A study on time management to become a successful manager

CONTENTS

Pg. no.

1. Introduction 2. Categorization 3. The Management and Related Concepts 4. Personal Time Management 5. Software Applications 6. Techniques for Setting Priorities 7. Steps for Time Management 8. Time Management for Managers 9. Take Time To Save Time 10. Time Management and Efficiency 11. Time Management (Steven Conveys Style) 12. The Five Time Zone Concept 13. Overcoming Barriers to Effective Time Management 14. BIBLIOGRAPHY

1-12 12-13 14 15-17 17-20 21-24 25-29 30-36 37-39 40-42 43-46 47-49 50-60 61

1) Introduction

We all have time to either spend or waste and it is our decision what to do with it. But once passed, it is gone forever -Bruce Lee (Zen in Martial Arts)

Every individual on earth has the same amount -60 seconds in a minute; 60 minutes in an hour; 1,440 minutes in a day; and 525,600 minutes in a year. While a vast majority of people confesses faltering to come to grips with it, extremely few can claim to have made the most of it. How is it that they have got it all done? Its because they have managed a way to figure out how to manage their effectively. Time management is more than just managing time. It is controlling about the use of the most valuable and undervalued resources. It is managing oneself in a relation to time. It is setting priorities and taking charge of the situation and time utilization. It means changing those habits or activities that cause waste of time. It is being willing to adopt habits and methods to make maximum use of time. With good time management skills one is in control of ones time, stress and energy levels. One can maintain balance b/w ones work and personal life. One finds enough flexibility to respond to surprises or new opportunities. It is not how much time has, but rather the way one uses it. The bottom line is how well one manages time.

Internationally known authority on time management Dr. Alec Mackenzie in his book The Time Trap argues that the very idea of time management is a misnomer because one really cannot manage time in the way other resources can be managed: financial capital, physical capital, human capital, information and time. While each of the first four can be augment, reduced, transferred or otherwise controlled, Time cannot be manipulated. Dr. Mackenzie contends that when it comes to time, one can only manage oneself in relation to it. One cannot control time as one can control other resources one can only control how one uses it. In the word in which we live, time cannot be replaced or re-created. It is therefore not for us to choose whether we spend or save time but to choose only how we spend it.

1.1) Definition
Time management refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals. This set encompasses a wide scope of activities, and these include planning, allocating, setting goals, delegation, analysis of time spent, monitoring, organizing, scheduling, and prioritizing. Initially, time management referred to just business or work activities, but eventually the term broadened to include personal activities as well. A time management system is a designed combination of processes, tools, techniques, and methods.

Generally, time management refers to the development of processes and tools that increase efficiency and productivity.

In business, time management has morphed into everything from methodologies such as Enterprise Resource Planning through consultant services such as Professional Organizers.

When we think of time management, however, we tend to think of personal time management, loosely defined as managing our time to waste less time on doing the things we have to do so we have more time to do the things we want to do.

Therefore, time management is often thought of or presented as a set of time management skills; the theory is that once we master the time management skills, we'll be more organized, efficient, and happier.

Personal time management skills include:

y y y y y y

goal setting; planning; prioritizing; decision-making; delegating; Scheduling.

Many people find that time management tools, such as PIM software and PDAs, help them manage their time more effectively. For instance, a PDA can make it easier to schedule and keep track of events and appointments.

Whether you use technological time management tools or plain old pen and paper, however, the first step in effective time management is analysing how you currently spend your time and deciding how you want to change how you spend your time.

Examples: Tina found that learning and applying time management skills made a huge difference to both her productivity and the way she felt.

1.2) Symptoms of Poor Time Management

Poor time management shows up by way of one or a combination of typical perceptible symptoms. Managers would do well to look for and reflect on whether they are subject to any of those symptoms with a view to take necessary corrective actions. The following are some of the indicators of poor time management:

Constant rushing (e.g. between meetings or tasks)

Frequent delays (e.g. in attending meetings, meeting deadlines)

Low productivity, energy and motivation anything)

(e.g. I cant seem to get worked up about

Frustration (e.g. Oh, things just dont move ahead)

Impatience (e.g. where the hell is that information Ive asked him for?)

