SlideShare ist ein Scribd-Unternehmen logo
1 von 67
Downloaden Sie, um offline zu lesen
 
Webinar Ground Rules Follow-Up Expectations
Fresh Relevant Concise
Shannon Kluczny - BizLibrary - Vice President of Client Services
 
Plan and Prioritize Analyze Avoid Time Wasters
Identify  Goals
Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely
 
Short Term  vs.  Long Term
Action Centered Incremental Measurable Scheduled Realistically
Important & Urgent Important but Not Urgent Urgent but Not Important Not Urgent & Not Important
 
accurate estimates
[object Object],[object Object]
Likely Shortest Longest
 
improve  efficiency   by  combining  tasks
Batching
 
Combining
Sequential & Parallel Scheduling Renegotiate Deadlines
Sequential Parallel
 
 
Place In Line Customer Status Processing Time Due Date
 
Keep a Daily Log Categorize Activities Prioritize Summarize Data
discretionary time
 
BLOCKING  TIME  ALLOWS  FOR reflection
DECISIONS
 
 
 
 
Extraversion Introversion Sensing Intuition Thinking Feeling Judging Perceiving
 
 
 
consider  what  effects  procrastinating  may  have
 
Taking  on  Too  Much
Know Your KEY Responsibilities
 
Buy Time Say “No” in the Right Way Avoid a Discussion
 
Delegate Shorten Reschedule
Social  Character
Inner-Directed Outer-Directed Autonomous
 
 
 
 
 
File – Pass – Toss
 
 
 
personal   e-mails
tidiness  comfort  structure
 
 
 
 
 
 

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Andere mochten auch

Astralpool Presentation
Astralpool PresentationAstralpool Presentation
Astralpool Presentationhrsupport
 
Systems Assessment - Findings
Systems Assessment - FindingsSystems Assessment - Findings
Systems Assessment - FindingsJeff Granger
 
Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011
Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011
Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011Tina_Roed
 
монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1
монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1
монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1uundram20
 
Choices Storyboard
Choices StoryboardChoices Storyboard
Choices StoryboardTheo Watkins
 
HTML5: New Possibilities for Publishing
HTML5: New Possibilities for PublishingHTML5: New Possibilities for Publishing
HTML5: New Possibilities for PublishingiFactory
 
Ap a rt history term 3 test 2
Ap a rt history term 3 test 2Ap a rt history term 3 test 2
Ap a rt history term 3 test 2mary294254374
 
Differentiation in MS ELA/R
Differentiation in MS ELA/RDifferentiation in MS ELA/R
Differentiation in MS ELA/Rccaviness
 
Learning style
Learning styleLearning style
Learning styleShadid Al
 

Andere mochten auch (20)

Astralpool Presentation
Astralpool PresentationAstralpool Presentation
Astralpool Presentation
 
Systems Assessment - Findings
Systems Assessment - FindingsSystems Assessment - Findings
Systems Assessment - Findings
 
Total recall
Total recallTotal recall
Total recall
 
Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011
Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011
Da Kompetanceprofil 25 01 2011
 
Ancient Rome - EF
Ancient Rome - EFAncient Rome - EF
Ancient Rome - EF
 
монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1
монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1
монголын анагаах ухааны боловсролын холбооны дүрэ1
 
Choices Storyboard
Choices StoryboardChoices Storyboard
Choices Storyboard
 
Greece - TE
Greece - TEGreece - TE
Greece - TE
 
Il Mio Web Quest
Il Mio Web QuestIl Mio Web Quest
Il Mio Web Quest
 
LUNGS
LUNGSLUNGS
LUNGS
 
Slidesharekarina 110110110724-phpapp02
Slidesharekarina 110110110724-phpapp02Slidesharekarina 110110110724-phpapp02
Slidesharekarina 110110110724-phpapp02
 
Chinese Digital Marketing Outlook 2012
Chinese Digital Marketing Outlook 2012Chinese Digital Marketing Outlook 2012
Chinese Digital Marketing Outlook 2012
 
RMShapedImageview
RMShapedImageviewRMShapedImageview
RMShapedImageview
 
HTML5: New Possibilities for Publishing
HTML5: New Possibilities for PublishingHTML5: New Possibilities for Publishing
HTML5: New Possibilities for Publishing
 
Smart card
Smart cardSmart card
Smart card
 
Ap a rt history term 3 test 2
Ap a rt history term 3 test 2Ap a rt history term 3 test 2
Ap a rt history term 3 test 2
 
Mario García
Mario GarcíaMario García
Mario García
 
Differentiation in MS ELA/R
Differentiation in MS ELA/RDifferentiation in MS ELA/R
Differentiation in MS ELA/R
 
Learning style
Learning styleLearning style
Learning style
 
Hardware(paco)
Hardware(paco)Hardware(paco)
Hardware(paco)
 

Ähnlich wie Time Management for Success

Time Magmnt-Prem
Time Magmnt-PremTime Magmnt-Prem
Time Magmnt-Premprem4
 
Lean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference Canvas
Lean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference CanvasLean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference Canvas
Lean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference CanvasJason Tice
 
Organizational design
Organizational design Organizational design
Organizational design MJANTONJOSHUA
 
AHBM Time Management
AHBM Time ManagementAHBM Time Management
AHBM Time Managementknoxbusiness
 
Nec systems and structure
Nec systems and structure Nec systems and structure
Nec systems and structure Maqhawe Masiye
 
Maintaining Knowledge Accessibility
Maintaining Knowledge AccessibilityMaintaining Knowledge Accessibility
Maintaining Knowledge AccessibilityRoy Mark
 
Data analytics for auditors Using the Analysis
Data analytics for auditors   Using the AnalysisData analytics for auditors   Using the Analysis
Data analytics for auditors Using the AnalysisJim Kaplan CIA CFE
 
Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)
Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)
Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)Sergiy Potapov
 
Time Management
Time ManagementTime Management
Time Managementsonali911
 
Kanban: Foundation for Leadership
Kanban: Foundation for LeadershipKanban: Foundation for Leadership
Kanban: Foundation for LeadershipDean Stevens
 
Preparing project professionals for the role of project manager
Preparing project professionals for the role of project managerPreparing project professionals for the role of project manager
Preparing project professionals for the role of project managerAxium
 
How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19
How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19
How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19David Terrar
 
Time Management - PGN Workshop
Time Management - PGN WorkshopTime Management - PGN Workshop
Time Management - PGN WorkshopLance Whitworth
 
Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2
Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2
Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2mroeske
 

Ähnlich wie Time Management for Success (20)

Time Magmnt-Prem
Time Magmnt-PremTime Magmnt-Prem
Time Magmnt-Prem
 
Lean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference Canvas
Lean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference CanvasLean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference Canvas
Lean Kanban STL – March 2020 – Reference Canvas
 
Organizational design
Organizational design Organizational design
Organizational design
 
AHBM Time Management
AHBM Time ManagementAHBM Time Management
AHBM Time Management
 
