tom e. norris, md 3/071 time management: a key survival skill for busy faculty tom e. norris, md...

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 1

TIME MANAGEMENT: A Key Survival Skill for Busy Faculty

TOM E. NORRIS, MDVice Dean for Academic AffairsProfessor of Family MedicineAdjunct Professor Medicine, Medical Education, and Health ServicesUniversity of Washington School of Medicine

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 2

BASIC GOAL:BASIC GOAL:VALUE BASED MANAGEMENT

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The moving hand has writ,and having writ moved on. . .

The Rubiyat of Omar KhayamBrowning

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The shadow by my finger castDivides the future from the past.Behind its unreturning line,The vanished hour, no longer thine.

Before it lies the unknown hour,In darkness and beyond thine power.One hour alone is in thine hands,The one on which the shadow stands.

Poem inscribed on a sundial atWellesley College

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 5

WHAT IS TIME???

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A FEW DEFINITIONS:

• Newton: Time is absolute--it occurs whether the universe is here or not.

• Leibnitz: Time is merely the order of events, not an entity itself.

• Einstein: Time has no independent existence, apart from the order of events by which we measure it.

• Webster’s Dictionary: Time is a continuum in which events succeed one another from past through present to future

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 7

If time is a series of events, then controlling(or managing) your life (i.e. living your values) means controlling your time, and controllingyour time means controlling the events in your life.

“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stufflife is made of” Benjamin Franklin

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 8

BASIC APPROACH TO BASIC APPROACH TO TIME MANAGEMENTTIME MANAGEMENT

Decide you will CONTROL your time

IDENTIFY, UNDERSTAND, & DEFEAT your TIME ROBBERS

PLAN: Goals; Priorities; Ideal Day

START where you are—CREATE an Action Plan

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 9

BASIC PRINCIPLE:BASIC PRINCIPLE:

You control your life bycontrolling your time.

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DO YOU HAVE CONTROL OFTHE EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE??

NO CONTROL TOTAL CONTROL

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EVENT(rate 1-5--5=total control, 1= no control):

• Time I get out of bed _______• What I eat _______• What I wear _______• Length of my commute to work _______

• Meeting with a resident _______

• Lunchtime & with whom _______• Traffic on the way home _______• What I do this evening _______

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CONTROL

• There are events we can control

• There are events we can’t control

• There are events we can’t control, but believe we can (mostly other people)

• There are events we can control, but believe we can’t---------this is often dependent on our NEED to control them

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Branden’s Productivity Tri-Quation

EVENT CONTROL

SELF-ESTEEM

PRODUCTIVITY

Branden, Nathaniel L.:The Psychology of Self-Esteem

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In other words. . .

•As you control the events in your life, you feel better about yourself•As you feel better about yourself, you are more productive •The increased productivity gives you more control—

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Two time fallacies:

• We’re going to have more time at some unspecified future date than we do now---”I’ll do it next week”, etc

• We can somehow save time---in reality you have all that you are going to get

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The Twenty Biggest “Time Robbers”

• Management by Crisis• Telephone Interruptions• Inadequate Planning• Attempting Too Much• Drop-in Visitors• Ineffective Delegation• Personal Disorganization• Lack of Self-Discipline• Inability to Say NO• Procrastination• Meetings

• Paperwork• Leaving Tasks Unfinished• Inadequate Staff• Socializing• Confused Responsibility

or Authority• Poor Communication• Inadequate Controls and

Progress Reports• Incomplete Information• Travel

A.Mackenzie: The Time Trap

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FIVE of the MOST POPULAR “TIME ROBBERS” (with cures)

• Management by Crisis

• Inadequate Planning

• Attempting Too Much

• Drop-In Visitors

• Procrastination

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Management by Crisis

• “Crisis of the week”

• Need for organizational or institutional or group goals and planning.

• Need for consistency

• Not always avoidable, but there is always a cost

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Inadequate Planning

• Create:– Long-Term Goals – Objectives– Project Plans– Monthly Plans– Daily Plans

• Use “Planner”• “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’

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Attempting Too Much

• Causes:– Need to Achieve– Insecurity– Failure to Delegate– Unrealistic time

estimates– Not knowing how to

say NO– Lack of organization– Perfectionism

• Cures:– Learn to Delegate

– Learn to say NO to your boss

– Learn to estimate time requirements of tasks better (conservatively)

– Stop attempting more than you can do

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Drop-In Visitors (Interruptions)

• Types:– Unnecessary Interruptions– Necessary Interruptions– Untimely Interruptions

• Pointed Question: “What can I do for you today?”

• Schedule one-to-one meetings with those who frequently interrupt you

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Procrastination

• Types:– Conscious procrastination--we are aware of our actions– Unconscious procrastination--we are unaware

• Strategies:– Set a deadline– Do the most unpleasant part first– Make a game of it– Build in rewards– Pace yourself

• Other contributors: Over-commitment, Unclear Goals, Fear of Failure, Poor Timing, General Disorganization, Apathy

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PLANNINGPLANNING

Your PLANS should come

from your

VALUES

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Before PLANNING Ask Yourself:What are my VALUES?