Chronic vacillation between alternatives (e.g. whichever option I choose it is going to put me at a big disadvantage. I dont know which way to jump)

Difficulty setting and achieving goals (e.g. Im not sure what is expected of me)

1.3) The Eleven Time Thieves

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore ( Time Thieves: The 11 Biggest Time-wasters Revealed) lists out the eleven inconsiderate troupe of eleven thieves that gang up to steal some of the precious time away from productive use of managers.

1. Poor Planning: Failure to see the value of planning and getting impatient to get something done are the causes of poor planning. Absence of a plan of action is likely to trigger off a false start, resulting in unproductive time utilization on the critical path of the task being undertaken. Consequently, the managers might not find enough time for completing the task.

2. Crisis Management: Most often, crisis management is an offspring of lack of prioritization of tasks. As a result of the inability to distinguish between the urgent, the important and the unnecessary tasks, unimportant tasks are likely to get done first at the cost of important tasks. Consequently, the managers are not likely to find enough time to get around to the important things.

3. Procrastination: It is easy to put off tasks if they are not due right away. The trouble is, tasks pile up and can force managers to run into a time crunch later. Procrastination is generally triggered off by the fear of failure / success, perfectionism, wanting to do it all or incorrect priorities. It is a virtue to want to do a good job. But some people become so anxious about getting a job done perfectly that they never complete it. Managers should examine whether their efforts to get the job done perfectly are really improving things or preventing them from getting the job done.

4. Interruptions: Interruptions and distractions arise due to lack of planning, poor

concentration and lack of control over environment. They are unnecessary thieves of a managers time and come in many forms drop-in visitors, telephones, e-mails unscheduled meetings, poor communications and confused chain of authority etc. Managers should be less willing to automatically give away their time just because they demand it. They should learn to avoid distractions if they are to get work done. They should work in areas where they are less likely to be disturbed and tell people when they are busy and cannot be disturbed.

5. Not Delegating Wanting-to-do-all by oneself is yet another thief that could let the managers lose control. They feel that employees can never do anything as well as they can. They fear that something will go wrong if someone else takes over a job. They lack time for long-range planning because they are bogged down in day-to-day operations.

6. Unnecessary Meetings: If a meeting is held without a specific agenda and nothing productive comes out of it, clearly that meeting was unnecessary. Obviously, such meetings are thieves as the time is wasted and things just do not get started.

7. The shuffling blues: Managers often waste much time because of disorganization. Keeping things that they need in a specific place, eliminating clutter, making sure that they

have all the materials or information that they need before starting on the task and following a day-planner or schedule will help keep the shuffling blues away at the work place.

8. Poor Physical Setup: Not having the things that the managers need frequently within easy reach and having a lot of the things that they seldom require close-by results in wastage of a lot of time, wearing out the carpet, retrieving what they frequently need. And of course, as they pass others they will often pull them aside to steal some of their time.

9. Poor Networking: Quality relationships with employees and others can be a substantial time-saver as they open doors for the managers with all kinds of opportunities. Failing to develop a good network base will cause them to waste time creating what they might have had through their network.

10. Bad Attitude: Nothing sinks a day more effectively than having a poor attitude. It causes the managers to dwell on the problems and not the solutions and makes it possible to throw the day away. When they are burdening others with their problems and complaints they are forfeiting their valuable time.

11. Negative People: Being surrounded by negative people could mean the managers are spending a lot of their time listening to them but getting nothing much or purposeful from them. Obviously, avoiding such people will help the managers to minimize wasted hours and get some of their productive time back.

1.4) Monochronic and Polychronic Views of Time

Just as a persons overall personality is made up of and represented by his or her traits, a persons time personality is made up of a series of time styles Monochronic or Polychronic. It is expected that a persons awareness of the monochronic/polychronic side of personal time style affects his or her overall approach to time use, perception of time pressure and the amounts and order of time spent on tasks. This, in turn, affects his or her personal efficiency.

