March 2008 Speaker:

                        Ann Smith

                        Trainer Instructional Designer with AMS Training

Top Time Management Tips:

1. Track Your Time - In order to plan a clear budget so you do not waste your money and you have some left to purchase things you enjoy, you have to know where your money goes. Where do you spend the most? On food? Rent? Similarly, in order to plan your time so you can have some left for quality events, you have to keep track of where you spend it. Do you work on projects? Talk to customers? Gossip with co-workers? Watch TV? Where does all that time go? I recommend tracking your time for a week. Once you know where you are spending it, you can cut your minutes of less critical tasks and create a plan to spend more wisely.  **Time log on next page will help you.

2. Know Your Clock - Each person has an internal clock that runs on high and low energy cycles. Do you have a co-worker that bubbles in early in the morning full of energy and enthusiasm? Have you ever received emails written by someone at midnight? Each person has times during the day of low and high energy. Identify your highest energy points and plan your most important and challenging tasks during your peaks. Tasks that need to be done but take less effort will be easier to accomplish in those low energy blocks.

3. Have a System - There are many systems out there - Covey planner, Outlook calendar, large desk calendar, palm pilot, Blackberry, tickler files. . . You may have to try several before you find the one that works. But your system should track your daily, weekly and monthly activities and responsibilities. When you know where you are going, you have a better chance of getting there.

4. Pre-plan - At some point during your day, plan your most immediate tasks. I like to spend 10 to 15 minutes each evening planning what I will accomplish the next day. I know what is reasonable, because I already have tracked my time and how long it takes, on average, to complete my projects and sustaining responsibilities. I make the list and then prioritize it. First are the things that "must get done." Next are the things that would be "nice to get done." This way, if I don't finish everything on the list, I move the "nice to do's" to the next day's list. Why do I do it the night before? It enables my subconscious to ferment on creative projects I may have to complete. However, this is not a rule of thumb. I know many people who plan each morning for their current day or plan a whole week in advance. Figure out what works.

5. Pad Your Plan - I always get the question, "What about the emergencies and interruptions? They can throw off my whole day." True. Sometimes you just can't do anything about urgent interruptions. Hopefully, if you have planned well and worked on projects without procrastination, these emergencies won't be too catastrophic. Also, try to plan a little extra time into the day for minor interruptions. If you have ever tried to plan a vacation using the exact costs of the travel, without leaving room in the budget for that extra souvenir that you just "have to have," you know what I mean. If you end up with fewer interruptions than anticipated, yes! That's bonus time to work on those "nice to do's."

6. Decrease Interruptions - Although you can not completely eliminate interruptions from your day, you can reduce them (the average American gets 50 to 60 interruptions per day at work!)  If possible, block "work hours" into your day when you close your door or don't answer the telephone. Turn off your email alert! Email is the number one time waster at work. Schedule several times per day to check and respond to emails (depending on your position). Use voicemail at times (but don't overuse it- this can cost you more time returning calls). Physically rearrange your work area. Can you move your desk so you don't face the door or turn away from that chatty co-worker? Stand. When you see a long-winded individual headed your way, stand up. This encourages shorter interactions. Finally, don't interrupt yourself. Try to eliminate those things that you know distract you.

7. Clean Up Your Act - Organize everything. This should include your work space and at home. I know several people who work with piles and piles of papers on their desk and swear emphatically that they "know where everything is." If this is true, can you imagine how efficient they would be if all the papers were organized and they only had one thing on their desks at a time? They would be incredibly efficient! If it takes you more than 20 seconds to find something in paper or electronic form, it's taking you too long! Clear off your desk, use an in and out box (as needed) and place your needed items like pens, tape and stapler in the top desk drawer (yes that's right, less clutter). Then tackle the garage. The less cluttered your world, the easier it will be to organize your thoughts, your belongings and your time.

8. Just Say No - Some of us have the tendency to want to say "yes" to every request that comes our way. Ask yourself, "Do you really HAVE to say yes?" Many times it is our ego that tells us we need to consent - after all we are indispensible, right? Can you decline politely? I learned the hard way that sometimes I just have to say, "No." There are some tasks to which "no" is not an option. In this case, is it possible to ask the person needing your help if the project needs to be done right away or if it can wait a day or a week? Also, saying "no" to a boss really isn't an option, however, you can ask him or her to help you prioritize your current tasks, including the new one, so you know how to best schedule your time.

9. Delegate - Ask yourself, "Is there someone who can do this? Can I teach someone else? Am I the only one who can do it? Will teaching someone else help the person grow? Will teaching someone help the organization?" Although delegation is not an option all the time, it is often beneficial. Identify those occasions when delegating is in the best interests of you, your team and your organization. Investing some time in teaching the task now may save you a great deal of time in the future. Always remember that the item you are delegating needs to fit into someone else's schedule and plan to give the person support, provide feedback and follow up when the task is complete.