Nec systems and structure
Nec systems and structure Nec systems and structure
Nec systems and structure
 
Maintaining Knowledge Accessibility
Maintaining Knowledge AccessibilityMaintaining Knowledge Accessibility
Maintaining Knowledge Accessibility
 
Timemanagement
TimemanagementTimemanagement
Timemanagement
 
Time Management
Time ManagementTime Management
Time Management
 
Data analytics for auditors Using the Analysis
Data analytics for auditors   Using the AnalysisData analytics for auditors   Using the Analysis
Data analytics for auditors Using the Analysis
 
Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)
Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)
Re-Planning of project Portfolio in crisis (ENG)
 
Agile on a fixed budget
Agile on a fixed budgetAgile on a fixed budget
Agile on a fixed budget
 
Time Management
Time ManagementTime Management
Time Management
 
Kanban: Foundation for Leadership
Kanban: Foundation for LeadershipKanban: Foundation for Leadership
Kanban: Foundation for Leadership
 
Preparing project professionals for the role of project manager
Preparing project professionals for the role of project managerPreparing project professionals for the role of project manager
Preparing project professionals for the role of project manager
 
How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19
How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19
How will IT (and Business) plans and attitudes change post COVID-19
 
Time Management - PGN Workshop
Time Management - PGN WorkshopTime Management - PGN Workshop
Time Management - PGN Workshop
 
Restructure redundancy and change
Restructure redundancy and changeRestructure redundancy and change
Restructure redundancy and change
 
Agile for Executives
Agile for ExecutivesAgile for Executives
Agile for Executives
 
Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2
Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2
Intro & Due Diligence Change Out Consulting 2
 
Pom 9
Pom 9Pom 9
Pom 9
 

Mehr von skluczny13

Inside A Successful Team
Inside A Successful TeamInside A Successful Team
Inside A Successful Teamskluczny13
 
Customer Service Excellence
Customer Service ExcellenceCustomer Service Excellence
Customer Service Excellenceskluczny13
 
Leadership Essentials Support Materials
Leadership Essentials Support MaterialsLeadership Essentials Support Materials
Leadership Essentials Support Materialsskluczny13
 
Leadership Essentials
Leadership EssentialsLeadership Essentials
Leadership Essentialsskluczny13
 
Coaching for maximum results - support materials
Coaching for maximum results - support materialsCoaching for maximum results - support materials
Coaching for maximum results - support materialsskluczny13
 
Coaching for Maximum Results
Coaching for Maximum ResultsCoaching for Maximum Results
Coaching for Maximum Resultsskluczny13
 

Mehr von skluczny13 (6)

Inside A Successful Team
Inside A Successful TeamInside A Successful Team
Inside A Successful Team
 
Customer Service Excellence
Customer Service ExcellenceCustomer Service Excellence
Customer Service Excellence
 
Leadership Essentials Support Materials
Leadership Essentials Support MaterialsLeadership Essentials Support Materials
Leadership Essentials Support Materials
 
Leadership Essentials
Leadership EssentialsLeadership Essentials
Leadership Essentials
 
Coaching for maximum results - support materials
Coaching for maximum results - support materialsCoaching for maximum results - support materials
Coaching for maximum results - support materials
 
Coaching for Maximum Results
Coaching for Maximum ResultsCoaching for Maximum Results
Coaching for Maximum Results
 

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZMihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZKanakChauhan5
 
Graham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdf
Graham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdfGraham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdf
Graham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdfAnhNguyen97152
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access
 
MC Heights construction company in Jhang
MC Heights construction company in JhangMC Heights construction company in Jhang
MC Heights construction company in Jhangmcgroupjeya
 
NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023
NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023
NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023Steve Rader
 
Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024
Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024
Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024Winbusinessin
 
HELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptx
HELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptxHELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptx
HELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptxHelene Heckrotte
 
Talent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdf
Talent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdfTalent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdf
Talent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdfCharles Cotter, PhD
 
MoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor Presentation
MoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor PresentationMoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor Presentation
MoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor Presentationbaron83
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access
 
NewBase 25 March 2024 Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...
NewBase  25 March  2024  Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...NewBase  25 March  2024  Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...
NewBase 25 March 2024 Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...Khaled Al Awadi
 
Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access
 
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...Brian Solis
 
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..dlewis191
 
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story pointsData skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story pointsyasinnathani
 
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...TalentView
 
IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...
IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...
IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...AustraliaChapterIIBA
 
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISINGUNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISINGlokeshwarmaha
 
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John MeulemansBCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John MeulemansBBPMedia1
 

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZMihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
 
Graham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdf
Graham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdfGraham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdf
Graham and Doddsville - Issue 1 - Winter 2006 (1).pdf
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
 
MC Heights construction company in Jhang
MC Heights construction company in JhangMC Heights construction company in Jhang
MC Heights construction company in Jhang
 
NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023
NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023
NASA CoCEI Scaling Strategy - November 2023
 
Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024
Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024
Ethical stalking by Mark Williams. UpliftLive 2024
 
HELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptx
HELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptxHELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptx
HELENE HECKROTTE'S PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.pptx
 
Talent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdf
Talent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdfTalent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdf
Talent Management research intelligence_13 paradigm shifts_20 March 2024.pdf
 
MoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor Presentation
MoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor PresentationMoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor Presentation
MoneyBridge Pitch Deck - Investor Presentation
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
 
NewBase 25 March 2024 Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...
NewBase  25 March  2024  Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...NewBase  25 March  2024  Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...
NewBase 25 March 2024 Energy News issue - 1710 by Khaled Al Awadi_compress...
 
Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global Panel book-unlock 2024
 
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consu...
 
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
 
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story pointsData skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
 
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
 
IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...
IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...
IIBA® Melbourne - Navigating Business Analysis - Excellence for Career Growth...
 
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISINGUNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
 
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John MeulemansBCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
 
WAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdf
WAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdfWAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdf
WAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdf
 

