1. Time Management Skills for Employees
This session is about time management. We’ll present ways that you can make better use of your valuable time and accomplish more with less effort.
We’ll focus on practical techniques and information that you can start using right away to gain more control over your busy work schedule.
We will cover everything from eliminating time wasters to planning your workday to making time-wise decisions.
And, as an added bonus, everything you learn today about time management on the job can easily be applied to managing your personal time more efficiently as well.

2. Session Objectives You will be able to:
Identify and eliminate time wasters
Plan and prioritize effectively
Define goals and make time-wise decisions
Capitalize on prime and commuting time
Avoid procrastination
Handle emergencies effectively
The objective of this training session is to help you gain control over your time so that you can work more efficiently and productively. At the end of the training session you will be able to:
Identify and eliminate your time wasters;
Plan and prioritize effectively;
Define goals and make time-wise decisions;
Capitalize on prime and commuting time;
Avoid procrastination; and
Handle communications, interruptions, and emergencies effectively.

3. Session Outline Common time wasters Planning and prioritizing
Goals and decision making
Prime and commuting time
Procrastination
Communications, interruptions, emergencies
This session will discuss:
Common time wasters;
Planning and prioritizing;
Goals and decision making;
Prime and commuting time;
Procrastination; and
Communications, interruptions, and emergencies.

4. Benefits of Managing Time
More productivity
Fewer mistakes
Less stress
More time to do a good job
More success
Why do you need to know about time management? Because we want you to be able to manage your time well so that you can enjoy these benefits:
More productivity;
Fewer mistakes;
Less stress;
More time to do a good job; and
More success.
Think about situations in which good time management helped you do a difficult job better. Conversely, think about situations in which you lost control of your time. What were the consequences?

5. Common Time Wasters Reacting instead of acting
Not thinking far enough ahead
Inadequate preparation
Procrastination
Let’s begin by identifying some common time wasters. See if you recognize any of these.
Many people waste a lot of time reacting to what’s going on around them instead of determining how their time should be spent. They bounce from one task to another without making much headway on anything.
Some people fail to put in enough time upfront planning their work—determining priorities, deciding how things will be done, anticipating problems, and so forth. But if you don’t plan effectively, you can’t work efficiently.
Too often people don’t take enough time to prepare for a job. Instead of gathering all the equipment, materials, and information they need before they start, they jump right in and later waste time running around looking for the things they need to complete the job.
For many people, the real king of time wasters is procrastination. They keep putting things off, wasting valuable time, and creating a situation in which they will later be pressed to get the job done without enough time to do it well or face the prospect of missing a deadline.

6. Common Time Wasters (cont.)
Excessive attention to unimportant details
Reluctance to ask for help
Failure to understand what needs to be done
Uncertainty about expectations
Here are more common time wasters:
Excessive attention to unimportant details also needlessly eats up valuable time. Of course, everyone wants things to be done right. Quality performance is essential. But the way to maintain quality standards is to focus on priorities. Wasting time on the unimportant stuff leaves little time for the really important things.
People who try to do everything themselves often end up wasting their own time. Reluctance to ask for help often means that a job ends up taking longer than it should. Reluctance to ask questions can mean a lot of time wasted trying to figure out something that your supervisor could probably explain in a couple of minutes.
When you don’t clearly understand what needs to be done, you have to waste a lot of time trying to figure it out. Or worse, you make mistakes, which means that the job has to be redone.
Uncertainty about expectations can easily get anyone sidetracked and waste a lot of time. If you don’t understand the goals and standards for a job, you can’t do the job efficiently—and you certainly can’t do it well.

7. Common Time Wasters (cont.)
Overcommitment
Indecision
Poor organization
Rushing
Here are even more common time wasters:
It’s easy to become overcommitted. But when you take on too much, you often end up accomplishing very little. If you’re really overwhelmed with work, talk to your supervisor. Maybe you can work something out. Maybe your supervisor can help you readjust your priorities.
Indecision eats up a lot of time, too. Of course, good decisions often can’t be rushed. But with your busy schedule, you usually need to be able to think on your feet and make good, swift decisions. If you can’t make a decision, stop and ask yourself why. Perhaps you don’t have all the information you need. Or perhaps it’s not clear what the next step should be. Maybe you need help. Get it—quickly.
If papers are scattered, tools misplaced, or files unorganized, you spend more time getting ready to work than actually doing it.
Rushing is another time waster. It seems like it would be the reverse. The faster you work, the better use you make of your time, right? Wrong! Rushing leads to mistakes, omissions, and rework. And that’s a big waste of your valuable time. Going at a reasonable pace is the most efficient way to work.
Can you think of any other time wasters? What are your own top two or three time wasters?

8. Plan Your Time Make a daily list Make a weekly list
Make a monthly list
Minimizing time wasters and gaining control over your time begins with effective planning. The minutes or hours you spend planning before you act can turn into days or weeks of time saved.
The first step in planning is to take a few minutes each morning to make a list of all the tasks you have to accomplish that day. Some people like to draw up this list the night before so that they can jump right into things in the morning.
At the beginning of each week, create an expanded list that includes all the essential tasks and activities that must be completed for the week. This list would include timelines for short-term projects, scheduled meetings, deadlines, and so forth.
At the beginning of each month, draw up a master list for that month. Transfer this information to your weekly and daily lists when the time comes. This way, not only will your time be well planned, but you also won’t forget to do any important tasks.
Consider using a pocket day planner or a wall calendar in your workstation to help you manage your time. Ask your supervisor if your organization can provide them.