Monochronic approach to time management is essentially objective and lays emphasis on promptness, speed, brevity and punctuality. It is a very efficient and focused way to manage work and life. Monochronic time managers are those who thrive on detailed planning and organization. They prefer to focus on one task at a time and they follow a schedule from which they dont like to deviate. They tend to get upset by distraction or interruptions are inclined to put new task s off until a later date when they can be works into the schedule.

Polychronic approach to time management is subjective and lays emphasis on inspiration, imagination, flexibility, intuition and dedication. Trust, bonding, pleasure and quality of life

influence more strongly the decisions of a person who ticks in polychronic time.

Polychronic time managers prefer to have many projects under way simultaneously, enjoy changing form activity and are unflustered by distractions and interruptions. Unlike their monochronic counterparts,polychronic managers believe they perform well under pressure

1.6) The Eff words

The three "Eff" words are

y y y

Effective having a definite or desired effect Efficient productive with minimum waste or effort Effortless seemingly without effort; natural, easy

2) Categorization
Stephen R. Covey has offered a categorization scheme for the hundreds of time management approaches that they reviewed:

First generation: reminders based on clocks and watches, but with computer implementation possible; can be used to alert a person when a task is to be done.

Second generation: planning and preparation based on calendar and appointment books; includes setting goals.

Third generation: planning, prioritizing, controlling (using a personal organizer, other paper-based objects, or computer or PDA-based systems) activities on a daily basis. This approach implies spending some time in clarifying values and priorities.

Fourth generation: being efficient and proactive using any of the above tools; places goals and roles as the controlling element of the system and favours importance over urgency.

Time management literature can be paraphrased as follows:

        

"Get Organized" - paperwork and task triage "Protect Your Time" - insulate, isolate, delegate "Set gravitational goals" - that attract actions automatically "Achieve through Goal management Goal Focus" - motivational emphasis "Work in Priority Order" - set goals and prioritize "Use Magical Tools to Get More Out of Your Time" - depends on when written "Master the Skills of Time Management" "Go with the Flow" - natural rhythms, Eastern philosophy "Recover from Bad Time Habits" - recovery from underlying psychological problems, e.g. procrastination

In recent years, several authors have discussed time management as applied to the issue of digital information overload, in particular, Tim Ferriss with "The 4 hour workweek",[3] and Stefania Lucchetti with "The Principle of Relevance"

3) Time Management and Related Concepts

Time management has been considered as subsets of different concepts such as:

Project management. Time Management can be considered as a project management subset and is more commonly known as project planning and project scheduling. Time Management has also been identified as one of the core functions identified in project management.

Attention management: Attention Management relates to the management of cognitive resources, and in particular the time that humans allocate their mind (and organizations the minds of their employees) to conduct some activities.

Personal knowledge management: see below (Personal time management).

3.1) Conceptual Effect on Labour

Professor Stephen Smith, of BYUI, is among recent sociologists that have shown that the way workers view time is connected to social issues such as the institution of family, gender roles, and the amount of labour by the individual.

4) Personal Time Management

Time management strategies are often associated with the recommendation to set personal goals. These goals are recorded and may be broken down into a project, an action plan, or a simple task list. For individual tasks or for goals, an importance rating may be established, deadlines may be set, and priorities assigned. This process results in a plan with a task list or a schedule or calendar of activities. Authors may recommend a daily, weekly, monthly or other planning periods associated with different scope of planning or review. This is done in various ways, as follows.

4.1) Task list

A task list (also to-do list or things-to-do) is a list of tasks to be completed, such as chores or steps toward completing a project. It is an inventory tool which serves as an alternative or supplement to memory. Task lists are used in self-management, grocery lists, business management, project management, and software development. It may involve more than one list. When one of the items on a task list is accomplished, the task is checked or crossed off. The traditional method is to write these on a piece of paper with a pen or pencil, usually on a note pad or clip-board.

Writer Julie Morgenstern suggests "do's and don'ts" of time management that include:

     

Map out everything that is important, by making a task list Create "an oasis of time" for one to control Say "No" Set priorities Don't drop everything Don't think a critical task will get done in spare time.

Numerous digital equivalents are now available, including PIM (Personal information management) applications and most PDAs. There are also several web-based task list applications, many of which are free.

