A Short Program on Productivity and Time Management Northeast Utilities January 29, 2013 Bill Jawitz

Reduced resources Reduced resources Multiple IT platforms Multiple IT platforms New people (colleagues & clients) New people (colleagues & clients) Shifting culture Shifting culture Natural resistance to change Natural resistance to change

Shock Anger Depression Reconstruction Upward Turn Acceptance & Hope

To support each other even more To support each other even more To practice even more refined decision making To practice even more refined decision making To focus even more on best practices To focus even more on best practices To grow your skill sets To grow your skill sets

TM Self-Assessment Top Time Wasters Daily Planning Checklist Daily Planning Checklist Task Time Estimate Log Task Time Estimate Log Best practices Best practices Time Management Tips Time Management Tips

1.Plan Effectively 2.Capture & Review Tasks 3.Prioritize & Schedule Time 4.Delegate & Supervise 5.Organize Your Info & Space 6.Optimize Procedures & Systems ( ) 7.Manage Expectations & Boundaries 8.Know and Grow Self & Others

It’s a misnomer It’s a misnomer  Self and others Always more to do than time available Always more to do than time available  Choice management If you don’t control how you spend your time, events and other people will If you don’t control how you spend your time, events and other people will

What can you control? What can you control? What can you influence? What can you influence? What is truly beyond your control/influence? What is truly beyond your control/influence?

1.Rate of output relative to labor and materials 2.The quality of something that causes or assists healthy growth

20% Input 80%Output

Legal workflow – File opening / closing – Research – Doc creation & mgmt. – Discovery; dockets – Outside counsel mgmt.

Self-Assessment – How well do you plan? Self-Assessment – How well do you plan? Daily and weekly planning is THE first and most important discipline Daily and weekly planning is THE first and most important discipline 15 minutes each morning 15 minutes each morning each Monday each Monday

Do first thingReview your schedule Review your to-do’s Scan next few daysAdjust as needed Select to-do’s Determine whitespace Estimate to-do timeBlock in time

Daily and/or weekly: Production (client work) Communication (initiating or responding) Admin (time recording) Client development

Check whitespace Determine scope Pause to reflect Add 33% Track for one week

Makes you proactive, less reactive Makes you proactive, less reactive Puts anchors in your day Puts anchors in your day Reduces interruptions Reduces interruptions Minimizes multitasking Minimizes multitasking

A B C D E F G.... Z A B C 2 E G D F

Stress: higher risk of mistake, increased rework, longer hours, more frustration

Good Interruptions (when you do it) Bad Interruptions (when someone else does it to you)

Try it for an hour a day Search YouTube to learn how

Even for 30 minutes a few times a day

Pick 2-3 must-do’s per day during planning time Establish precise, incremental objectives Build in Buffer blocks Reassess every 90 minutes and adjust

Make criteria explicit Contributes unique value Will build capacity External deadlines Speed to completion Removal of impediment

Urgent but Not Important Important but Not Urgent Not Important and Not Urgent Urgent and Important

Across, up & down Your clients, colleagues, and outside counsel Your clients, colleagues, and outside counsel Your boss(es) Your boss(es) Your support team Your support team

What do you need from people so you can serve them most effectively? More specificity? Less micro-managing? More lead time? Better prep?

Everyone’s favorite station: WIIFM Share how their cooperation will get them more of what they want

Coordinating or doubling up on meetings Coordinating or doubling up on meetings Initial or low-level research Initial or low-level research Non-legal work Non-legal work What else? What else?

Acknowledge request first Acknowledge request first “That’s not something we’re able to accommodate” “That’s not something we’re able to accommodate” “I’ll be able to get to that in __ days/weeks” “I’ll be able to get to that in __ days/weeks” ??? ???

“A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

Establish timeframe at the front end of each interaction

39 Drive Influence Steadiness Compliance DISC Style Indicator

Multiple inboxes with rules Batch response time Educate others

42

43 Categories : Action Needed Information Request Confirmed Delivery ACTION NEEDED: Schedule Jones deposition for next week DELIVERED: Baker summary judgment motion for your review

44 EOM (End of message) NRN (No reply/thanks needed)

45 Change subject line instead of re-using an old Don’t perpetuate bad subject lines

46 Concise and focused 1 subject per message 1 thought per paragraph Main points, attachments and action request at top Use bullets Short sentences No jargon

Transition  Opportunity Productivity = making things healthier You can control & influence The planning imperative Prioritizing consciously Expectations and boundaries Use good practices

Wish Want Intend Commit Act Persevere Achieve

1.Take the time management and time wasters assessments 2.Pick 1 or 2 issues to address or techniques to practice starting Monday

Questions? Comments?