9. Plan Your Time (cont.) Make a quarterly or annual list
Update your lists as necessary
Continue to manage your time with these techniques:
Make a long-range list, if necessary. Some of you may need to expand this monthly list to a quarterly or even an annual one, depending on your job responsibilities and the time frames of your projects. This will give you a broader perspective of your schedule and allow you to plan your time well in advance to include due dates for long-term projects and deadlines.
Update your lists as necessary to reflect changes in your work schedule. Add new tasks and responsibilities and cross off jobs that have been completed.
What method or methods do you use to keep track of your daily, weekly, monthly, and long-range commitments? Is it working? What other methods can you try?

10. Prioritize Your Tasks Rank tasks in order of importance
Build in time for the unexpected
Allow time for thinking and planning
Organizing your tasks and responsibilities into a prioritized sequence on a daily basis is essential for helping you avoid scattering your energies and ending the day with vital tasks left undone. Here’s how to prioritize:
Each day, rank the tasks and commitments you’ve listed on your calendar in order of importance. You can do this simply by numbering tasks—one being the most important, and so on. But perhaps the most effective method is to assign a priority letter to each task.
“A” stands for must-do tasks with the highest priority.
“B” tasks are important and worthwhile, but if for some reason they cannot be accomplished that day, there will not be a crisis.
“C” tasks can wait until you have the time to do them.
Be strict with yourself about assigning priorities. Don’t fall into the trap of making everything a top-priority item. Remember, too, that “B” and “C” tasks may eventually become “A” tasks tomorrow or next week.
Build in time for the unexpected—things that may arise and outrank items on your list. Adjust your prioritized list accordingly.
And, allow sufficient time in the day for planning, thinking, making decisions, solving problems—things that only you can do. Don’t fill your list with so many high-priority items that you have no time for these important aspects of your job.

11. Prioritize Your Tasks (cont.)
Remain flexible
Realize you won’t finish everything
Roll over uncompleted items and reprioritize
Here are more techniques for prioritizing your time:
Remain flexible. As the day progresses, you may want to reassign priorities. A change in plans, orders from your boss, or reconsideration may lead you to move some items up and some items down the scale.
Accept the fact that you probably won’t finish all the tasks you’ve assigned yourself each day. Consider it a successful day if you are able to accomplish most of the “A” items on your list.
And finally, remember to roll over uncompleted items to tomorrow’s list and reprioritize.
If you have pen and paper, take a minute to write down five work tasks you need to accomplish this week. Also, write down five personal tasks. Now, prioritize these tasks with an “A,” “B,” or “C” priority.

12. Time Management Basics
Questions?
At this point, be sure you understand the benefits of managing your time efficiently and of planning and prioritizing effectively.

13. Define Your Goals Determine the desired end result
Set short-term objectives for reaching goals
Adjust objectives as conditions change
In this part of the session, we’ll look at goals and time-wise decision making.
In order to prioritize tasks effectively, you need to have clear goals in mind. A lot of time is wasted when people put effort into activities that don’t directly relate to achieving desired goals. Here’s what you need to know about defining goals:
Defining goals requires first determining the desired end result. What exactly do you need to achieve?
Short-term objectives are the means of achieving goals. They are the steps that must be taken to successfully arrive at a goal. They must be clearly stated and organized in a realistic sequence.
And, as you work toward your goals, realize that you will need to adjust your objectives as conditions change. If conditions change significantly, you may also need to redefine your goals.

14. Make Time-Wise Decisions
Gather all the facts
Consider the consequences
Talk it over with someone you trust
Choose the best available option
Remember that you can revise your decision if things don’t work out
To manage your time efficiently, you also need to make time-wise decisions about your work. The speed and accuracy with which you are able to make decisions will help you get more done in less time. Here are some tips to help you make wise decisions:
Gather all the facts and figures you need to make an informed decision.
Consider all the possible consequences of each available option.
Talk the decision over with your supervisor or an experienced co-worker whose opinion you respect.
Choose the best available option and make your decision.
Finally, remember that you can revise your decision if things don’t work out as anticipated.

15. Capitalize on Prime Time
When do you have the most energy?
When are there fewest interruptions?
Do you know your prime time?
The best time managers rely on a little secret that helps them pack extra time into every workday. They capitalize on their prime time. What is prime time?
Your prime time is the time of day when you are at your best—when you’re most alert and energetic. For some people it’s at the beginning of their shift when they are rested and before the day starts to get busy. For others it’s later on when they’ve had a chance to wake up and warm up.
Your prime time may also be the time of day when there are fewest interruptions and you can really concentrate.
It’s important to recognize when your prime time is so that you can take full advantage of it.
What is your prime time? If you’re not sure, pay close attention the next week or so to identify the time of the workday when you have the most energy and get the most done.