Time Management for Success

Hinweis der Redaktion

  1. April: We are going to go ahead and get started. Thank you for attending the BizTopix Webinar Series!
  2. April: A few ground rules to review before we begin. For those of you calling in on the phone line, you will be muted; We do have the option for this webinar to listen through your speakers. if you have a question, please use the chat functionality. In the event we are unable to answer your questions during the presentation, we will contact you afterwards. The webinar will last approximately 1 hour. Following this presentation, an email will be sent to those that registered, including the audio recording, powerpoint slides, handouts and worksheets.
  3. April: The purpose of the BizTopix Webinar series is to provide a fresh perspective; in a concise format; on a relevant topic that may be of interest to you or your organization. For today’s presentation we have reviewed and incorporated over 15 streaming, online and books content offered by BizLibrary.
  4. April: I’d like to now introduce our presenter today: Shannon Kluczny, Vice President of employee Services at BizLibrary. Shannon has been with Business Training Library for 8 years and is integrated in the training industry. You can connect with Shannon or BizLibrary on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Shannon, I think we are ready to start. Shannon: Thank you, April, and good afternoon to all of you that are joining us on the audio portion and web portions of this presentation.
  5. Today’s webinar is covering Time Management for Success. This is such a critical topic in this day in age when we are all trying to do more with less. The days seem to be getting shorter and the work is becoming more intense.
  6. Today we’re going to discuss time management by dividing it into 3 main areas- How to Plan and Prioritize Analyzing your current process and allowing for adjustments And lastly how to avoid time wasters One thing I’d like you to consider as you are listening to this presentation. The material you’re about to hear are all different kinds of tips and tricks. Some may work for you, and some may not. Listen for ideas that you may be able to incorporate into your day, and certainly, don’t try to change everything at once.
  7. Time management starts with identifying your goals. When you know your goals, you can determine how much time you will need to achieve them. Goals are specific, desired outcomes you identify to assist you in determining what it is you need to do and when. Without goals, it's easy to spend time on tasks that have no clearly defined purpose.
  8. Effective goals are generally in the SMART format. Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic, and Time-related
  9. Specific goals are more useful than vague ones. Goals should also be measurable, answering questions such as "How much?" "How many?" and "What percentage?" As well as being specific and measurable, goals should be attainable and realistic. It's easier to attain your goals when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Finally, goals should be time-related. You should set precise deadlines for achieving your goals and then create a schedule of all the tasks that are necessary to meet your deadlines. It can help to create a to-do list, outlining all those tasks.
  10. A to-do list contains the tasks you need to complete in order to achieve your goals. It reminds you of what you need to accomplish. There are two types of goals: A short-term goal is sometimes referred to as an enabling goal because it can help you achieve a long-term goal. It's a stepping stone that enables you to measure your progress in achieving your longer-term goals. A short-term goal is also a goal that is generally achieved in the near future. A long-term goal is a goal that is achieved over a longer period of time, such as a few months or even years.
  11. Like goals, the items on your to-do list should meet certain criteria. They should be action-centered , pinpointing specific actions that are required for you to meet your goals incremental , breaking actions into smaller, more manageable activities measurable , including criteria you'll use to measure whether each task has been completed successfully, and scheduled realistically , based on the time frame within which you expect to complete them – working according to a schedule increases the probability that you'll complete each task Don't put too many tasks on your list. Being realistic in your expectations and your time estimates is key. Consider the tasks that absolutely require your attention – tasks that no one else can do, for example – and put those on your list. But remember, too, to keep things in perspective. Don't think of your to-do list as a list of commands, but rather of possibilities.
  12. Once you have your to-do list, you need to give each task a priority. To prioritize work effectively, you can use a priority matrix. A priority matrix helps you distinguish between tasks that are urgent and important, those that are important but not urgent, those that are urgent but not important, and finally, those that are not urgent and not important. Important and urgent tasks have the highest priority and should be dealt with first. You should devote as much time and effort to them as possible. Tasks in this quadrant include emergencies, deadline-driven projects, or problems that require immediate action. Important but not urgent tasks include planning, relationship building, networking, personal development, or identifying new opportunities. These are often the preferred tasks – the ones you would like to do first because they tend to be more interesting. Don't ignore these tasks, but try to put some time aside each day to work on them. If they are left too long, they can become urgent. Urgent but not important tasks include interruptions, some phone calls, e-mails, and meetings, and requests to help out another person. Because these tasks are not important, you don't want to lose too much time on them. They may be urgent but they are not important to you personally, so deal with them as quickly as you can and move on. Not urgent and not important tasks include dealing with junk mail like direct marketing letters, social talks with colleagues, other time wasters, and things you might prefer but don't need to do. These tasks have the lowest priority. Complete these tasks only when you have nothing more important to do.
  13. Once you've prioritized your tasks, the next step is to schedule your tasks. To do this, you set aside specific times for their completion to ensure each one will get done.
  14. To manage your time well, you should know not only what tasks you need to accomplish, but also when those tasks must be completed and how long they'll take. Making accurate estimates about how long a task will take is one of the keys to effective time management. Many management problems are the result of unrealistic estimates of how long it will take to complete specific tasks.
  15. If you estimate time frames accurately, you'll be able to schedule work efficiently and meet deadlines: schedule work efficiently – Accurate estimates about how long tasks will take to complete make scheduling a lot easier. They ensure that you won't have to keep changing your schedule. meet deadlines – If you're accurate in estimating the time it will take to complete tasks, you'll be better able to meet your deadlines. If you're estimates aren't accurate, you may need to ask to change deadlines or disappoint others who are relying on you to complete certain tasks. With accurate time estimates, you'll also be more confident about setting deadlines because you know that the time you assign for completing each of your tasks is realistic.
  16. It's important to estimate the time frames for your tasks accurately so that you can schedule all your work effectively and meet deadlines. To go about doing this, you first need to know the requirements of each task and your experience with activities – both when they run smoothly and when they don't – to produce three time estimates: The likely time is the time that the task normally takes you to complete. It helps to consider the time it takes to complete the task without interruption. You should also think about a time frame you would be comfortable with based on your workload, the task, and any external factors that may delay or speed up the completion of the task. The shortest time is the least amount of time that you have taken to complete the task in the past. It may also refer to the shortest time in which you think you can complete the task if there are no interruptions or distractions. You can estimate the longest time by considering what may go wrong when performing the task and then adding this extra time to the task's likely duration. This estimate should be based on your experience of this type of activity in the past, as well as on any foreseeable difficulties.
  17. According to Parkinson's law, work expands to fit the time available for its completion – if you let it. Assuming that this is true, you need to be particularly careful about how you set deadlines for tasks. Give yourself too much time, and you'll end up taking all the time available. Give yourself too little time, and you'll feel stressed and defeated by the task before you even begin. Setting a realistic deadline does not mean that you need to spend lots of time to prepare and to plan before you begin, but it does require you to break down tasks into individual activities consider who or what else needs to be involved consider what else you need to achieve at the time consider what is a realistic amount of time to devote to each task Setting realistic deadlines not only enables you to achieve your objectives, but it will also help you feel as though you are making genuine progress
