Managing Your Time: Maximizing Your Potential Presented by Jeff Becker LCSW-C, CEAP MCPS Employee Assistance Program

What Do We Do With Our Lives Spend –27 years sleeping –3.3 years eating –5 months waiting at traffic lights –8 months opening unwanted mail –1 year looking for misplaced objects –2 years attempting to return phone calls –4 years doing housework –5 years waiting in lines –13.8 years working –Watching TV (% of leisure time: males-39%, females 37%) –Social time/surfing on computer?

Workshop Goals Analyze your present use of time Identify barriers to effective time management Examine priorities, values and their relationship to managing time Learn effective methods for improved time management

MCPS Employee Assistance Program Short term counseling, assessment and referral Cost Eligibility Problem types Referrals (self, supervisor and other) Confidentiality/records Other services: workshops, crisis response, newsletter, access point to mediation Times/location

Fill out your to-do lists! (No more than 8 items – can include tasks from both work and home.)

What are your biggest time management challenges?

Best Strategy: Let’s share!

Time Management Strategies Put 80% of effort into top 20% of responsibilities Avoid perfectionism/procrastination Structuring/organizing usual and occasional tasks Learn to say “no” to unreasonable requests Organize/schedule activities on the basis of your priorities

80/20 or Pareto Principle Sorting the critical few from the trivial many What are the 2-3 most important things you do? Vilfredo Pareto

Procrastination Putting off what needs to be done in a way that results in consequences Causes? What to do: –Recognize it – how do you know? –Address why you’re putting it off (unpleasant? difficult?) –Get over it! (create a reward; think about the consequences; have someone check on you; break into smaller units)

Inspiration “If you can dream it, you can do it” Walt Disney Disneyland was built in 366 days, from ground-breaking to first day open to the public.

Perfectionism When is it a problem? Why is it done? –A form of procrastination; to avoid criticism/rejection; inability to sort priorities What to do: –What’s the standard? Is it OK not to get an “A”? What else could you be doing?

Structuring and Organizing Usual and Occasional Tasks “Systems are better than brains” Cooking shows What are some repetitive tasks? –Student work; Parent meetings; The classroom; Print and non-print materials; Lesson plans, etc.

Saying No – Setting Limits Why is it hard to say “no”? Don’t catch the ball! Think before you respond. –If you are sure you need to say “no”, say it sooner than later. How should one say no? –Create alternatives if possible. Can you do part of the request ?

Values and Priorities

Values Accomplishment Travel Peace of mind Security Good health Financial security Family Spirituality Altruism Friendship Longevity Free time

“Happiness comes when activities align with values, not from one’s ability to control things and be efficient”. Stephen Covey

Prioritizing (Covey Model) Urgent Not Urgent Important Not Important III IIIIV

I. Urgent and Important Crisis Pressing problem Deadline driven projects Preparation for imminent events

II. Important /Not Urgent Preparation for future events Values clarification Increasing personal skills and growth Relationship building Healthy recreation Anticipate and prevent problems

III. Not Important/Appears Urgent Interruptions to planned work time Some meetings Other people’s priorities and expectations

IV. Not Urgent/Not Important Trivia and busywork Junk mail Some phone calls Escape activities Time wasters

Article Exercise: Organization Prioritizing Prep time Grouping activities Bringing too much work home Nine Ways to Save Time

…..and finally Learn To Say No Take Care Of Yourself Focus On What You Have Control Over Practice Stress Management Techniques Know The EAP Is A Support For You

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TIP #1: THE POSITIVE APPROACH TO TIME MANAGEMENT Your prime purpose at work should not be to avoid wasting time, but to achieve significant results. The former mindset encourages you to keep busy; the latter encourages you to be productive. LESS IS SOMETIMES MORE

TIP #2: HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY When interrupted by someone asking if you are busy or whether they got you at a bad time, tell the truth. Don't feel obligated to change your schedule unless it's an emergency.

TIP #3: ACTIVITY ANALYSIS People have a tendency to take on additional tasks during slow periods. This causes problems when it gets busy. Continually evaluate your activities and eliminate those that are unimportant and bring little personal satisfaction.

TIP #4: PROCRASTINATION IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH Tim Pychyl, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, found that procrastination is physically harmful. College students who procrastinate have higher levels of drinking, smoking, insomnia, stomach problems, cold and flu. (Psychology Today, July/August, 2003.)

TIP #5: IT TAKES 21 DAYS TO FORM A HABIT When putting time management ideas into practice, give them time. As Dr. Archibald D. Hart claims in his book, Habits of the Mind, nothing kills motivation like impatience.

TIP #6: INADEQUATE SLEEP CAN BE A TIMEWASTER Inadequate sleep reduces innovative thinking by 60% and flexibility in decision-making by 39%. (Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 1999.)

Getting Organized (Clock vs. compass) First Generation Tools: (reminders) –To-do lists –Checklists –Rubrics –Telephone memo books Second Generation Tools (planning and preparation) –Calendars –Day planners –Databases (PDA’s, etc.) Third Generation (planning, prioritizing and controlling)

The Problem is Severe! By some estimates, people waste about 2 hours per day. Signs of time wasting: –Messy desk and cluttered (or no) files –Can't find things –Miss appointments, need to reschedule them late and/or unprepared for meetings –Volunteer to do things other people should do –Tired/unable to concentrate –Poor time management is stressful!

Scheduling Yourself You don't find time for important things, you make it. Everything you do is an opportunity cost. Learn to say "No"

"Procrastination is the thief of time" Edward Young, Night Thoughts, 1742

Balancing Act: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion" Parkinson's Law Cyril Parkinson, 1957

Action Items Get a day-timer (or PDA) if you don't already have one Start keeping your TODO list in four-quadrant form or ordered by priorities (not due dates) Do a time journal, or at least record number of hours of television/week Make a note in your day-time to revisit ideas from this talk in 30 days - at that time, ask yourself "What behaviors have I changed?"