1 The Time Management Process

2 Needs Fulfilled by Time Management  To feel more in control of our lives  To make the most of every day  To accomplish what we set out to do

3 Step 1: Prioritizing  Focus on roles and responsibilities at work and at home.  Ask yourself, “What is most important for me to be doing at this time?”  Devote less energy to noncritical tasks.  Know what your work actually is and what is involved.

4 Model for Reviewing Work  50,000 + feet: Life as a whole  40,000 feet: 3- to 5-year vision  30,000 feet: 1- to 2-year goals  20,000 feet: Areas of responsibility  10,000 feet: Current projects  Ground level: Current actions Source: Allen, David. Getting Things Done. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2001.

5 Model for Reviewing Work (cont’d.)  50,000 feet: What is the purpose of your work?  40,000 feet: What will you be doing 3 – 5 years from now?  30,000 feet: What will you accomplish 1 – 2 years out?

6 Model for Reviewing Work (cont’d.)  20,000 feet: In what key areas do you want to achieve results?  10,000 feet: What are the short-term projects that must be done?  Ground level: What actions are needed to focus on these projects?

7 Step 2: Analyzing  Look closely at where you are spending your time.  Make an effort to analyze your days.  Log your time for one week.  Search for pockets of time, items to cut, time of day tasks are done, pace of work.  Adjust scheduling and routines as needed.

8 Questions to Ask  How are most of your hours spent?  Is your schedule in balance (work, family, time for self)?  Did anything from your log surprise you?  Is there any time you cannot account for?  How do you decide what to spend your time doing?

9 Step 3: Filtering  Keep in mind that we cannot find time; we have to make it by taking it away from other activities.  Remember that the easiest option is not always the best.  Consider if the action is what you want or need to be doing right now; if not, say “no.”

10 Filtering Categories 1. Urgent and Important: Needs immediate attention and aligns with priorities 2. Important but Not Urgent: No sense of immediacy, but must be done 3. Urgent but Not Important: Not tied to priorities; involves others’ urgencies 4. Neither Important nor Urgent: Time wasters Source: Cook, Marshall J. Time Management.. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 1998.

11 Filtering Categories (cont’d.) 1. Urgent and Important: - Child sick at school - Presentation at meeting in 1 hour - Fell and hurt yourself 2. Important but Not Urgent: - Long-range budgeting - Time with family - Continuing education

12 Filtering Categories (cont’d.) 3. Urgent but Not Important - Colleague showing you vacation photos - pop-up box - Department meeting in 10 minutes 4. Neither Important nor Urgent: - Surfing the Internet - Doing the crossword puzzle in the paper - Checking sports scores

13 Step 4: Scheduling  Involves creating a plan of action for your days, weeks, and months  Makes use of organizational tools: planner, PDA, scheduling software, lists  Assists with focus on important tasks and responsibilities aligned with priorities  Allows for flexibility as needs change

14 Scheduling Tips  Record to-do items in one reliable location  Overestimate how long tasks will take  Avoid over-booking to allow for interruptions and unexpected urgencies  Keep things in perspective  Find a format that works for you and that allows for flexibility

15 Scheduling Tips (cont’d.)  Make sure important tasks get done first.  Break large tasks down into pieces.  Schedule for long term and short term.  Build in breaks for yourself.  Be ready to “let it go” if necessary; not all days will go according to plan.

16 Step 5: Executing  Taking action based on plans and priorities  Taking charge of your time and schedule  Acknowledging where and when time wasters occur and taking steps to eliminate them  Using goals, roles, and responsibilities to drive productivity

17 Executing: Saying “No” Say “no” when:  Meetings are ineffective or unnecessary  New projects are misaligned with goals or resources  Tasks are a waste of time; look for alternative actions  You are not the right person for the task  You need to focus

18 Self-Management  Time cannot be saved or stored.  We must manage ourselves in relation to time.  It is the way we use time that matters, not how much we have.  Any bad habits must be changed to better control our use of time.