  18. How often have you felt that you've got nothing to show for the time you've spent on something? That happens because you haven't been working efficiently. You might be tempted to cut corners, or delegate your workload to someone else. But being efficient means doing the tasks that you have to do in the most effective way – ensuring that neither time nor energy is wasted. You can improve your efficiency by combining tasks or organizing them in a way that ensures that you don't waste time. There are three methods you can use: batching coordinating combining Improving your efficiency is relatively easy if you are prepared to take control of your time. You need to plan ahead as far as possible, and think carefully about the types of activities you will be undertaking. To improve your efficiency you need to start by looking at the tasks and activities you have to complete, and then schedule them in a way that helps you to make the most of your time. Of course, it won't always be possible to do things in the most efficient way, but you can often save valuable minutes and hours by taking a little time to batch, coordinate, and combine your activities.
  19. Batching Batching means pulling together similar tasks, and doing them at the same time. Look at what you have to do and think about what's involved. If they are similar in any way, then you may be able to combine them, or do one task after another to improve efficiency. If you have to make phone calls, update customer records, or prepare a report, you can batch activities together.
  20. Coordinating Oftentimes, you will have to work with others, or rely on others for their input. Making sure that the resources or people involved in a certain task are available, can help you to be far more efficient. If you need input from others, you will need to contact them about scheduling before planning when to do your work. If you need to wait for resources or people to become available, schedule your activities around them instead of starting tasks that you can't finish, or wasting time waiting.
  21. Combining If you are involved in meetings, if you have to travel, or if you have to work with other people, schedule your tasks so that you limit your traveling time, and you can run one task into another wherever possible. Look at your appointments and activities, and note when and where they occur. Can you combine a visit to one colleague with a visit to another, or could you move meetings so that they all happen in a short period of time? Cutting back on traveling time will give you more time to work. Taking control of your time is about more than just knowing what you've got to do. It's about ensuring that you use your time in the most efficient way. By scheduling tasks effectively, you can save time, and work smarter – not harder.
  22. During the course of your business day, you need to manage your tasks in relation to the time available to you. The way you schedule most of your tasks will center around their deadlines and completion dates. However, some tasks may also have specific start dates or even dependencies that affect when you can schedule them. For instance, the completion of one of your tasks may depend entirely on someone else completing another task. Or you may not be able to start work on your task until the necessary resources become available. This is where the concept of sequencing can be helpfully applied. It is a process in which you plan your time by taking start dates into account. It allows you to quickly review what you need to do and whether there is time available to complete the required tasks. Sequencing is most effective when you have large tasks that need to be completed and when you're aware, in advance, of what needs to be done. To sequence your tasks effectively, you follow three steps: distinguish between sequential and parallel tasks, schedule tasks, and, where necessary, renegotiate deadlines.
  23. Sequential tasks can't start until other tasks have been completed. For instance, you can start writing a financial report on three departments only once those departments supply you with the relevant financial figures. So dependent tasks need to be completed in a sequence, with each task being more or less finished before the next task can begin. Parallel tasks , on the other hand, are not dependent on any other factors for their start dates. They may be done at any time before or after a particular stage is reached. Whether a task is parallel or sequential depends largely on its context. You may ask yourself these questions when distinguishing between tasks: When can you start and what's the deadline? Is the task dependent on someone else finishing something first and do you need anything before you can start? How long will the task take?
  24. Schedule your tasks To schedule your tasks, you start with the sequential tasks, scheduling the earliest start dates of each of these. You determine each start date based on the availability of resources or on the completion date for another task on which the sequential task depends. You then schedule your parallel tasks to fall into the time gaps that exist between the sequential tasks.
  25. Renegotiate deadlines Sometimes, the earliest start dates, time frames for completion, and deadlines are not compatible. If you've assessed all your tasks and determined that some deadlines may not be achievable, you need to renegotiate these deadlines. Remember, however, that if people are dependent on the completion of your tasks for the completion of theirs, it may not be possible to renegotiate deadlines. Generally, there's more room for renegotiation if your deadline is the final date for overall completion of specific work.
  26. In the average business, many demands are placed on employees' time. It can sometimes be difficult to determine exactly what you need to do, when you need to start and complete a task, and precisely how long the task will take you to complete. You may have numerous tasks that require your attention and that compete for your time. So how do you decide what to do first? You can prioritize tasks in a queue in several ways: Dealing with tasks by using the place in line method simply means that you deal with your tasks on a "first come, first served" basis. Using the customer status method means you consider the requirements or needs of the person who's making the request and then respond to the most urgent requirements or needs first. The processing time method involves completing the easiest and quickest jobs first, because they have the shortest processing times. By doing this, you clear a large amount of tasks in a short period of time. Using the due date method, you process tasks based solely on their due dates. As such, the task with the closest deadline will be completed first. Queuing is most effective as a way to manage your time when you have to juggle conflicting deadlines. If you have time to plan effectively, you probably won't need to use queuing at all. But if you do decide to use queuing, you should consider the pros and cons of each method. The method you choose should depend on your specific circumstances and the industry in which you work.
  27. Reasons for using a time log Feeling like you don't have enough time to get things done can be very frustrating and exhausting. So it's essential to manage your time effectively. Before you can manage the time you have, you must understand what you're doing with your time now. Ask yourself two basic questions: "How much time do I have?" and "How do I spend my time?" To get a clear idea of how you use your time, create a detailed log of the way you spend the hours in your workday. Consider using a time log to record activities you spend time on during a typical week. Include how long each activity lasts and its priority in relation to your goals. Recording and assessing your use of time in a time log will benefit you. Using a time log helps you to clarify how you use your time so you can identify any problem areas. You can then determine how best to change what you do so that you use your time more productively. A time log shows you how much time you're really spending on activities that don't help you meet your goals. So it identifies problem areas in the way you manage your time and indicates changes you can make to be more productive. The information it provides places you in control, equipping you to manage your time better in the future.
  28. Creating an effective time log Creating a time log is a good first step in gaining control over your time. To do this, follow these steps: keep a daily log – Generally, keeping a daily log for a full working week will provide sufficient data to work with. Recording every activity right after you've completed it is important. If you don't, you may forget what you've done and you'll be guessing at how long it took. You should include even minor activities; these take up time and would be difficult to remember if you tried to create the log from memory. Ideally, the log should cover typical days rather than days that include an unusual amount of travel, long meetings, or other atypical events. categorize activities – As you enter each activity in the log, label it using specific categories. By creating these categories, you'll provide a simple framework that makes it easier to analyze your log later. prioritize activities – You should prioritize activities based on their urgency and importance in relation to your main responsibilities and goals. The next set of priorities involves enabling goals – activities that indirectly support your critical goals. These activities have a medium value and a high degree of urgency. The lowest priorities include both urgent and nonurgent tasks that have little value in relation to your goals. summarize data – At the end of the week, summarize the data you've gathered, adding up the total amount of time you spent on each activity category. Include the total number of hours spent on each category, the average time per day, and the priority given to that category.
