Download - Improving Time Management
TIME MANAGEMENT
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COMMON SENSE
COMMON is not so
AGENDA 3
- Self-Assessment
- Time Wasters
- Time Management Tips
- Effective Meetings
- Recap
YOU WILL LEARN… 4
- How Am I Currently Wasting Time?
- How Planning + Organization Will Increase Productivity
- How to Get a Handle on Email + Paperwork
- How to Not Waste Time in Meetings
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SELF-ASSESSMENT
SELF-ASSESSMENT 6
- 1. Each day, I set aside a small amount of time for planning + thinking about my job.
- 2. I set specific, written goals + put deadlines on them.
KEY
0. Almost Never
1. Sometimes
2. Often
3. Almost Always
SELF-ASSESSMENT 7
KEY
0. Almost Never
1. Sometimes
2. Often
3. Almost Always
- 3. I make a daily ‘to do’ list, arrange items in order of importance + try to get the important items done as soon as possible.
- 4. I’m aware of the 80 – 20 rule + use it in my job. (80% of effectiveness will generally come from achieving only 20% of goals.)
SELF-ASSESSMENT 8
KEY
0. Almost Never
1. Sometimes
2. Often
3. Almost Always
- 5. I keep a loose schedule to allow for crises + the unexpected.
- 6. I try to handle each piece of paper only once.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 9
KEY
0. Almost Never
1. Sometimes
2. Often
3. Almost Always
- 7. I eat a light lunch, so I don’t get sleepy in the afternoon.
- 8. I make an active effort to keep common interruptions (visitors, meetings, telephone calls) from continually disrupting my work day.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 10
KEY
0. Almost Never
1. Sometimes
2. Often
3. Almost Always
- 9. I’m able to say no to others’ requests for my time that would prevent my completing important tasks.
- 10. I know what habits I have that keep me from using my time effectively.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? 11
- 0 – 15: Better give some thought to your time management
- 15 – 20: You’re doing okay, but there’s room for improvement
- 20 – 25: Very good
- 25 – 27: Excellent
- 28 – 30: You cheated!
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TIME WASTERS
CONTROL 13
- Time is lost to two factors:
- Beyond our control
- Within our control
BRAINSTORM 14
- What are examples of factors beyond our control?
FACTORS BEYOND OUR CONTROL 15
- Interruptions: phone calls, last minute meetings, questions from clients
- Computer + equipment problems
- Unplanned work + changing priorities
- Holding + attending unnecessary + unproductive meetings
BRAINSTORM 16
- What are examples of factors within our control?
FACTORS WITHIN OUR CONTROL 17
- Lack of good planning + organization
- Procrastinating until project becomes urgent
- Failing to set + maintain priorities
- Losing focus on task at hand / jumping from project to project
- Not becoming self-aware of habits that lead to wasted time
FACTORS WITHIN OUR CONTROL 18
- Holding + attending unnecessary + unproductive meetings
- Spending too much time on phone + email
- Inability to say ‘no’ + take on too much
- Excessive socializing
AHA! MOMENT 19
- How can understanding what factors are inside + outside of your control affect your time management?
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HELPFUL TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS
PLANNING + ORGANIZING 21
- Failing to plan is planning to fail
PLANNING + ORGANIZING 22
- Get a game plan
- Daily to-do lists
- Review objectives throughout day to update / reprioritize
PLANNING + ORGANIZING 23
- Separate high priority items
- Breakout larger projects into smaller pieces
- Batch routine tasks together
- Match habit preferences to priority / routine items
PLANNING + ORGANIZING 24
- Set aside uninterrupted blocks of time for difficult / lengthy projects
- Music
- Shut off email
- Book a conference room
PAPERWORK 25
- Touch each document once if possible
- Pass on, file or discard
- Temporary hold file
EMAIL 26
- Check emails at specified times throughout day
- Organize email within folders
- Use filters / rules to automatically assign to separate folders
- Limit ‘touching’ emails more than once
EMAIL 27
- After 2 rounds of trying to solve problem via email, pick up the phone / talk in person
- If you can’t respond immediately, let team member know when to expect a response
EMAIL 28
- Be clear communicating what is expected from your email
- Use ‘no response required’ to end messages + discourage unnecessary replies
- Remove yourself from unnecessary distribution lists
EMAIL 29
- Create stock responses + store in drafts folder for frequently used messages
TAKE BREAKS 30
- Get up + stretch
- Grab a drink / coffee, snack
- Switch locations
- Continued education
AHA! MOMENT 31
- What other time management tips do you utilize every day?
- What can you implement this week?
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EFFECTIVE MEETINGS
IS THE MEETING NECESSARY? 33
Employees have reported spending
hours / week on average in meetings
Source: SHRM
6 – 20
IS THE MEETING NECESSARY? 34
- When to Say Yes
- Allow team members to collaborate (review, evaluate, discuss, problem-solve, etc.) with each other
- Present significant information to the team
- Have face-to-face communication to encourage interaction + create team synergy
- Schedule away!
IS THE MEETING NECESSARY 35
- When to Say No
- Can more effectively accomplish purpose by phone, email, or 1-on-1 discussion
- Premature to meet: topic is still unclear / insignificant
- Consider having 1 day / week with no meetings
MEETING PREP 36
- Send agenda ahead of time
- Avoid meetings 90+ minutes
- Consider personal time management
MEETING AGENDAS 37
- Include:
- Topic stated in question form
- Person responsible for leading discussion
- Relevant information to topic
- Time allotted for discussion
- Okay to include a ‘not-on-agenda’ list of topics that are off limits for that particular meeting
CONDUCTING THE MEETING 38
- Practice A/V set-up
- Greet team members upon arrival
- Start on time
- Recap any last-minute revisions to agenda
- Review meeting purpose, agenda + priorities
- Designate a note taker
- Summarize consensus + any decisions before moving forward
GROUND RULES 39
- 1 person will speak at a time
- No side conversations
- No laptops or cell phones
- Treat everyone’s comments + questions with respect
- Stick to agenda
MEETING FOLLOW-UP 40
- Distribute notes within 4 days maximum
- Reminder of agreements + action items
- Follow up with team members that weren’t present
- Put unresolved topics on next agenda
AHA! MOMENT 41
- What do you do to keep meetings on track + productive?
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RECAP
RECAP 43
- Are Time Wasters in or out of your control?
- Time Management Tips
- Planning + Organization
- Paperwork + Email
- Breaks
- Effective Meetings
- Is a meeting necessary?
- Agendas
- Next Steps + Follow-up
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SOURCES 45
- Effective Meetings Training for Employees: SHRM, 2008
- Time Management Self-Assessment : pulled from 2012 CYP workshop, led by Dale Carnegie Trainer Debbie Cooler
- Time Management Training: SHRM, 2008