4.2) Task list organization

Task lists are often tiered. The simplest tiered system includes a general to-do list (or taskholding file) to record all the tasks the person needs to accomplish, and a daily to-do list which is created each day by transferring tasks from the general to-do list. Task lists are often prioritized:

An early advocate of "ABC" prioritization was Alan Lakein. In his system "A" items were the most important ("A-1" the most important within that group), "B" next most important, "C" least important.

A particular method of applying the ABC method assigns "A" to tasks to be done within a day, "B" a week, and "C" a month.

To prioritize a daily task list, one either records the tasks in the order of highest priority, or assigns them a number after they are listed ("1" for highest priority, "2" for second highest priority, etc.) which indicates in which order to execute the tasks. The latter method is generally faster, allowing the tasks to be recorded more quickly.

A completely different approach which argues against prioritising altogether was put forward by British author Mark Forster in his book "Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management". This is based on the idea of operating "closed" to-do lists, instead of the traditional "open" to-do list. He argues that the traditional never-ending to-do lists virtually guarantees that some of your work will be left undone. This approach advocates getting all your work done, every day, and if you are unable to achieve it helps you diagnose where you are going wrong and what needs to change.

5) Software applications
Modern task list applications may have built-in task hierarchy (tasks are composed of subtasks which again may contain subtasks), may support multiple methods of filtering and ordering the list of tasks, and may allow one to associate arbitrarily long notes for each task. In contrast to the concept of allowing the person to use multiple filtering methods, at least one new software product additionally contains a mode where the software will attempt to dynamically determine the best tasks for any given moment. Many of the software products for time management support multiple users. It allows the person to give tasks to other users and use the software for communication In law firms, law practice management software may also assist in time management. Task list applications may be thought of as lightweight personal information manager or project management software.

5.1) Attention Deficit Disorder

Excessive and chronic inability to manage time effectively may be a result of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Diagnostic criteria include: A sense of underachievement, difficulty getting organized, trouble getting started, many projects going simultaneously and trouble with follow-through.

Prefrontal cortex: The prefrontal cortex is the most evolved part of the brain. It controls the functions of attention span, impulse control, organization, learning from experience and self-monitoring, among others. Some authors argue that changing the way the prefrontal cortex works is possible and offers a solution.

5.2) Caveats

According to Sandberg, task lists "aren't the key to productivity [that] they're cracked up to be". He reports an estimated "30% of listers spend more time managing their lists than [they do] completing what's on them".

This could be caused by procrastination by prolonging the planning activity. This is akin to analysis paralysis. As with any activity, there's a point of diminishing returns.

Hendrickson asserts that rigid adherence to task lists can create a "tyranny of the to-do list" that forces one to "waste time on unimportant activities".

Again, the point of diminishing returns applies here too, but toward the size of the task. Some level of detail must be taken for granted for a task system to work. Rather than put "clean the kitchen", "clean the bedroom", and "clean the bathroom", it is more efficient to put "housekeeping" and save time spent writing and reduce the system's administrative load (each task entered into the system generates a cost in time and effort to manage it, aside from the execution of the task). The risk of consolidating tasks, however, is that "housekeeping" in this example may prove overwhelming or nebulously defined, which will either increase the risk of procrastination, or a mismanaged project.

Listing routine tasks wastes time. If you are in the habit of brushing your teeth every day, then there is no reason to put it down on the task list. The same goes for getting out of bed, fixing meals, etc. If you need to track routine tasks, then a standard list or chart may be useful, to avoid the procedure of manually listing these items over and over.

To remain flexible, a task system must allow for disaster. A disaster occurs constantly whether it is personal or business-related. A company must have a cushion of time ready for a disaster. Even if it is a small disaster, if no one made time for this situation, it can blow up bigger, causing the company to bankruptcy just because of poor time management.

To avoid getting stuck in a wasteful pattern, the task system should also include regular (monthly, semi-annual, and annual) planning and system-evaluation sessions, to weed out inefficiencies and ensure the user is headed in the direction he or she truly desires.

If some time is not regularly spent on achieving long-range goals, the individual may get stuck in a perpetual holding pattern on short-term plans, like staying at a particular job much longer than originally planned.