  29. The management guru, Peter Drucker, recommends that executives get a firm grip on their discretionary time. Discretionary time is time that is under their personal control – about 25 percent of which is discretionary time – as opposed to committed time, which is time already committed to meetings and routine work. You too have discretionary time that you need to plan. You should set aside or block out time in workable chunks that will allow you to work on priority tasks undisturbed.
  30. To make effective use of your blocked-out time, you need to ensure that you are realistic about the time you set aside, and ensure that you set aside time for specific activities. There are four types of activities that you should consider blocking out time for: Planning – Make sure that you block out time for advance planning. You can also use the time to make sure you have the resources available when you need to undertake tasks or attend meetings. Reviewing – Learn from your mistakes and successes. Take time to reflect on what you've done well, and what has gone wrong, and use what you learn to inform future projects. Dealing with important but nonurgent tasks – It's easy to leave things until they become urgent, but this isn't a good idea. Taking time to think about these important tasks, and considering how to deal with them, reaps dividends in the long run. Buffering – Make sure that you allow 15 minutes between all but the smallest tasks. You can fill the time later if you need it, but it's easier to do this than steal time from other tasks.
  31. By setting aside chunks of time for planning, reviewing, nonurgent tasks, and buffering, you can ensure that your planner doesn't become too congested with meetings and unnecessary tasks. Blocking out time is particularly useful if someone else has access to your schedule – you can use the method to ensure that certain times are kept free for you to do your own work, rather than being swallowed by other people's requirements. Blocking out time gives you the chance to reflect on what has happened, and to look at different ways of handling problems. Most importantly, it allows you to get back in control of your own time.
  32. How often have you found yourself wasting time because you're unable to decide what to do next? Decision-making is an essential part of effective time management. Of course, there are many ways of making decisions, and often it is important to give big decisions much time and consideration. However, when you need to make a quick decision, you need to be able to act with confidence. The PMI technique, suggested by Edward de Bono, is a variation on the weighing pros and con technique. PMI stands for plus/minus/implications and is an important decision-making tool. PMI provides useful checks and balances to ensure that the action you are going to take is actually going to improve the situation you're in. This is essential if your primary concern is managing your time effectively.
  33. Using PMI is straightforward, and you can decide how much detail you want to consider depending on the type of decision you're trying to make. The key thing is that you consider each of the three areas of the PMI carefully – and always bear in mind that the best decision may be to do nothing. There are three key elements to PMI: Consider the actions that will result from the decision, and list all of the positive results. These will usually be time savings, reduction of the number of steps involved, cost benefits, and convenience. Consider the actions that will result from the decision, and list all of the negative results. Usually these will be things such as the need to involve more people, prolonged time frames, increased costs, disruption, or inconvenience. Consider the less tangible impacts of making the decision. They often relate to future impacts, personal esteem, career benefits, personal issues such as conflict increase or reduction, job satisfaction, or otherwise. Implications can be either positive or negative.
  34. Understanding how your body clock affects your performance can help you to manage your time more effectively. Your body clock, influences your ability to perform tasks effectively throughout the day. Typically, an individual's body rhythm follows a general pattern. Of course, people are different, and you may describe yourself as a "morning person" or a "night person." But everybody's clock settles into a pattern of alertness, followed by dipping energy, and then energy recovery. Once you know the typical pattern of energy flow, you may want to schedule your tasks a little differently. It's true you may not always be able to control the timing of your tasks. But for tasks within your control, it can be helpful to consider your natural energy rhythms when scheduling them.
  35. If you can match the activities you need to do to times when you are best able to do them, you will be more effective and productive in carrying out those activities. It can be useful to break time into several categories when determining when to schedule tasks based on your energy cycle: morning – The morning is best used for decision making and intellectually challenging tasks. Your energy levels are at their highest and you're alert, so you're able to "think on your feet" and handle difficult or complex issues. You should try to schedule meetings or conference calls for this time of the day. You should also focus on reading and analyzing information, problem solving, and getting to grips with difficult issues. early afternoon – Most people's energy levels begin to dip in the early afternoon. During this time – say from around 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – you should avoid mentally challenging tasks or activities requiring active short-term memory and quick thinking. At this time of day, you generally have the highest tolerance for pain. So this is an ideal time to visit the dentist or chiropractor, or to schedule other appointments that might involve discomfort. late afternoon – Energy levels are generally at their lowest during the late afternoon – from around 3 p.m. up to 4:30 p.m. You should not attempt to do anything mentally taxing, such as problem solving, calculations, or attending meetings, at this time. Instead, concentrate on reflective and creative tasks. This may include thinking about issues, writing, processing information, preparing for speeches or presentations, or anything that involves using your long-term memory. evening – As evening begins, most people find that their energy levels begin to increase. But although your energy levels are recovering, you usually aren't as alert as you were at the beginning of the day. This is the time to undertake routine or repetitive work that requires concentration but not analytical skills. Focus on tasks such as filing, making follow-up calls, checking documentation, or capturing data. This is also a good time to do physical exercise.
  36. Personality can affect how you use your time, so it may help to do a personality assessment. The Myers-Briggs psychological personality measure is an established personality assessment tool. It measures psychological preferences in four areas: the source of your energy, how you gather information, how you make decisions, and how you deal with the outer world.
  37. Each preference manifests itself in people's behavior. The eight different preferences are as follows: extraversion – Extraverts feel comfortable in public, find energy by being actively involved in numerous group activities, and like to make things happen and energize others. Extraverts tend to plan while in meetings, so they find portable planning devices useful. introversion – Introverts find energy from working with ideas, images, memories, and internal reactions. They're energized by their internal world and prefer working alone or in small groups. They tend to take time to reflect before taking any action. sensing – People whose preference is for sensing pay attention to what they can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. Physical data and facts are how they gather information. They wouldn't trust hunches that seem to come out of nowhere, but instead look for facts and details. intuition – People who gather information by intuition tend to focus on patterns and impressions inferred from their experiences. They prefer to theorize first rather than learning through a hands-on approach. Intuitives also tend to remember their experiences more as impressions than as detailed events. thinking – When making decisions, people whose preference is for thinking try to base their decisions on principles, facts, and rules rather than on the specific contexts in which they're making the decisions. Thinkers weigh up pros and cons and then try to be logical and consistent in how they use that information to make decisions. feeling – People who prefer to make decisions using feeling as a guide rely on values rather than facts and principles. They weigh the views and needs of the people involved in the specific context of any situation. Feelers try to establish or maintain harmony and do so by considering the points of view of those involved. They often appear caring and tactful. judging – Judgers are people who like to reach clear decisions as quickly as possible. They are task-oriented. And they often feel a need for structure and organization when dealing with the external world. Others may interpret this as being too rigid or controlling. Judgers prefer to have a plan in place and to keep things in order. They may feel a strong urge to bring life under control. perceiving – Perceivers relate to the external world by trying to understand and adapt to it moment by moment. They prefer not to reach final decisions; they remain open to new information. As a result, they may be perceived as indecisive. These people feel most comfortable when being flexible and spontaneous. They're more motivated by the desire to understand and respond to the world than by the urge to organize it.
