The Time Management Process
Lisa J. Downs
American Society of Training & Development
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Needs Fulfilled by Time Management
To feel more in control of our lives To make the most of every day To accomplish what we set out to do
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Step 1: Prioritizing
Focus on roles and responsibilities at work
and at home. Ask yourself, “What is most important for me to be doing at this time?” Devote less energy to noncritical tasks. Know what your work actually is and what is involved.
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Model for Reviewing Work
50,000+ feet: Life as a whole 40,000 feet: 3- to 5-year vision 30,000 feet: 1- to 2-year goals 20,000 feet: Areas of responsibility 10,000 feet: Current projects Ground level: Current actions
Source: Allen, David. Getting Things Done. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2001.
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Model for Reviewing Work (cont’d.)
50,000 feet: What is the purpose of
your work? 40,000 feet: What will you be doing 3–5 years from now? 30,000 feet: What will you accomplish 1–2 years out?
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Model for Reviewing Work (cont’d.)
20,000 feet: In what key areas do you
want to achieve results? 10,000 feet: What are the short-term projects that must be done? Ground level: What actions are needed to focus on these projects?
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Step 2: Analyzing
Look closely at where you are spending
your time. Make an effort to analyze your days. Log your time for one week. Search for pockets of time, items to cut, time of day tasks are done, pace of work. Adjust scheduling and routines as needed.
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Questions to Ask
How are most of your hours spent? Is your schedule in balance (work, family,
time for self)? Did anything from your log surprise you? Is there any time you cannot account for? How do you decide what to spend your time doing?
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Step 3: Filtering
Keep in mind that we cannot find time; we
have to make it by taking it away from other activities. Remember that the easiest option is not always the best. Consider if the action is what you want or need to be doing right now; if not, say “no.”
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Filtering Categories
1. Urgent and Important: Needs immediate
attention and aligns with priorities 2. Important but Not Urgent: No sense of immediacy, but must be done 3. Urgent but Not Important: Not tied to priorities; involves others’ urgencies 4. Neither Important nor Urgent: Time wasters
Source: Cook, Marshall J. Time Management.. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 1998. 10
Filtering Categories (cont’d.)
1. Urgent and Important:
- Child sick at school - Presentation at meeting in 1 hour - Fell and hurt yourself 2. Important but Not Urgent: - Long-range budgeting - Time with family - Continuing education
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Filtering Categories (cont’d.)
3. Urgent but Not Important - Colleague showing you vacation photos - E-mail pop-up box - Department meeting in 10 minutes 4. Neither Important nor Urgent: - Surfing the Internet - Doing the crossword puzzle in the paper - Checking sports scores
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Step 4: Scheduling
Involves creating a plan of action for your
days, weeks, and months Makes use of organizational tools: planner, PDA, scheduling software, lists Assists with focus on important tasks and responsibilities aligned with priorities Allows for flexibility as needs change
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Scheduling Tips
Record to-do items in one reliable location Overestimate how long tasks will take Avoid over-booking to allow for
interruptions and unexpected urgencies Keep things in perspective Find a format that works for you and that allows for flexibility
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Scheduling Tips (cont’d.)
Make sure important tasks get done first. Break large tasks down into pieces. Schedule for long term and short term. Build in breaks for yourself. Be ready to “let it go” if necessary; not all
days will go according to plan.
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Step 5: Executing
Taking action based on plans and
priorities Taking charge of your time and schedule Acknowledging where and when time wasters occur and taking steps to eliminate them Using goals, roles, and responsibilities to drive productivity
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Executing: Saying “No”
Say “no” when: Meetings are ineffective or unnecessary New projects are misaligned with goals or resources Tasks are a waste of time; look for alternative actions You are not the right person for the task You need to focus
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Self-Management
Time cannot be saved or stored. We must manage ourselves in relation to
time. It is the way we use time that matters, not how much we have. Any bad habits must be changed to better control our use of time.
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