6) Techniques for setting Priorities

There are several ways to set priorities.

6.1) ABC analysis

A technique that has been used in business management for a long time is the categorization of large data into groups. These groups are often marked A, B, and Chence the name. Activities are ranked upon these general criteria:

  

A Tasks that are perceived as being urgent and important. B Tasks that is important but not urgent. C Tasks that is neither urgent nor important.

Each group is then rank-ordered in priority. To further refine priority, some individuals choose to then force-rank all "B" items as either "A" or "C". ABC analysis can incorporate more than three groups. ABC analysis is frequently combined with Pareto analysis.

6.2) Pareto analysis

This is the idea that 80% of tasks can be completed in 20% of the disposable time. The remaining 20% of tasks will take up 80% of the time. This principle is used to sort tasks into two parts. According to this form of Pareto analysis it is recommended that tasks that fall into the first category be assigned a higher priority.

The 80-20-rule can also be applied to increase productivity: it is assumed that 80% of the productivity can be achieved by doing 20% of the tasks. If productivity is the aim of time management, then these tasks should be prioritized higher. It depends on the method adopted to complete the task. There is always a simpler and easy way to complete the task. If one uses a complex way, it will be time consuming. So, one should always try to find out the alternate ways to complete each task.

6.3) T

Ei

Method

A basi "Eisenhower box" to hel eval ate urgency and i more precise points within each quadrant.

ortance. Items may be placed at

All tasks are evaluated using the criteria important/unimportant and urgent/not urgent and put in according quadrants. Tasks in unimportant/not urgent are dropped, tasks in important/urgent are done immediately and personally, tasks in unimportant/urgent are delegated and tasks in important/not urgent get an end date and are done personally. This method is said to have been used by U President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and is outlined in a quote attributed to him: What i i i

o tant i seldo urgent and what is urgent is seldo

ortant.

6.4) POSEC method

POSEC is an acronym for Prioritize by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and Contributing. The method dictates a template which emphasizes an average individual's immediate sense of emotional and monetary security. It suggests that by attending to one's personal responsibilities first, an individual is better positioned to shoulder collective responsibilities. Inherent in the acronym is a hierarchy of self-realization which mirrors Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of needs".

1. Prioritize - Your time and define your life by goals. 2. Organizing - Things you have to accomplish regularly to be successful. (Family and Finances) 3. Streamlining - Things you may not like to do, but must do. (Work and Chores) 4. Economizing - Things you should do or may even like to do, but they're not pressingly urgent. (Pastimes and Socializing) 5. Contributing - By paying attention to the few remaining things that make a difference. (Social Obligations).

7) Steps for Time Management

1) Make a list

Remember that time management flows out of goal setting (link) and plans. The sharper your goals are, the easier to organise your time. Make a list of everything you need to do to carry out your goals. Break big task down into small more manageable tasks. Estimate how long it will take you to do each item.

Organize your tasks for each day, week, month, year, etc. For example, Esmie and I take two or three days at the first of every year, go off to a place away from distractions, pray, and make our yearly goals. We get the big picture first, and then begin to break the big goals down in to monthly and weekly task.

This practice of writing down the tasks will remove the frustration of trying to remember everything that you need to do. If you dont write down your tasks, you are bound to forget some things. Furthermore, you will worry and waste time trying to remember what you forgot, rather than investing that time in creative thinking and focused execution.

2) Prioritize

After you make the list, then prioritize the tasks based on your most important goals. Do first things first. Shove less important tasks down the priority list. Do one item at a time. Your conscious mind can only process one thing at a time. And that means we can only focus on one thing at a time.

If you have multiple project in front of you that you are trying to do all at once, your attention becomes fractured, and you become panicky. Consequently, pick up one part of the project, focus and finish it, put it aside, and go on to the next. When you get those overwhelmed feelings, it just means you want everything done at once which is impossibility.

Interruptions sometimes crop up, and you cannot completely finish a project because of deadline imposed by another project, or an emergency. But, the main point is to set the block of time, and focus on one task at a time. Additionally, sometimes plans must be charged. Make allowance for interruptions.