  38. Your personality type can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses in terms of time management. The most important personality dimension in this regard is your preference as an extravert or introvert. However, your preferences as a sensor or intuitive, thinker or feeler, and judger or perceiver also impact how you use your time. Each of the personality preferences has strengths and weaknesses: Introverts work best when not distracted. They stay focused on a single task for lengthy periods. However, they might overlook new developments. Extroverts like to plan and come up with ideas as part of a group. They enjoy keeping busy and working on several projects at once and thrive on plenty of stimulation. However, they may have a tendency to jump too quickly into a task, not planning or thinking it over enough. People who prefer sensing to intuition like working with schedules and deadlines, however, they may focus too much on present tasks and therefore fail to plan thoroughly. Intuitives are good at seeing the big picture; however their tendency to remember impressions rather than details means they may not plan in enough detail. They think more about new possibilities and ideas and therefore may forget to consider how to make them a reality. This may mean they struggle with deadlines. Those with a preference for thinking tend to emphasize being objective and consistent. They may like to break things down into their logical parts, and may be capable of creating very efficient time management systems based on a rational, objective assessment of their goals. People with a preference for feeling over thinking like to make decisions based on how they affect others and themselves. Because their focus is on other people, they may be easily distracted if they don't have a time management plan. People with a personality that includes a preference for judging may have a natural flair for time management because planning is important to them. They prefer a more structured approach and often find planning on paper useful. They tend to make lists of things to do and plan their work to avoid having to rush. However, they may ignore new information because they're too focused on their goals. Those with a preference for perceiving may find too much planning annoying and restrictive. These people value flexibility, enjoy mixing work and play, and feel motivated by approaching deadlines. They work in short bursts of energy, rather than at a steady pace. However, they may find that they stay open to new information for too long and therefore don't make decisions when they're needed.
  39. Whatever combination of traits you have, you'll tend either toward over-managing your time or toward simply dealing with matters as they arise. If you like to control your time, you may need to become more flexible. And if you tend to favor spontaneity, you probably need to gain more control over your work schedule. The Myers-Briggs test measures your preferences in terms of information gathering, decision making, energy source, and dealing with the outside world to determine your personality type and how you are likely to behave. These personality traits affect how you manage your time. Each personality type has certain strengths and weaknesses. So knowing more about yourself can help you to determine how to improve your time management skills.
  40. Benefits of overcoming procrastination Procrastinating often has negative consequences. Even if you rush to finish a task in time, your work may not be up to scratch if it's rushed – and you're likely to feel guilty and stressed for as long as you put the work off. Procrastination can sometimes be difficult to recognize. If you have a deadline that's three months away, it can be easy to put off the work using the excuse that there's plenty of time. But this is still a form of procrastination. And if you're saying the same thing a month later, chances are you may end up leaving the work so late that you can't finish it – or finish it well – by the deadline. The common causes of procrastination are as follows: not knowing where to start – If a task is complex or it's not clear what steps must be taken, you may delay taking any action at all. Spending too long considering all the alternatives or simply feeling overwhelmed can prevent you from getting down to work and determining what's actually required. avoiding unpleasant tasks – You may procrastinate out of a desire to avoid doing something uninteresting or unpleasant. Instead of getting the job done, you spend your time on tasks that are less urgent but easier to complete and more interesting. being afraid of failure – Fear is a common and often unrecognized cause of procrastination. If you're faced with a task that's difficult, it may be your fear of failure that causes you to delay any action. People who tend to be perfectionists don't want to produce work that's less than perfect, and this can paralyze them into not even making a start – sometimes until it's really too late to get a job done properly. Overcoming a habit of procrastination can have several important benefits: you'll be more productive and your work may be of a higher quality because you haven't had to rush it you'll be less stressed because you don't continually need to worry about work you know you should be doing and you won't feel the time pressures that procrastination can place on you, and finally you'll have more control; by taking charge and not delaying action, you gain confidence in your ability to achieve goals and manage your own time
  41. Several strategies can help you overcome the habit of procrastination: considering the consequences of procrastinating removing any obstacles causing you to delay a task setting yourself a deadline, and simply taking the plunge and making a start somewhere To help get you going, it might help to consider what effects procrastinating may have . These consequences may include stress, which is likely to increase the longer you put off the work having less time to complete work because of an initial delay, with the result that you may produce poor quality work the possibility of missing a final deadline, and increased costs – this may apply if you have to pay for resources until a task is completed or if a financial penalty is associated with missing a deadline
  42. Sometimes it's necessary to put a task off. You may need to put a task on hold until you've received the information or resources required to complete it properly. This leads into another important strategy – identifying and removing any obstacles that are keeping you from making a start . Even if obstacles such as lack of required information, resources, or equipment are easy to overcome, you may find yourself procrastinating. You may lack confidence about your ability to get a job done because you fear you don't have the necessary knowledge or skills. If you've identified this as the reason why you're procrastinating, you can do something about it. Another useful strategy is setting yourself a clear deadline for completing a task , and letting someone else know what this deadline is. You're more likely to stick to the deadline you've set if someone else is expecting you to do this. Often getting started on a task is the hardest part of completing it. So a good way to overcome procrastination is simply to jump in and do part of the work . If a job is complex and you don't know where to start, it can help to break it down into smaller tasks. Then place these in a logical sequence and simply start at the top of the list. Once you've completed the first task, it's likely you'll feel more confident about what's required and more motivated to continue. And if it's fear that's holding you back, it can help to begin with the easiest task. Often, the best antidote for fear or indecision is taking action. You may even want to get the most difficult or unpleasant task out of the way first. This may require discipline, but it can also reduce stress. Once you've handled what's tricky or putting you off, you'll have a clear view toward the finish line. These additional guidelines can help you overcome a habit of procrastination: avoid being a perfectionist – although it's always good to do your best work, don't let impossibly high standards keep you from getting anything done at all remember to prioritize tasks and don't use work that's not important as an excuse for postponing work that is, and schedule breaks or other types of rewards for once you've completed tasks or significant parts of the work that must be done Benefits of overcoming a habit of procrastinating are that you'll be more productive and less stressed, and that you'll feel more in control of your work. Strategies for beating procrastination include considering its negative consequences, and identifying and removing any obstacles keeping you from making a start on a task. They also include setting clear deadlines and simply making a start on the work that must be done.
  43. How not to take on too much Taking on too much work can have several negative consequences, both in your professional and home life: it can cause a high degree of stress and eventually lead you to "burn out" it can lead to neglect in your personal life, with overtime eating into time you'd spend with family and friends, relaxing, or exercising, and it can result in a failure to meet your core work responsibilities because you're too busy with other tasks In addition to these negative consequences, taking on too much work often leads to multitasking. The problem with multitasking is that trying to do more than one thing at the same time often leads to mistakes. It's also generally inefficient and stressful. You just can't work as effectively if your concentration is scattered among several different jobs.
