Time Management

B. Course Overview This course will help participants assess their current time management skills. Participants will learn about typical barriers to effective time management and ways to overcome them. Participants will learn “triage” techniques for effective priority management

Course Overview (Cont.) Participants will learn time management tools that they can use in the workplace. Participants will learn about developing a Time Management Plan that can enhance their ability to manage time.

Misconceptions about Time Management

I Haven’t Got Time to Use All That Time Management Stuff. This is the perfect excuse for not taking control of your time. When you refuse to take a look at how you use your time, you set yourself up for failure.

The People I Work with Won’t Let Me Manage My Time the Way I Want. This puts the blame on others. You can not expect your colleagues, clients, etc., to magically stop calling, interrupting, or stop coming up with new projects. Blaming others is another way to rob ourselves of the power to change.

How I Manage Is Just Part of My Personality. Wrong. We use time in certain ways because (1) we have learned to do so, (2) there are cues in our working environment for using time in these ways, or (3) we are getting something out of using time in those ways. Workers can change how they manage time by learning new skills, changing the cues, or changing the consequences for use of time.

If I Use Time Management, My Life Will Be Too Controlled. Using time management deliberately will put control into your life. The difference is, YOU will be in control.

A Five-Part Strategy for Time Management

1. Identify Your Time Management Goals There are two ways to evaluate time use: Results-Based-Results View: Process-Based-Process View:

To identify your time management goals, you should consider both: Wants- What do I want to do? Requirements- What do I need to do?

CLARITY About Your Goals and Expectations Will Help You Gain Control of How You Spend Your Time.

How Professionals Often Want to Spend Their Time: Meeting with individuals to discuss their progress. Arranging for services. Talking with other professionals about their work. Giving concrete help and encouragement to others.

How Professionals Often Want to Spend Their Time (Cont): Developing relationships with peers and persons receiving services.

How Professionals Often Must Spend Their Time: Completing assigned tasks within given time frames. Completing relevant paperwork. Refining systems. Engaging in relevant committee work.

How Professionals Often Must Spend Their Time (Cont.): Reacting to crises or unforeseen emergencies.

2. Know Yourself, Your Body, and Your Daily Rhythm Everyone has periods during the day when he/she is more or less productive. Knowing when you are less likely to complete complex tasks will help you to work most effectively.

3. Know Your Problem Areas and Implement Solutions

Common Problems Areas Related to Managing Time Your work environment discourages you from spending time the way you want or need to.

Possible Solutions: Identify problems with the environment and discuss a plan to remedy them with your supervisor and/or your colleagues. Set up rewards under your time management system, and include items that distract you anyway, like coffee.

Social situations impede your ability to manage time effectively. You aren’t able to gracefully end a conversation with someone who interrupts you. You aren’t able to control phone conversations. You aren’t able to say “no” when you already have too much to do.

Possible Solutions Let visitors know that you are interested in them. Inform them that you want to give them your full attention but you can’t now. Use your body language effectively yet respectfully. Offer them an option for touching base in an alternative way. Thank them for respecting your priorities. Give them your undivided attention when you can listen.

You have difficulty dealing with the unexpected or a crisis.

Consider these 5 Rules for Dealing With Crisis: Take a moment to plan. Get help if you need it. Breathe! Go back to your plan for the day and revise. Evaluate the crisis and consider ways that a similar situation can be avoided in the future.

4. Build on Your General Time Management Skills Barter/trade/use cooperative arrangements/delegate Organize your work area(s) Don’t interrupt yourself; do one thing at a time Write “next step” reminders Use “bits of time” Plan Ahead!

4. Build on Your General Time Management Skills (cont.) Budget your time realistically. Consolidate Set out tomorrow’s “To Do List” at the end of the day Try to use a space away from your colleagues and telephone to complete tasks that require concentration. Use call-forwarding to voice-mail to protect time. Let your chatty colleague know you are under deadline. Consider setting times to be available for email and phone calls each day Learn how and when to say “No”. Know your limits.

Considerations Related to Meetings:

Tips For Effective Meetings Make meetings productive Make the purpose of the meeting clear. Is it really necessary? Do you need to attend? Establish a written agenda and set clear time limits. Include only necessary people at the meeting. Start and end the meeting on time. Use a “cheat sheet” or outline to keep track of assessment information and necessary documentation. Make sure meetings end with an action plan delineating responsibilities and time frames.

Procrastinating? People who procrastinate often have a negative internal dialog that supports their procrastination.

Solutions: An important part of self motivation is to be your own cheerleader. Learn to reframe the thoughts that are holding you back to make your internal dialog positive and motivating. Learn to “get it done” anyway

Evaluate your time-use interventions Once you start a new approach, use it long enough to give it a fair trial. Did you meet your goal? If you met your goal, was the new approach responsible for your success? Were there unintended side effects from the new approach? How do you feel about what you have done and the results you have achieved?

5. Develop and Use a System to Prioritize Your Work The primary consideration should be to compare the potential benefits and consequences for completing certain activities before others.

The A, B, C Approach to Prioritizing Work This is a gradient that goes from essential job tasks to work that should be delegated.

A Activities: These are “must do” activities. They are often related to your primary job function. If they are not done, severe negative consequences may follow.

B Activities: These are “deferrable” activities. They are still important but less urgent than the “A” activities. You need to do these to succeed in your job but may not need to do any or all of them today. Today’s “B”s could become tomorrow’s “A”s

C Activities: These are “should do” activities. If not done they probably won’t have short term consequences that would impact upon your job’s success. However they may create problems if not attended to.

D Activities: These are “don’t do” activities. These may be tasks to delegate. There may be something on your desk that someone wants done but you may not be the right person to do it, given your strengths or the current demands on your time

Time Management is not just a workshop given by 2 handsome and charming instructors. It is a process. To get the results you want you need to set goals.

Set SMART Goals: Specific Measurable Actionable Realistic Time Measured