NO MORE MONKEYS ! HOW TO BE THE TIME MASTER! M.E. McWilliams, AARC 2012

I WAS ONCE YOU! I had a plan for learning what I needed to learn, but I SUCKED at deploying it!  Too much partying!  Too many responsibilities!  Too much napping! I had to make some choices if I was going to do that which was most important to me! McWilliams, copyright 2012 New Method for Getting Things Done! 1980

KNOW WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU AND MAKE CHOICES TO SUPPORT IT! McWilliams, copyright 2012 The essential question is not, How busy are you? But rather... WHAT ARE YOU BUSY AT? The tasks we need to do are like hairy, squawking monkeys on our backs until we get them done! WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? CHOICES THE TIME MASTER! Thinks about the most important monkeys ASK THIS QUESTION OR BECOME.... THE FIREMAN Reacts to forgotten monkeys THE FOOL Busies self with unimportant monkeys THE LAZY BUTT Puts off monkeys

THE MISSING PIECE You are probably already doing many of these things to help you get things done, But... If you are stressed out and late and doing crappy work, you have to ask yourself... WHAT IS THE MISSING PIECE? Let’s find out! DROP AND DO EAT THE ELEPHANT ARCHIVE AND ALERTDELETE! RISE AND RUN STAND AND GIVE 5

DROP AND DO McWilliams, copyright 2012 If the task before you can be done in minutes or less... respond immediately! TASK COMES AT YOU— BOUNCE IT BACK! 1. SNAIL-MAIL Pick up mail. Trash everything but bills. Walk back to house and pay bills—NOW. Avoid filing! Avoid to-do pile! Done. 2. S If an does not require an action, delete it. If it has information you want to archive, drag it to a Saved folder. If it requires a date, a number, approval, a name, etc., write back—NOW. Avoid inboxes of ten s or more! 3. VOICE MAILS Start listening. Delete most before the caller finishes. For those asking a question, respond—WITH A TEXT or AN . NOW. Avoid calling people on the phone!

EAT THE ELEPHANT McWilliams, copyright 2012 Complete rewrite of intro 30 minutes brainstorming crap Ask prof some questions Half a draft submitted to OWL Read paper out loud When we have an elephant of a task, we often give up quickly because we feel so overwhelmed. To eat an elephant, pick up the fork and take one small bite, and then another small bite, and so on. Warning: Eat the elephant EVEN IF YOU HATE ELEPHANT! You will never be in a good mood for eating elephant! However, while you are eating, you may just find that you like elephant after all!

ARCHIVE AND ALERT McWilliams, copyright 2012 Alarms Recurring Event Due dates and appoint -ments Task for anytime that day Sticky Notes: Random lists Store List Reminders: Today list Forced appointment: Not really an appointment but set up as one s to self Keep lots of white space! Everything is going to take longer than you think! Notes for archiving lists of things What’s Now? What’s Next?

ARCHIVE AND ALERT  WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR ABSOLUTE MOST STRESSED FOR TIME... Forget every other list and calendar. Live by one thing only Hour by hour...  THE POST A NOTE McWilliams, copyright 2012

DELETE DELETE! McWilliams, copyright 2012 There are only 168 hours in a week. You can’t save time. You can’t make more time. You can’t do it all! Something has to go— Take your pick! What will you NOT do today? TICK TOCK! Some of the balls you are juggling are going to drop!

RISE AND RUN McWilliams, copyright 2012 Hazard, L. (2011). Time Management Webinar When you work late at night: You make more mistakes You have frequent interruptions You take more breaks Your body is wired to get up early and get things done! Get up! Do what needs to be done. Run! Run like your pants were on fire! Circadian clock in your brain

STAND AND GIVE 5 They choose to chill (code for waste time!) and they want you to chill too! How to get rid of loser friends: 1. Stand as if you are on your way out. 2. Give them 5 minutes: Am I busy? Yea, I’m on my way to the library. But I’ve got five minutes for you! (Compliment but limit time) 3. In 3 minutes: Look at time: I have to go. Call me later! (You will never return that call. Damn phone keeps acting up!) McWilliams, copyright 2012 Are you busy ? Whatcha do’n? Wanna come? You are working hard, doing all the right things, when along comes...

Dare we look inside your backpack? Your purse? Your room? Your car? The more stuff you have... The more disorganized it is... The more time you waste: Looking for things! Managing things! REDUCE TO THUMBNAIL McWilliams, copyright 2012 Get rid of some stuff! Organize your stuff! You want more time to do the things that really matter to you? Keep your accounts on your thumbnail... Simplify, simplify! Thoreau, 1850 In other words...

THE MISSING PIECE So... WHAT IS THE MISSING PIECE? Or pieces? Now answer these questions: 1. What am I going to do about it? Exactly When am I going to do something about it? 3. How do I know I will remember to do that thing at that time? Only then can it be said, that...