TIME MANAGEMENT Time Management = Life Management It is what we do during the 86,400 seconds of each day that will ultimately determine how successful we are in our chosen career.

The ability to concentrate single-mindedly on your most important task, to do it well, and to finish it completely is the great key to Success, Achievement, Respect, Status and Happiness. ‘Approximately 85% of the information we keep will never be looked at again and 45% will never be used.’ Declan Treacy

POINTS TO REMEMBER: Action is the key to success Limit is only the imagination Everything is doable Most of us are more productive in the morning

21 Points of Time Management 1. SET THE TABLE Rule : Think on paper Rule : Worst use of time is to do something very well that need not be done at all.

7 simple steps to achieve any goal decide exactly what you want to do write it down set a deadline make a list organize it into a plan take immediate action RESOLVE to do something every single day

Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals S - Specific M - Measurable A - Achievable R - Realistic T - Time bounded

2. PLAN EVERYDAY IN ADVANCE “ Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it.” Alan Lakein ‘Every single minute spent in planning saves 10 minutes in execution.’

3. APPLY THE 80/20 RULE TO EVERYTHING Average persons mostly procrastinate on the ‘Vital Few’ Resist the temptation to clear up small things first Do the measles test Use the RAFT technique

4. CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES Rule : Long term thinking improves short term decision making Rule : Future intent influences and often determines present activities

5. PRACTICE THE ABCDE METHOD CONTINUALLY ‘The first law of success is concentration, to bend all the energies to one point, and go directly to the point, looking neither to the right nor to the left.’ William Mathews Rule : Never do the ‘B’ task before you finish the ‘A’ task.

6. FOCUS ON KEY RESULT AREAS Rule : Your weakest key result area sets the height at which you can use all your other skills and abilities MAKE YOURSELF EXCELLENT IN IT

7. OBEY THE LAW OF FORCED EFFICIENCY Rule : There will never be enough time to do everything you have to do. ‘Things that matter most should not be at the mercy of the things that matter least.’ Goethe

8. PREPARE THOROUGHLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN Plan the order and the sequence before hand Keep only the ‘A’ task on your desk Well begun is half done

9. DO YOUR HOME WORK Rule : continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field. ‘If you are not getting better you are getting worse’ Read at least on hour for updating yourself

10. LEVERAGE YOUR SPECIAL TALENTS You are designed in a way that you would like to do something you are good at. Find that out and commit yourself to it.

11. IDENTIFY YOUR KEY CONSTRAINTS 80% of the constraints are internal 20% external The accurate identification of the limiting factor in any process and the focus on that factor can usually bring about more progress in a shorter period of time than any other single activity.

12. TAKE IT ONE OIL BARREL AT A TIME ‘Persons with moderate powers will accomplish much if they apply themselves wholly and indefatigably to one thing at a time.’ Samuel Smiles

13. PUT THE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF ‘Only 2% people work without supervision.’ They are the leaders. Create a forcing system Self esteem is your reputation with yourself, with everything you do or do not do.

14. MAXIMIZE YOUR PERSONAL POWERS You are 5 times more productive when fully rested Changes are also refreshers Better you feel least you procrastinate

15. MOTIVATE YOURSELF INTO ACTION Race against yourself ‘Do it now’ should become your motto Treat yourself as a world class athlete

16.PRACTICE CREATIVE PROCRASTINATION Rule: you can get your time and life under control only to the degree to which you discontinue lower value activities. Make time for getting big things done everyday

17. DO THE MOST DIFFICULT TASK FIRST Adapt a positive outlook Adapt to suit the environment Leap and the net will appear !

18. SLICE AND DICE THE TASK ‘The beginning of a habit is like an invisible thread, but every time we repeat the act we strengthen. The strand adds to it another filament until it becomes a great cable.’

19. CREATE LARGE CHUNKS OF TIME “Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets” Nido Qubein

20. DEVELOP A SENSE OF URGENCY Do not wait. The time will never be “just right” ‘Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.” Napolean Hill

21. HANDLE EVERY TASK SINGLY Self discipline is: “the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.” Albert Hubbard

The 12 most common timewasters: Losing things Meetings Telephone Interruptions Procrastination Junk paperwork

The 12 most common timewasters [contd.] 7. Crises 8. Reverse delegation 9. Perfectionism 10. Distractions 11. E-mails 12. Surfing the net

6 ways of classifying information By subject category Alphabetically By date By colour Geographically Numerically

Time management styles Ways of managing time Reactive- prefer being directed Proactive- prefer to be in control Time management styles Directors Instigators Relaters Planners

FIND OUT YOUR STYLE AND WORK ON IT