Time management

Your current situation Not enough time? Too much to do? What time management problems do you have? How have you addressed previous problems?

Some ideas Time management can improve: stress productivity understanding of wider context of work prioritising amount of leisure time saying “no”

Time management Understanding common problems Where does the time go? Techniques to manage your time: –short term –long term How to stick to your new regime

Where does your time go? What are the most important things in your life? Now imagine you have to give them up - discard the least important Continue to do this until you have one left

Where does your time go? Think back to last week (or a typical week) – where did your day go? Draw a mind-map or picture to reflect this Take minutes now, but return to this during the next week and add to it

Consequences of poor time management How is poor time management affecting you? Report on the detrimental effects

Managing time HighUrgencyLow Low Importance High

How does it feel? HighUrgencyLow Low Importance High

The management grid Decide what sits in each quadrant Quadrant 1 –do these first and do them well Quadrant 2 –plan these carefully and do next Quadrant 3 –try to delegate, then turn full attention to 2 Quadrant 4 –bin these

Easier said than done…? The core skill is deciding what lies in each quadrant Quadrant 2 is the most important to manage …..but you need to be able to identify issues which are important

Identify important issues Identify the key roles in your work You should have about 5-7 areas –clear –discrete –brief –your responsibility If you initially identify roles which are not your responsibility, ask yourself why you do them?

Practise saying NO! IMAGE Suggested image could be of person sat at desk with speech bubble of word “No!”

Prioritising these issues Now set weekly goals for each area – make sure these are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Time Bound) Identify tasks which are manageable and can be achieved in a short time span These must make a real difference to your achievement and progress

Schedule your time Identify 5 key work activities for next week Identify 5 blocks of time and assign these activities Use prime time for prime jobs

Time wasters Other people Losing the thread Perfection Lack of motivation Over committing Disorganisation

Other people Communication Empower others –train them –delegate Explain your agenda –manage expectations Understand their needs and agenda –put into context of YOUR needs

Losing the thread Make sure you understand the objectives rather than wandering Always signpost your thinking: –post-it notes in your research book (“next time find xyz reference”) (“complete this review with a paragraph on xyz”) (“call Dr B to discuss these results”) Plan activities: –10 minutes at the end of each day –30 minutes at the end of each week On the way home each night reflect on the day – did you achieve what you wanted to achieve?

Perfection Look at the last 3 reports you wrote Typically 80% of the value is added by 20% of your time Would 15% less time on the report have reduced the value to the person reading the report? Can apply this to many tasks – perfection only when required!

Motivation issues Think about what motivates you. Ask the questions: –what you value – an outcome (A) –if you work harder will you achieve the outcome (B) Motivation = A x B Does this shed light on your time management –working on issues that motivate you Break down tasks into small chunks and reward yourself Understanding this is the key to long term effective time management

Over-committing STIMULUS RESPONSE REACTIVE PROACTIVE THINKING TIME

Make it personal What I want to do….. Why I want to do that….. How I will do it? When I will do it? How I will review it? What will really make it happen