Beware of the urgent crowding out the important. Many times people will frantically come to you with a small problem, and take your time away from the important things you need to do. Guard against it. Locate time waster an avoid them.

3) Schedules and Deadlines

Some type of calendar or day- timer is imperative for time management. The appointments you make, the deadlines you face, the projects to start, the places you need to be all of these activities need to be written in a calendar.

The calendar, then, becomes your schedule. Schedules are merely plans that specify time periods within which activities are to be accomplished.

The purpose of scheduling activities is to break down a project into discrete tasks, order those tasks in the logical sequence of steps needed to complete the project, and then plot the steps against time or target dates.

Allow enough time for each step or task. Some tasks can be done in parallel, but sometimes ane step needs to be finished before the next step can be started.

4) Overall Project

It is helpful to have a large calendar to white board in the office or planning area, and then write down all the necessary scheduled events so all can see. Mark down all the vacations, important events, deadlines, who is assigned what tasks etc.

For example: Task1 Start--------------------finish Task2 Start-------------------- finish Task3 Start--------------------finish Task4 Start--------------------end of project.

5) Delegation Responsibilities

What bible says about delegation can be seen in case of Jethro advising Moses to divide up the work, select good people to lead and judge the Israelites, yet under Moses supervision (Exodus 18:1 -27). Many things can be done by others, which frees up your time to focus on those things that only you, the leader, can do. Here are some guidelines.
y

Have your secretary. Wife, etc. answer the phone, open the mail, and do the routine matters.

Give adequate and clear instructions, training, and expectations to the person, and then let them work. Dont micromanage by looking over their shoulders and telling them how to do every detail.

Make sure you give the authority to the person to carry out the assignment. Make clear who is to report to whom, when, and how. Dont give a task to one person, and then give it to another person. The first person will feel humiliated.

Determine when you will follow up and check how things are going. Decide what you are going. Decide what you are going to check. Put the inspection times in your calendar. People have a tendency to put greater focus and effort on what you inspect rather that what you expect. Reward for good results, and give correction when needed.

Guard against the pendulum effect which is drifting from you doing everything, to complete the abdication of knowing what is going on.

6) The Diary

A very helpful tool is to keep daily, running diary in some sort of tablet. Write down important thoughts, what you did, people you interacted with, decisions you made, phone no., addresses, results from appointments , agreements you made, and opportunities you observed. This gives you record to go back to when you needed. Its your memory of important things.

8) Time Management for Managers

It is for anyone who's looking for a measurable step by step process to follow that will give them the confidence and peace of mind to actually trust a process rather than be driven by the result. It's your solution to designing your business and career for optimum efficiency and maximum productivity; so that you can still have a life and do more of the things you want.

Whether you're a business owner, manager or non-selling professional, you'll complete this program having developed a highly effective routine that will map out your days for maximum productivity. You'll actually import your routine directly into your time management system, whether it's Outlook, Act!, Goldmine, Maximize, a daily planner or any other system you have to currently manage your schedule. It is truly possible to maintain a fulfilling, healthy balance between your life and your career and enjoy the clarity, order and peace of mind that comes from having a highly effective routine!

8.1) Time Management Assessment

Is your current way of doing things generating the results you want and need from your team? Spread thin and find it challenging to balance your personal production goals with the time needed to coach and develop your people or are you not coaching them at all? Feeling buried in tasks, deadlines and expectations? Are you losing good people and finding it difficult to attract top talent?

It's not only possible to achieve these objectives but you can do so while creating a healthy, balanced life without having to sacrifice what's most important to you in pursuit of these goals. Discover what it truly means to manage and take control of your day so that you're no longer in constant reaction/fire drill mode. Reduce the stress and chaos that results from poor planning, procrastination and unrealistic expectations. Bottom line: if you don't master your time, then how can you perform your most important role; to lead and invest the time to support and develop your people?

In this program, you will learn the secrets of successful time management from the top leaders so that you can: Feel accomplished and peaceful rather than distracted and depleted at the end of a day. Make better decisions and take more productive actions. Manage your tasks and activities in order to reach bigger goals by planning for the unplanned. Eliminate at least 2 - 3 hours of your workload every day. Manage your schedule to build in the non-negotiable activities such as the coaching and development of your people. maintain your focus; remove the obstacles and distractions that divert you from your initial task or objective. Set priorities, get hyper-organized and eliminate the stress that you've created. Squash chaos, overwhelm and the problems that slow down productivity and waste time, money and energy.