16. Avoid Procrastination
Break a large job into smaller parts
Do the easy parts first
Face unpleasant tasks squarely
Putting things off is a trap we all fall into sometimes. But this just ends up adding more stress to your day. How can you avoid procrastination? Here are some simple strategies that can help:
Break a large job up into smaller parts. This makes the task appear less overwhelming. You don’t have to do the whole job at once; you only need to handle it a piece at a time.
Begin with the easiest parts of the job. This helps get you started. Each little bit you accomplish is a step in the right direction. Accomplishment leads to a feeling of fulfillment, and this gives you the energy and encouragement to persevere.
Once the easy parts are done, it’s time to face the hard or unpleasant tasks squarely. “Just do it!” as the saying goes. Accept the fact that now is as good a time as any to get this part of the job done.

17. Avoid Procrastination (cont.)
Time yourself
Reward yourself
Learn from experience
Here are some more tips for beating procrastination:
Time yourself. Tell yourself that you’ll work on the task for at least 10 or 15 minutes, and then you can quit. You may well find that you’ll want to go on once you’ve started, but even if you don’t, you’ll feel satisfied about getting a good start.
Reward yourself as you complete each task. For example, if possible, switch to a task you enjoy for a little while. Reward plays a subtle but powerful role in motivating you to persevere and get the job done.
Finally, learn from experience. Why put yourself through the hassles created by procrastinating on the job? Sooner or later, you’re going to have to do the job anyway. So why not do it now and get it over with?
Do you ever procrastinate? How do you get yourself going and get the job done?

18. Manage Interruptions Set limits Get to the point
Deal with the issue on the spot
Stand up
Conclude the conversation firmly
Constant interruptions can seriously cut into your schedule and leave you too distracted and frustrated to get your work done. Here’s how to handle interruptions:
Whether the interruptions come in the form of unexpected visitors to your workstation or phone calls, set limits for the conversation from the outset. Ask people pleasantly what they want and how much time they’ll need.
Then, lead the conversation directly to the matter at hand. Don’t get involved in small talk.
If possible, answer questions or comply with requests immediately. That way you won’t have to spend time later getting back to the person.
If you’re sitting down, stand up when you are ready to end the conversation. Standing signals the other person that you are preparing to conclude the conversation.
Finally, conclude the conversation firmly. You can indicate the conversation is over by saying something like, “Good, I’m glad that’s settled. Now we can get back to work.”

19. Control Communications
Incoming calls
Voice mail
Picking up
Outgoing calls
and instant messaging
Controlling your phone and can also help make better use of your time. Here’s how:
There are two ways to handle incoming calls efficiently. Which you use will depend on your job responsibilities and the directions you’ve been given by your supervisor.
Let voice mail pick up incoming calls, whenever possible. Check at set intervals to make sure you’re not missing important calls. You can return urgent calls right away. The others can wait until you have a break in your schedule.
When you do answer the phone and you are in the middle of something, lead the other person politely but firmly to the point of the call. When you feel the matter is concluded and the person keeps talking, say that you’re sorry but you’re busy and have to go.
When you’re making calls, pick the time that the person you’re calling is most likely to be in so that you won’t have to waste time calling later. Jot down the key points you want to discuss beforehand so that you can get right to the point. If the person you need to speak to isn’t available, leave a message indicating the best time to reach you. This way you can pick a time when the call won’t be an interruption in your schedule.
and instant messaging are efficient ways to communicate because you don’t have to be there to receive the message, incoming messages don’t disturb you when you are there, and you can respond when you have time.

20. Handle Emergencies Don’t drop everything
Spend only as much time as necessary
Return to your established schedule
Think about why the emergency occurred
Don’t let unexpected events throw a monkey wrench into your whole day. Here’s how to prevent that from happening:
Except for the direst emergencies, most unexpected problems can wait a little while. Resist the temptation to drop everything and run to put out a fire. Finish what you’re doing first, give yourself time to think about an appropriate response, and take action to handle the problem.
Spend only as much time as necessary on emergencies. Once the situation is under control, move on.
Return to your established schedule and pick up right where you left off.
Finally, take a moment to think about why the emergency occurred and if there is anything you can do to make sure such things don’t happen again. Anticipating problems is a key time management skill.

21. Use Commuting Time Wisely
Plan
Review
Many of us spend hours commuting every day. Instead of wasting all that time, use it wisely. For example:
Use it to plan the upcoming day or the next day and decide what you need to accomplish.
Or use the time constructively to review work issues, make decisions, or solve problems.
How long is your daily commute? Think about ways to take advantage of this valuable time.

22. Key Points to Remember Time is one of your most valuable assets
To make the best use of your time:
Plan, prioritize, and define goals
Make time-wise decisions
Avoid procrastination
Capitalize on your prime time
Handle emergencies effectively
In conclusion, here are the key points you should remember from this training session on time management:
Time is one of your most valuable assets.
To make the best use of your time:
Plan, prioritize, and define goals;
Make time-wise decisions;
Avoid procrastination;
Capitalize on your prime time; and
Handle emergencies effectively.
This concludes this training session.