  44. There are two main strategies for overcoming a tendency to take on too much work: know your key responsibilities – It's important to know what your key work responsibilities and goals are, so you can prioritize meeting these over taking on other assignments. You should remind yourself that it isn't always possible to do everything. When you're feeling torn among different tasks, weigh up their relative importance in terms of your key goals. It can help to ask yourself the question, "What's the best or most important thing I could be doing now?" plan your time – You should plan your time carefully to ensure you spend it as productively as possible and that you don't take on more than you can manage. This involves dividing your day into blocks of time and assigning an activity to each block. Activities you schedule might range from working on different tasks to managing your e-mail and making calls, to handling personal chores, and to getting enough rest. You may also assign some flexible time, for unexpected tasks or those that take longer than planned to complete. Once you've allocated all your available time and your schedule is full, you'll know you shouldn't make any more commitments.
  45. How to say "no" Once you know your key goals and responsibilities, as well as how full your schedule is, you'll know how to respond when someone asks you to take on more work. Saying "no" can be difficult, especially if it's your manager who asks you to take on a new responsibility. Even if it's a colleague who asks for your help when you're too busy to give it, it can be difficult to let go of the desire to please everyone. However, remember that it can be much worse to take on a commitment you won't be able to meet than to say "no" in the first place. When you do say "no" to a request to take on more work, it's important to avoid causing offense or bad feeling. If it's your boss you need to say "no" to, it's also important to prevent your response from sounding like insubordination. This won't be good for your relationship – or your career.
  46. To say "no" without having negative consequences, you can follow certain strategies: buy time – Particularly if it's your manager who asks you to take on more work, it's a good idea to say that you'd like some time to consider the request. Give your manager a deadline for when you will get back to him or her. This will give you time to determine whether your schedule really is too full and, if it is, to prepare a suitable response. It also shows that you're taking the request seriously. Simply returning an abrupt "no" would be disrespectful of your manager's authority. When you buy time, it can also help to say that you appreciate having been asked to take on a particular responsibility. And remember, buying time doesn't mean changing the subject. say "no" in the right way – With either a manager or a colleague, it's always important to say "no" in a way that doesn't cause offense or appear unhelpful. Often the best approach is to make it clear how accepting more work will compromise your ability to meet your core responsibilities. avoid a discussion – When you say "no," it's natural to want to justify your answer at some length. The problem with this approach is that too often, you may end up arguing yourself into a corner. To help overcome a tendency to take on too much work, you should know your core responsibilities and goals, and weigh the importance of assignments in relation to these before agreeing to take them on. You should also schedule your available time. Once you can see that your schedule is full, you'll know not to accept further work. However, it's often difficult to say "no." It can help to buy time so that you can prepare an appropriate response. Also, you should ensure you refuse a request to take on more work in a way that won't cause offense and that doesn't invite further discussion.
  47. Handling disruptive phone calls For most people, an important part of work life is interacting with others. Breaks and socializing with colleagues are important too. Interruptions can eat into the time you need to spend getting your work done, making you less productive and more stressed. In a typical office, interruptions come from a variety of sources: managers asking for updates, making new work requests, or popping in to discuss developments informally colleagues who request assistance or just want to chat meetings, which are often overly long and sometimes unnecessary your telephone and cell phone, with calls from fellow employees, clients, family members, or friends your e-mail, with messages ranging from urgent work requests to greetings or jokes from friends, and noise from nearby colleagues and their telephones Even brief interruptions can rob you of a lot of time. This is because after you've dealt with an interruption, you typically need extra time to regain your focus on what you were doing before. You can think of this as "switching" time – it usually takes some time to switch between tasks. Some straightforward strategies can help you to minimize interruptions at work: You can use voice mail to prevent phone calls from disrupting your work. You can close your e-mail while you're completing a task. If you have your own office space, close your door and possibly even post a "do not disturb" sign on it until you've finished what has to be done. Whenever necessary, you should be direct with managers or colleagues. If you don't have enough time to chat or assist with a problem, say so. Mentioning what it is you need to finish can help keep this from sounding too abrupt.
  48. Among the most time-consuming of interruptions when you're working are phone calls. When you can't simply turn on your answering machine, you can use other strategies for reducing the time you spend handling phone calls: delegating – If you receive a call when you're busy, it may be appropriate to delegate the call by redirecting it to someone else. shortening the calls – Often, you can shorten the time a call takes by letting the caller know there's a deadline involved. Follow-up calls may not be required because setting a time limit encourages a caller to come straight to the point. rescheduling – If you're too busy to handle a call, it may be appropriate to reschedule it. Generally, you should offer a brief explanation of why you're not available to talk and offer times at which you will be available. When you use one of the strategies for minimizing the time a phone call takes, it's important to avoid being rude or too abrupt. Sometimes a particular client or customer calls often and requires frequent reassurance. If you cut the calls short, you may risk offending or even losing the client. And if you continue to spend more time on the calls than you have, you're at risk of falling behind in your work. To help prevent regular calls from a client from disrupting your work, you can pre-empt the calls and phone the client yourself when you have the time, and specify the times when you're available to accept and return calls so that the client knows what to expect – and use voice mail to do this when you're not available
  49. You start your day knowing exactly what you want to get done. And then what happens? You face all kinds of unexpected demands from other people – from your boss, from co-workers, or from clients. And, if you're not careful, you spend most of your time reacting to these demands. How you deal with the relationship between what you want to achieve, and the demands of others, depends on what kind of person you are – on your social character. Two types of social character According to David Riesman's model of human social character, people tend to be one of two types: Inner-directed – Inner-directed people are motivated by personal, pre-decided priorities. Other-directed – Other-directed people respond readily to the demands of others because they need to please others. Riesman does not represent either inner-directed or other-directed behavior as correct, and in fact, he recommends that we adopt a reasonable compromise between the two – a social character he calls autonomous.
  50. How does an inner-directed or other-directed person respond when someone interrupts an activity and wants his attention? How does an autonomous person behave? The following are descriptions of how different social types are likely to respond to interruptions: Inner-directed – An inner-directed person minimizes the length of time she gives to the other person. She often shows that she does not welcome the demand on her time. Other-directed – The other-directed person is invariably happy to stop what he is doing. He gives the other party as much time as he wants. Autonomous – The autonomous person does not usually object to demands on his time. But he does not lose sight of his own goals and says if a demand is not convenient at that moment because he is busy. A demand on your time from someone else may be an effective use of your working day, or it may not. However, you will only be able to evaluate the usefulness of the activity if you can detach yourself from the extremes of inner-directed or other-directed behavior. The inner-directed person feels that any interruption is stealing his time, while the other-directed individual always behaves as though she has no private time that anyone else could steal. The tendency is for people to be either inner-directed or other-directed. Neither is the best option. An autonomous social character represents a balanced way to respond to demands on your time.
  51. Drop-in visitors are people who come into your office or to see you at your desk without a prior appointment. They can include managers, coworkers, customers or vendors, and friends. Sometimes drop-in visitors want your help with problems or to discuss work-related issues. At other times, they may stop by just to chat. They can use up some of your valuable time.
