Table of Contents

1. Behaviors
2. Tools
3. Appendices
–A. Why to Manage Time
–B. Concepts to Understand
–C. Applying concepts
–D. Obstacles
–E. Bibliography

1. Behaviors

 

Daily Activities

Planning

a. Block off time for meetings and appointments.
b. Block off time for sleep and routine activities.
c. Schedule time for ‘A’ priorities.
d. Schedule time for ‘B’ priorities.
e. Record achievements.
f. Record expenses.

Execution

Execute the plan

 

Evaluation

Evaluate the results

Weekly Activities

a. Block off time for meetings and appointments.
b. Block off time for items from checklist of weekly chores.
c. For each of your roles, set a goal for this week that either moves you toward or is at least consistent with your long-term goals.

Monthly Activities

a. Review your mission statement and role definitions and modify them when appropriate.
b. Block off time for items from checklist of monthly chores.
c. For each of your roles, set a goal for this month that either moves you toward or is at least consistent with your long-term goals.
d. Evaluate your progress.

Annual Activities

a. Review your mission statement and role definitions and modify them when appropriate.
b. Schedule completion dates for items from checklist of annual chores.
c. Review long-term goals. Set new ones or modify old ones when appropriate.
d. Evaluate your progress.

2. Tools

• Calendar, schedule: software tools are good for this because they make it easy to backup your data and schedule recurring appointments.
• Address book: you can use software for this too.
• Daily plan with daily chores checklist: I use personalized copies of an undated “Today” page from an 8.5″ by 11″ Dayrunner. You can also use these to track your actual use of time and your achievements by saving your used daily plans.
• Weekly plan with weekly chores checklist: I use one modeled on a worksheet from “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.
• Master Task List/To-do list (long-term, short-term, wish list, etc.): I go low-tech here and just use a legal pad.
• Monthly and annual checklist: I keep this and the following items as a simple text file on my computer. This is a way to keep track of things that need to be done on a less frequent basis. For example, dental and medical checkups, home maintenance.
• Mission Statement
• Roles and Goals
• Education Plan
• Inventory
• Password list
• Clock/watch/alarm/timer
• Calculator
• Lists:
  • money section – shopping list, budget, expenses
  • people – shoe sizes, present ideas, medical history, social security #’s.
  • books to be read
  • projects (sewing, home repair, auto repair, hobbies)
  • places to visit (for guests or holidays)
  • problem areas to work on
  • movies to rent or go see
  • restaurants to try
  • items loaned and borrowed
  • household needs, decorating wants

Meeting plan template

Instructions: Use this SkillGuide to prepare a meeting plan.
  Purpose
……………………………………………………………………………………..
  Participants
……………………………………………………………………………………..
  Expected Contribution
……………………………………………………………………………………..
  Estimated cost
……………………………………………………………………………………..
  Specific decision to be reached
……………………………………………………………………………………..
  Agenda
……………………………………………………………………………………..
  Date ………………………….. Time Period ………………………………
  Location
…………………………………………………………………………………….. _______________________________________________________________________
form borrowed from SkillSoft Job Aid Series, ©1999

A. Why to Manage Time

1. to not miss appointments
2. to get things done before deadlines without stress
3. to get more done
4. to eliminate clutter and chaos
5. to remember birthdays and anniversaries
6. to achieve goals
7. to set goals
8. to avoid late fees and missed deadlines
9. to remember chores
10. to determine priorities and values
11. to achieve your mission in life.
12. to be your own boss. “Managing your time” = “boss yourself into doing things you want yourself to do”

B. Concepts to Understand

Five years ago, was your five-year goal to be where you are now?
Values and prioritizing
–urgency and importance
–efficiency and effectiveness
–personal philosophy/mission statement Goals are about leadership, chores are about management.

C. Applying Concepts

 

 

 

 

Goal setting

By role (7 Habits method) 

By categories:

1. mental/education/intellectual
2. physical/health
3. family
4. social
5. spiritual/philosophical/humanitarian
6. career
7. financial/wealth 

 

 

Brainstorm, prioritize, and formulate into SMART format.
–SMART
—S – specific
—M – measurable
—A – attainable
—R – results-oriented
—T – time-framed

 

  
1. Your goal needs to be challenging but reachable.
2. Your goal needs to be quantifiable.
3. Your goal needs to have a timeline. 

Find a role model and emulate their habits, goals. Goal setting

Methods:
–indirect (potential regrets, visualize wwhat you don’t want)
long-term goals
mid-range goals
short-term goals

Put big rocks in first
Time-linking
Priority rankings –quadrants (urgency and importance) –categories (A, B, C) –straight top-to-bottom ranking
sequencing
time-savers – barter, delegation, multitasking, cooperation, consolidation, technology, speed reading.

D. Obstacles

a. Energy fluctuation throughout a day
b. Limited time/unlimited desires
c. distractions
d. interruptions
e. Handling Procrastination

Type of Tasks	Techniques to overcome procrastination
Task where you lack direction	Salami technique – slice into small chunks
Routine tasks	Five-minute plan – work for five minutes
Tasks that you’re reluctant to do	Leading task technique – mindless tasks
Tasks which are uninteresting	Balance sheet
Issues where you have a relatively high emotional or intellectual involvement	Journal technique
Major habits that you’re trying to change in your life	Going public
Tasks that you hate to do	Worst-first technique
Tasks that need a positive attitude stimulator	Written reminders

_______________________________________________________________________
Table borrowed from SkillSoft Job Aid Series, ©1999
Handling Interruptions
Environmental changes
-desk – face away from traffic patterns (tthis is bad feng shui though)
-door – close it
-clock – keep one clearly visible to interrrupters
-visitor – don’t have an extra chair or sttand up when someone enters your office
Behavioral changes
-use signals
-be assertive
-visit your interrupter

Motivation/Focus
visualization
victories and accomplishment list

 

 

E. Bibliography

Getting Organized by Stephanie Winston
Totally Organized: The Bonnie McCullough Way by Bonnie McCullough
Getting What You Want by J.H. Brennan
Time Power by Charles Hobbs
How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein
Overcoming Procrastination by Albert Ellis
Executive Time Management by H. Reynolds and Mary Trammel
The Organized Executive by Stephanie Winston
Manage Your Time by Tim Hindle
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Organizing Your Life by Georgene Lockwood