10. Prioritize "You" Time - Always remember to build time for yourself into your schedule. Amid the work tasks and family responsibilities, we often forget to spend some time recharging our own energy. Do you have a hobby? Do you like to read? When was the last time you took a vacation? Studies show that people who allow some time for themselves (even if it is simply taking a lunch) are more effective and creative in their tasks.

Additional Tips for Dealing with Time Wasters

Tips for Dealing with Disorganization:

If you spend your time searching for important papers or information you are disorganized.  Do you start and stop several times before completing a task?  “A place for everything and everything in its place” is a good rule to follow.  It should not take you more than 30 seconds to find information you need.  Some tips to organization include:

•Complete your tasks.  Try not to have several tasks out at one time.

•Don’t keep all your work on your desk at one time “so you won’t forget about it.”  Only have the one project you are working on at hand.

•Organize your email.  Use folders to sort email by topic or priority.  One way to organize is by day you must address or answer the issue.

•Keep a tickler file of months and days of month.  Organize tasks by day to complete using files or folders.

•Keep items you need such as stapler, tape, paperclips in the top drawer of the desk

•Use an “in box,” “out box,” and projects files to keep yourself in order

Inability to say “no.” 

Sometimes we may not want to say no because we don’t know how, don’t have the emotional fortitude to refuse or fear of offending someone.  However, saying no can help you complete your tasks with better results.  Steps to saying “no”:

•Listen to be sure you fully understand what is being asked of you

•Say “no” politely but firmly

•If appropriate, explain your reasons.  This enforces credibility without making excuses.

•Offer alternatives or suggestions of other ways to meet the person’s needs.

•If it is your boss, it is somewhat different; remind him/her of your other projects and ask your boss for help in deciding where the new assignment should fall on the list of priorities.

Meetings:

At any given time in America, there are 11 million meetings going on!  Some tips to help in this area:

•Find out if you really need to attend.  Can you delegate?

•Make sure there is an agenda and a facilitator to ensure the time frame will be followed.

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If you have a regular meeting but nothing specific to discuss that week, cancel it.

•Go for just the part that relates to you.

•If someone suggests a meeting, ask, “Can we do it over the phone?”  Conference calls work well too.

•Make sure the date and time do not interfere with other priorities.

Additional Tips for Dealing with Time Wasters

Snail Mail

•Learn to handle each piece of mail only once. 

•Read it and decide what to do with it.  If you don’t need it, recycle it immediately. 

•If you have a reading file, put a date on it and file it.

oAct on the mail:

oFile it

oAct on it (schedule it in your day)

•Toss it

•If you find yourself re-reading a piece of mail or moving it around on your desk, stop yourself and determine what to do with it.

Travelling or Waiting Time

•Take advantage of it.  If you are waiting in the doctor’s office, for an appointment with a business contact, traveling or driving, make good use of the time. 

•Catch up on your reading time.

•If driving, use books on tape or audible.com to continue your education.

•Return calls.

•Catch up on professional journals, magazines, etc.

•Use the time as organization and planning time – review your goals, plan your day or week.

Interruptions

On average, we get 50-60 interruptions a day.  At five minutes each, that translates into 50% of the workday.  Eighty per cent of interruptions are typically rated as “no value” or “little value” creating three hours of wasted time.

•Use voice mail, email and your door to block interruptions.

•Ask people to not send unnecessary messages during work hours.

•When someone interrupts, ask the person if it is an emergency or if they can reschedule a meeting at another time.

•To keep interruptions short, stand up when the person enters your space.

Procrastination

•Just start.  Promise yourself that you will work on a project for ten minutes.  Often, once you get started, you will continue for a longer period of time.

•Schedule tedious or tough work at your most productive times of the day.

•Reward yourself if you get done with a project early.

•Just start.

References

Cook, Marshall J.  Time Management: Proven Techniques for Making the Most of Your Valuable Time.  Adams Media, 1998.

Covey, Stephen, Roger Merrill, and Rebecca R. Merrill.  First Things First: To Live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy.  Free Press, 1996. 

Dodd, Pamela and Doug Sondheim.  The 25 Best Time Management Tools & Techniques: How to Get More Done Without Driving Yourself Crazy.  Peak Performance Press, Inc., 2005.

Hemphill, Barbara.  Taming the Paper Tiger at Work.  Kaplan Business, 2005.

Linenberger, Michael.  Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook: The Eight Best Practices of Task and E-Mail Management.  New Academy Publishers, 2006.

Mancini, Marc.  Time Management: 24 Techniques to Make Each Minute Count at Work.  McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Silber, Lee.  Time Management for the Creative Person: Right-Brain Strategies for Stopping Procrastination, Getting Control of the Clock and Calendar, and Freeing Up Your Time and Your Life.  Three Rivers Press, 1998.