  52. Several strategies can help you reduce the time you spend dealing with drop-in visitors: set time limits – Sometimes a drop-in visitor may settle in to chat or take a long time getting to a point. Setting a time limit on the discussion is a good way to prevent this. limit times you're available – If you're a manager, it's important to make time to see staff who need your assistance. But it's also important that you have enough time to complete your own work. You could choose to make it clear that you're available only between certain times. You could also choose to limit the issues you're available to discuss. ask how you can help – If you ask how you can help as soon as a drop-in visitor arrives at your desk, it shows that you're expecting the visitor to address a work-related issue. encourage visits outside your workplace – You should also ask friends or colleagues who want to catch up socially to meet you outside the workplace. This often helps to pre-empt visits. If you're a manager, you can schedule time to make the rounds and find out if any team members need your help – rather than facing interruptions once you're focusing on your own work. If you're too busy to deal with unexpected visitors, you should say so directly. Colleagues are likely to understand and empathize if you're trying to get your work done, and you'll be able to focus better on speaking to them once you know you've got the time. Ultimately, minimizing interruptions during the time you've scheduled to get your own work done will help your career, and leave you less stressed, with time left to assist others and to relax once your work is done.
  53. How to Manage Paperwork Whatever happened to the paperless office? The appearance of the computer was supposed to remove the need for paper in the office, but most people receive more paper documents than ever before. If you are to avoid drowning in a sea of paper, you need a straightforward and efficient technique for managing it. Paperwork is causing a problem for you if it distracts you from the task in hand or if you ignore it for as long as possible. It's also causing a problem if you keep nearly all the documents that come in or print out copies of everything.
  54. An approach to managing paperwork Ignoring paperwork that lands on your desk, or aiming to store it all, are simply two different ways of failing to manage it. Instead, there is a simple, but powerful approach for managing paperwork. Make a prompt decision about the fate of each document you receive, based on whether it should be filed passed on thrown away read through The choices contained in the "file, pass on, throw away, read" approach are not, of course, necessarily mutually exclusive. Some documents will need reading thoroughly before filing or passing on; others will not. It may or may not be immediately clear whether a document should be treated as trash.
  55. Tips for quickly reducing volume It is certainly the case, however, that a cursory look will tell you all you need to know about many documents. A lot of paperwork that comes across your desk is not worth the time it would take you to read it. Here are two tips: do not keep any hard copies of electronically generated documents that you receive – for example, e-mails or reports do not make hard copies of documents that you write on your computer
  56. How to decide While you will need to make critical judgments for each document and perhaps do multiple things with it, here are some quick guidelines for knowing when to do what with it: only file a document if you're likely to need it in the future pass on a document if it needs to be read by someone else throw away any document that is not relevant to you or a colleague read short documents immediately; keep longer documents for later reading
  57. Managing your e-mail effectively has several benefits. It ensures you have fast, easy access to work-related information when you need it; it facilitates better time management; it helps you work more effectively; and it contributes to your and your company's overall efficiency. Some best practices for managing your time through effective e-mail management relate to handling your business e-mail account and others relate to keeping your business and personal e-mail separate.
  58. Two ways can help you to manage your business e-mail properly: keep your inbox as empty as possible – The fewer messages you have in your inbox, the less you have to deal with. Keeping your inbox free of clutter also makes it easier to spot the messages that require immediate attention. eliminate sources of unnecessary e-mails – Simply deleting unnecessary e-mails is only a short-term solution. A more permanent solution is to stop unnecessary e-mails from arriving in your inbox by cutting out the sources of these e-mails.
  59. One way to keep your inbox as empty as possible is to handle business-related e-mail as soon as you receive it. If you don't do this, e-mails might build up until your inbox overflows with more messages than you can cope with. You'll then waste time dealing with a large volume of messages. You can keep your inbox relatively empty by regularly deleting junk e-mails and old e-mails that you no longer need. You can also sort incoming e-mail into different categories or subjects, each of which has its own folder in your e-mail client. From there, you can decide which e-mails need to be handled and at what time. Another way to make more efficient use of your e-mail account and working time is to eliminate any sources of unnecessary e-mails. If you're on e-mail lists or have subscribed to newsgroups, you may receive a lot of e-mails you don't really need. Product alerts and newsletters can also fill up your mailbox. And despite assurances that your e-mail address will be kept private, subscribing to these services can leave you vulnerable to receiving more spam. It's best not to subscribe to services that will result in e-mails arriving in your business mailbox, unless you really need these to do your work. Usually, you can unsubscribe from a service by going to a web site or sending an e-mail. Even if you do need a service, you can often choose to limit the communications you receive. For example, you might specify you don't want to receive any promotional content, or opt to receive a daily digest instead of several individual messages.
  60. It's not just work-related e-mail messages that clog up business people's e-mail accounts. Often, a lot of work time is wasted on handling personal e-mails. Having many personal messages in your mailbox can make it difficult to spot important business messages. If you receive personal e-mails at work, the first step to better management is to establish separate business and personal e-mail accounts. Separating these accounts keeps your business and personal e-mails – and lives – separate. It also helps make your work time more efficient. Your personal e-mail can be handled at another time – when you're not working.
  61. There is a direct relationship between the physical organization of your office and your productivity. If you do not make the most of your workspace, you will not get the most out of your time. The size of your office, and the level of luxury in its furnishings, does not correlate directly, or inevitably, on your performance. So what does? Three elements of physical organization The three elements of the physical organization of your work space that have a positive or negative impact on your use of time are tidiness comfort structure
  62. Tidiness Only have the files and papers that you're actually using on your desktop. The only objects on your desk permanently should be work-related objects that you really need to have there. It is easy to accumulate clutter on your desk and to find excuses to allow it to continue. But if papers are left strewn around, it is likely that you will expend unnecessary time locating them when you actually need them. Plus, clutter conveys an unfortunate impression of mental disorganization to co-workers. Exactly what you need to have permanently available depends on your job. A monitor, keyboard, mouse, and telephone may be enough. You may also require a physical address book, and a notebook. Most people do not need much more.
  63. Comfort Lower or raise the temperature, get a more comfortable chair, exchange your light source for one that better suits you – do whatever you need to make your workspace comfortable for you.
  64. Structure Filing systems that are consistently coded – alphabetized, color-coded, or whatever works for you – will keep your workspace structured. The details of a filing system are an individual matter, but you do need a system and one that helps you to work. The physical organization of your working environment has a direct effect on your time-effectiveness. Do not postpone taking action on any aspect of the physical organization of your office that should be changed
  65. I’d like to leave you today with a personal story. My first realistic look at time management. I remember my freshman year from college. I vividly remember sitting at my desk in my dorm; talking on the phone with my dad. I was complaining about how I didn’t have time to get anything done. I was away from home, didn’t have a job, my only priority was a normal course load. He said, Shannon, how many hours do you sleep? I responded with 8. Then he asked, how many hours a day are you in class? I said 4. Then he said, that’s 12 hours. How many hours are in a day? Well, of course, 24- Then he asked. What are you doing the other 12 hours of the day?
  66. Today we’ve discussed many areas of time management and strategies that can be used. Hopefully you’ve walked away with tips and tricks. Remember, don’t try to change everything at once. Hopefully this information has given you a new perspective on how to arrange your day and tackle tasks.
  67. April: Thank you Shannon for today’s Webinar on Time Management! We will be sending an email this afternoon to all those that registered, including the audio recording, powerpoint slides, handouts and worksheets. Next Months BizTopix Webinar will cover Internal and External Customer Service. It is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 th at 1:00pm