Finding an Extra Hour Every Day: Top Time Management Tips for Busy Managers and Leaders Presented by Randall (Randy) Dean President, Randall Dean Consulting & Training, LLC A Leading Time Management/PDA Usage/E-mail & Info Overload Training Firm Originally published and presented February 2006. © Randall F. Dean 2006. 2

The “Totally Obsessed” Time Management/PDA Guy

Agenda of Program Introduction Managing Tasks and Dealing w/ Interruptions Simple Project Management/Project Organization Time Savers Handling & Managing E-mail and Information Overload Clearing Your Mind Through Notes/Lists Some Fun Additional Tips

Tasks, Traction, and Interruptions

Cost of Interruptions to American Business: $650 Billion/Year Average Time Lost Per Interruption: 4-15 Minutes

A Project Kick-Start: The “Next Step” Habit Never “backtrack” on a project Also great for interruptions Low-tech: The Sticky Note High-tech: Software/PDA Mid-tech: Come see me!!

Speaking of Phone Calls Ever get caught in phone tag? Here’s a way to end phone tag forever

Waiting On’s . . . Anything owed to you by anybody . . . Money? Tax refund? Books/CD’s loaned to friends/relatives Phone call’s/faxes/e-mails with info you are waiting on. Develop your new personal brand – “the polite but persistent pest” A great urgency reduction tool

Look Familiar?

THE Definitive CLUTTER Buster! The 3-Minute, One Touch Rule Every piece of information (paper, fax, e-mail, v- mail, etc.) that you get you should touch one time. If you can take care of this task (accomplish, reply, file, read, forward, delete, toss, etc.) in three minutes or less, DO IT RIGHT NOW!!! If not, file appropriately into the Priority box or task list to be accomplished in order of priority or urgency (you decide).

Key E-mail Strategies Primary account, personal account, Internet account Rationale: 1) Maintain focus; 2) Mitigate junk/SPAM Goal is to keep “Inbox” empty Reply, forward, tickle, file, delete Build file structure to accommodate easy filing Be ruthless – poorly titled, just delete? SHIFT_DELETE strategy

Don’t Be a “Blinger” Resist temptation to constantly monitor Turn off sound Turn off “ghost” Instead, check at set points throughout day To balance productivity with responsiveness Are you being forced to “bling”? Ask for a “habit change”

So when do you check e-mail? For most professionals – four times per day: First thing in morning About an hour before lunch Right after lunch About an hour before you leave Can also check after project completions and after meetings

A Few Fun Tips, Tactics, and Techniques

A Calendar/Tickler Tip for the Guys Ever forgot a birthday? Or anniversary? NEVER do it again! Use the same strategy for meetings and appointments

How About Some Useful Memos/Lists? Staff Management Memos Company/Firm Archive Personal Goals/Dreams List Shopping Lists Travel/Financial/Medical Archives Business/Personal Trip packing list Golf Club Shot Selector Driving Log Hours Log Calls Log Workout/Diet Diary Books to Read list Movies to See list Music to Buy list Gifts to Buy

Final Thoughts: Lots of info to chew on here: Pick the ideas/strategies that work best for you Come back to your notes later to integrate more If an area of opportunity, consider a longer-form program in time management/personal organization Continue learning/practicing/perfecting your use of time Send me a note if you think of more!

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi

Where to Get More Info: Randy Dean’s Taming the E-mail Beast (Available Now: http://www.emailsanityexpert.com or just search Amazon.com – “Taming Email”) Randall Dean’s Major Satisfactors = Major Success David Allen’s Getting Things Done Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First Malcolm Gladwell's Blink Kenneth Blanchard & Spencer Johnson’s The One Minute Manager Alan Lakein’s How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life

Other Randy Dean Programs: Taming the E-mail Beast: Key Strategies for Managing E-mail & Info Overload (1-3 hours) Finding an Extra Hour: Extended Version (½ day) Optimizing Your Outlook – “Finding an Extra Hour” for MS Outlook Users (RE)Awakening the Passion and Energy in Your Work (and Life) The PDA Power Program: Advanced Time Management Principles for PDA Users (BlackBerry & Palm) Managing & Leading Great Staff & Team Meetings (1-2 Hours) Go to www.randalldean.com/programs.html

Randall Dean Consulting & Training, LLC We’re Done!!! Randall Dean Consulting & Training, LLC 1881 Linden Street East Lansing, MI 48823 Phone: 517-336-8906 Fax: 832-550-3308 Email: randy@randalldean.com Web: www.randalldean.com and http://www.emailsanityexpert.com