Complete your never-ending "to-do" list. identify the time killers and focus on the non-negotiable activities you can consistently engage in that yield the greatest ROI. Make time your ally by actually becoming realistic with how much time you actually have so that you can align your daily activities with your personal and professional goals Become process driven so you can enjoy your career more, rather than driven by the results and the consequences of not producing them.

8.2) 7 Time Management Tips for Managers

1. Never waste their time:

Does the sight of one of your workers standing idle threaten you? If so, resist the temptation to assign busy work, just to keep them moving. You waste their time, of course and you also waste your time, thinking about the work, explaining and supervising it, pretending to care about it when its done. Youll also be eroding their trust in you and yours decisions. They know its busy work. Dont fill their time for them. Show them what needs doing show them how to do it. Make sure they have the tools they need. Then get out the way.

2. Make sure the time savers are really s aving their time:

A Researcher recently conducted a time management seminar at a large Wisconsin company as his host led him through the bullpen office area to the classroom, he noticed two folks standing by the fax machine, their tensed bodies tensed with anticipation. As the machine started to whir, one reached out and actually tugged on the sheet of paper to make it come out faster.

Whats wrong with this picture, two workers employed waiting for a fax to arrive?

The fax is supposed to save time, right? But we soon learn to fax material that could have gone by good old pony express, and we put off writing the letter until it has to go by fax. That doesnt save time: it just increases pressure. Somebody has to choose the fax with the new,

improved, faster fax, bought with money somebody had to spend time to produce. Have we saved time here? Not really.

We are not advocating a retreat to the Stone Age. We dont even want to think about trying to write without a computer, research without the internet or handle phone calls without voice mail. But these good slaves can make terrible masters, driving your staff to distraction with their bells and beeps and buzzers. Make sure the machines work for the people and not the other way around.

3. Separate the important from the Merely Urgent for your Staff:

For your staff, as for yourself, you need to distinguish between truly important activities, those that serve the central mission, and the stuff that seems to demand immediate attention without really meriting it. Do you and your staff ever engage in long terms planning, skill training, or needed conflict management? Or do these things get lost in the daily clamour? Youll never find time to do these vital activities with your staff. As a good manager, you must be sure to make the time. Ask why? For the phone calls and memos and faxes demand your staffs immediate attention. Can you relive some of the pressure and release your staffers for more important work?

4. Tell them why: why do I have to do this?

If that question from a staffers feels like a threat to your authority, if you become defensive when you hear such a question, your staffers will learn to keep the questions to themselves. But theyll still wonder. They have the right and the need to know the purpose of their work. When you ask them to do something, give them a good reason. Youll have a more motivated and mere efficient workforce.

5. Allow them enough time for the Task:

Be realistic in your demands. Dont overstuff the staff. For what you do, youll get shoddy work. You might even get less work. Even a conscientious, willing worker does not perform well under unreasonable pressure.

6. Encourage them to do one thing well at a time:

Watch your staff work. Are they on the phone, jotting notes, eyeing the computer screen all while trying o grab a fast sandwich? Getting a lot done? Probably no, and theyre probably not getting anything done well. If your co-worker is on the phone with a potential client, you want that workers total attention on the task at hand, not thinking about the next project or the last project or the work that isnt getting done. Theyll work faster and better, with less need for clarification during or revision later.

7. Cut down on Meeting Time :

Ask your staff to make a list of things they least like to do and chances are go to meeting will rank right up there with take work home over the weekend,. Most of us hate meetings, and with good reason. We avoid them if we can resent them when we cant and complain about them before, during and after. So, our first tips here ought to be obvious but apparently isnt doing have a meeting if you have a good reasons to meet. That means never, right? Wrong. You really do need meetings you can create a productive interaction that just doesnt occur with memos or e-mails or phone calls or one on one conversation. People get a better grasp of the whole operation. Names become faces, and faces become individuals. You can develop and maintain a sense of shared purpose and cooperation. In a meeting:

Every one hears the same thing at the same time, remaining some (but, alas, not all) miscommunication. If people dont understand, they can ask for clarification The speaker can use non-verbal clues(crossed arms , frowns , glazed ,eyes, eager nodding ) to determine how people are responding to a proposal Most important, when people interact, they create ideas that never would have occurred otherwise.

