say Be honest Use non-verbal language Don’t be defensive Be brief Don’t use an excuse Use positives 29

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Get Help From Others Identify the task Match the task to a qualified person Define the task and establish your expectations Check on the progress Reward success 31

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Don’t Put it Off 33

How to Stop Procrastinating Break the task down into smaller segments. Complete a preparatory task to help you get started — organize notes. Reward yourself for completing smaller tasks. 34

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Don’t let this happen to you! 36

Time Wasters Which ones apply to you? Telephone & voice mail Meetings E-mail & Internet Family obligations Unexpected visitors 37

E-mail and Mail Set aside a specific time of day to check e-mail Turn off instant message features Handle each item once Sort mail near a trash can Limit Internet use 38

Family Obligations Establish a master calendar to post time commitments Make everyone responsible for consulting the “master calendar” Have a central message center 39

Visitors Schedule another time for visit Indicate visit is over Use physical indicators to end visit Schedule open-door times Use body language Be the visitor 40

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WHY? Avoid Multi-tasking Doesn’t really save time Limits concentration Restricts focus 42

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What are YOU doing to stay healthy? 44

Reduce Stress Listen to music Practice relaxation Treat yourself Get active and eat healthy Take up a new hobby 45

Keeping healthy doesn’t require a lot of special equipment Exercise Keeping healthy doesn’t require a lot of special equipment Practice deep breathing Stretch regularly Walk Play with your kids 46

Practice Good Nutrition Use MY PYRAMID as a guide Make ½ your grains WHOLE Vary your vegetables Focus on fruits Eat calcium rich food Go with lean protein Avoid fad diets Don’t skip meals

What We’ve Learned… Analyze where your time is spent. Decide what is important and urgent. Utilize tools to improve time management. Implement a system that allows you to handle information once. Schedule! Empower others. Quit putting “it” off. Control time wasters. Switching tasks is NOT productive. Take time for yourself. 48

Ten Strategies for Better Time Management Lesson Plan Developed by Dr. Sue Chapman, Extension Coordinator, Athens, GA Peggy Bledsoe, Houston County Extension Coordinator, Perry, GA Joan Mason, Sumter County Extension Coordinator, Americus, GA Heather Walrath, AFC, Extension Intern 49