Benjamin Franklin’s 13 values

Temperance SinceritySilence JusticeOrder ModerationResolution CleanlinessFrugality TranquillityIndustry Chastity

+ Humility

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YOUR GOVERNING VALUES ARE THE FOUNDATION OF PERSONAL

FULFILLMENT

What are the highest priorities in my life?

Abraham Maslow: Self-actualization is a bringing together of what I do &what I really value.

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Common Categories for Personal Values

SPOUSE FINANCIAL SECURITYCHILDREN/FAMILY PERSONAL HEALTH/FITNESSSPIRITUALITY/RELIGION SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENTINTEGRITY/HONESTY OCCUPATIONAL SATISFACTIONLOVE OF OTHERS/SERVICE EDUCATION/LEARNINGSELF-RESPECT TAKING RESPONSIBILITYEXERCISING LEADERSHIP INNER HARMONYINDEPENDENCE INTELLIGENCEUNDERSTANDING QUALITY OF LIFEHAPPINESS PLEASURESELF-CONTROL AMBITIONBEING CAPABLE IMAGINATION/CREATIVITYFORGIVENESS GENEROSITYEQUALITY FRIENDSHIPBEAUTY COURAGE

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WHEN YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES REFLECT YOUR GOVERNING VALUES, YOU EXPERIENCE INNER PEACE (or Self-Actualization)

DAILY TASKS

INTERMEDIATE GOALS

LONG-RANGE GOALS

GOVERNING VALUES

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The PLANNING Process

• Discern your VALUES• Set Long-Term Goals & Objectives linked to

them• Establish PRIORITIES among these goals &

Objectives—Base prioritization on values• Learn your personal energy cycle and create your

IDEAL DAY• Create a plan for each day—WRITE IT DOWN

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 29

Common Goal Categories

• Physical Well-Being

• Family/Spouse

• Spiritual/Humanitarian

• Financial

• Professional/Career

• Professional/Strategic

• Community/Political

• Educational/Personal Development

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ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES

CREATING A “RANK ORDER”FOR YOUR PERSONAL GOALS

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ESTABLISHING BALANCE

• What is the long-range priority of this project?

• For whom & by when must this be completed?

• What can I delegate and to whom?

• Is this project more important than another?

• What will happen if I wait on this task?

• Have I included time for myself and my family?

• Are any of these tasks infringing on my values?

What matters most is that life shouldnot be at the mercy of less important things!

Tom E. Norris, MD 3/07 32

Daily planning leverages time through increased focus

• Five Common Excuses:– I don’t have time to plan.– I already know what I have to do, why take time

to plan?– Planning doesn’t work for me--I have too many

interruptions.– I feel “tied down” when I have a long list of

things to do.– I don’t know how to plan properly.

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Daily Planning:FIND 15 MINUTES!!!

• Find a place relatively free of distractions.

• Review the long range objectives.

• Make sure the number of tasks and the amount of time required by each is well within the time available in your day.

• Set specific daily goals for tasks.

• Anticipate obstacles.

• Plan your tasks.

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The “IDEAL DAY”

• What are your “regular” significant tasks?• Who decides when you do these things?• What is your personal energy cycle?

– When are you at your best?

– Are you a morning or evening person?

– When are your dips

• Schedule your key tasks for your best working times, and work on those at the same time daily

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Prioritized Daily Task Lists

• Step 1: Make a list of everything you would like to accomplish today, including non-urgent tasks.

• Give a value to each item on the list.– A = must be done

– B = important

– C = relatively trivial

• Give a numerical value to each item on the list. (A-1, B-3, etc.)

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Using a Planning Tool Effectively

• 1. Take your Day Planner (Electronic [PDA] or Paper) with you ALWAYS!!

• 2. Use only one calendar (your secretary can have a copy if needed)

• 3. COMMIT to planning every day.

• 4. Use a good reference system.

• 5. Use a master task list.

• 6. Use a monthly index.

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Summary

1. You control your life by controlling your time—make a commitment to control it.

2. Rid yourself of “time robbers”.3. Your governing values are the foundation of

personal fulfillment.4. When your daily activities reflect your governing

values, you experience inner peace---set goals & objectives & prioritize them.

5. Daily planning leverages time through focus.

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References

• Books:– The Time Trap—Alec Mackenzie– The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and

Life Management--Hyrum W. Smith– Time Management—Marshall Cook– First Things First Every Day--Steven R. Covey– Manage Your Time—Tim Hindle

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Planning Systems

• Paper Systems– Calendar Sheets & Books

– Day Timer

– Franklin Day Planner

– Others

• Electronic Systems– Microsoft Schedule Plus

– Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s)

– Others

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“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.”

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862}