TIME MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

SANDY CHERNOFFSoft Skills for Success

www.softskillsforsuccess.com

OUTLINEDefinition of Time ManagementHow to Start Managing Time EffectivelyPrioritizing ActivitiesTime Management ExerciseDealing with Time WastersDaily to do ListOrganizational SkillsHelpful Hints for Time Management

Definit ion of Time Management:

Time Management is the development of processes & tools that increase a person’s t ime eff iciency.

Time Management is the abil i ty to manage & control t ime. This involves implementing a routine method of scheduling to fi t a person’s f low of work and production.

People who manage their t ime poorly create unnecessary stress for themselves and

others, get less done, and hurt their chances of succeeding.

Those who manage time effectively work smarter and are valuable assets to their

organization.

HOW TO START MANAGING TIME EFFECTIVELY

MAKE A COMMITMENT

ANALYZE YOUR SCHEDULE

SET YEARLY & MONTHLY GOALS

PRIORITIZING ACTIVITIES….

MAKE A LIST

PRIORITIZE THE LIST

PRIORITIZE EACH CATEGORY

START WITH THE A1 PRIORITY

SET DEADLINES

TIME MANAGEMENT EXERCISE

WHAT PREVENTS YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU SHOULD?

HOW WOULD YOU GET STARTED ON A TIME MANAGEMENT PROGRAM?

DEALING WITH TIME WASTERS

PHONE CALLS UNEXPECTED CRISES LEAVING TASKS UNFINISHED INDECISION PERSONAL DISORGANIZATION DROP-IN VISITORS UNSCHEDULED MEETINGS INABILITY TO SAY “NO” PROCRASTINATION

80% IMPORTANT80% IMPORTANTIf you start spending 80% of your t ime If you start spending 80% of your t ime

on the crit ical issues and only 20% of on the crit ical issues and only 20% of your t ime on the other issues, you wil l your t ime on the other issues, you wil l f ind that your f ind that your EffectivenessEffectiveness increases dramatically!increases dramatically!

REMEMBERREMEMBER : : the the IMPORTANTIMPORTANT issues issues are the ones which help you to achieve are the ones which help you to achieve your goals.your goals.

Urgent vs. ImportantUrgent vs. Important

Start making important tasks more Start making important tasks more urgent by setting deadlines for them, urgent by setting deadlines for them, and scheduling them into your day.and scheduling them into your day.Deal with important tasks even if they Deal with important tasks even if they are not yet urgent.are not yet urgent.When dealing with an “urgent” When dealing with an “urgent” request, take time to consider your request, take time to consider your response.response.Well thought out solutions are usually Well thought out solutions are usually better than impulsive reactions.better than impulsive reactions.

QUICK TIPSQUICK TIPS

Use one daily planner, Use one daily planner, palm pilot, I-phone or palm pilot, I-phone or blackberry.blackberry.

Combine errands to Combine errands to save time.save time.

Schedule t ime for all Schedule t ime for all tasks and appointments, tasks and appointments, including travel t ime, including travel t ime, into your calendar.into your calendar.

 

Be ruthless with Be ruthless with incoming e-mail and incoming e-mail and mail, discard or delete & mail, discard or delete & organize.organize.

Purge fi les regularly so Purge fi les regularly so the information is the information is current and easy to find.current and easy to find.

Invest the time Invest the time necessary to organize necessary to organize your work area. your work area.

    

More Quick Tips…More Quick Tips…Determine the next Determine the next action to avoid action to avoid shuffling papers and shuffling papers and creating piles.creating piles.Write things down in a Write things down in a consistent place consistent place instead of relying on instead of relying on your memory.your memory.Purge your Purge your environment regularly. environment regularly. Do not hold onto Do not hold onto unnecessary items.unnecessary items.

Schedule “high brain” Schedule “high brain” tasks during peak tasks during peak energy times.energy times.Schedule a file clean-Schedule a file clean-out day once a year.out day once a year.Wrap up each day by Wrap up each day by planning for planning for tomorrow!tomorrow!

DAILY TO DO LIST: DON’T LET OTHERS

STEAL YOUR TIME LEARN TO SAY “NO”

& DON’T FEEL GUILTY

DO IT NOW! BE CONSTRUCTIVE

WITH SMALL TIME BLOCKS

KEEP DESKTOP CLEAR

RECOGNIZE YOUR “PRIME TIME”

KEEP POCKET CALENDAR HANDY

REALISTICALLY ESTIMATE AVAILABLE TIME

DON’T STAY BOGGED DOWN

CONTROL THE “TIME WASTERS” YOU CAN

ORGANIZATION SKILLS SUMMARY

When getting organized be SMART!

S make the task SPECIFIC

M make the task MEASURABLE

A make the task ACHIEVABLE R REWARD the accomplishment

T make the task TIME LIMITED

HELPFUL HINTS FOR TIME MANAGEMENT

Set daily, specific, realistic goals

Focus on long range goals

Delegate often!

Train others to make decisions

Personal Development Plan

I am going to I am going to STARTSTART ……………………

I am going to I am going to STOPSTOP …………..…………..

I am going to do I am going to do MOREMORE ………………

I am going to do I am going to do LESSLESS ……….……….

God put me on earth to accomplish a certain

number of things.

Right now I am so far behind, I wil l never

die!!

REMEMBER:TIME IS OF THE

ESSSENCE, MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR

TIME!

One Final Thought……..

Time management is somewhat of a misnomer as t ime passes without regard to what we do; the only thing we can manage is ourselves.

Soft Skills for Successwww.softskillsforsuccess.com

Sandy ChernoffSandy ChernoffB.Sc., R.D.H.B.Sc., R.D.H.