9) Take Time to Save Time

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." James Allen

Frequently, People say, "I don't have time to ......" Often this is an excuse to justify doing something else or not doing anything. You may want to read these items with the intention of identifying just one that is the most important for you at this time. Successful individuals already perform many of the ideas on this list.

1. Take Time to Plan. One minute of planning saves three minutes of work or re-planning. 2. Take Time to Organize. Your work needs a structure that reduces unnecessary, repetitive decisions. 3. Take Time to Set Goals. A goal that is identified and acknowledged can be achieved. When written, goals become more real.

4. Take Time to Schedule. A deadline that is not set might not be met. Set several intermediate deadlines to meet a major deadline. 5. Take Time to Decide Priorities. Knowledge of the relative importance of activities reduces re-inventing a system at the beginning of each task. Focus your attention on the important issues. 6. Take Time to Focus. Focusing on one item at a time is an important key to personal empowerment, efficiency, and effectiveness. 7. Take Time to Analyse the Situation. Although it is not possible to have all the facts all the time, it is important to review the essential ones. 8. Take Time to Reflect. Reflection can take many forms throughout the day for maximum effect. More than reviewing, reflection allows you to sort the essential items from those that are less important. 9. Take Time to Involve Others. Involve in the decision-making process those who will carry out the decision yields dividends in individual commitment. And, these are the persons who have relevant ideas! 10. Take Time to Divide the Job. Many small tasks reach the goal in less time than a few larger tasks. Additionally, it is more satisfying to achieve several objectives en route to your higher goals. 11. Take Time to Delegate. Distribute tasks to enhance others' experience and increase leverage. Be certain that the delegated responsibilities are meaningful and stimulating, not just the tasks you do not want to do.

12. Take Time to Explain Clearly. A few well-chosen words that clearly direct others avoid duplicate effort and disappointment. 13. Take Time to Review your Work. Check your work when you finish. For more thorough review and correction, let it rest a while and review it again. 14. Take Time to Relax. Just a few moments can replenish you. When you are relaxed and refreshed, you are more efficient. 15. Take Time to Meditate. The journey within is increasingly more important when your life is hectic. Twenty minutes in true meditation each day enhances brain function, breathing, sleep, relaxation, response to stress, and general well-being. 16. Take Time to Do It Now. Procrastination can be a thief of time and confidence. Do the job now unless your inner guidance tells you to wait. 17. Take Time to Enjoy Life. Life happens now. Sometimes it just takes an instant of realization that you want to be happy to bring joy into the moment, regardless of the activity.

10) Time Management and Efficiency The Key to a Successful Freelancing Career

Time management is one of those topics many people looking to go into freelancing fail to address and think about when making that ever so crucial decision on whether to go into freelancing or not; yet the topic itself is of utmost importance. The freelancing work style has no boundaries, no set times, no periods, no start times and no end times. There is no set structure. You may think to yourself that thats a pretty easy problem to solve: just create your own structure if need be, but let me tell you know, sticking to that structure will be ever so difficult.

1) The Problem

Most of us do not have unbelievably high self-discipline, after all were not Shoalin monks, are we (at least I dont think we are)? This is where the problem actually creeps in. Yes, its easy enough to design your own freelance work ethic, but sticking to it is a pretty hard task. We all like to go off and get involved in sometimes meaningless tasks, and procrastinate to our hearts content. We put work off as long as possible, and even push past deadlines (and sometimes multiple deadlines). So, how to do we go about fixing this?

2) The Design

Well, first off, its always good to set out a proper design to how youre going to work as a freelancer as to make it as easy as possible for you to be productive and as efficient as possible. A lot of us have time brackets whereby we are most efficient during the 24 hours in a day. Establish when youre at your optimum working rate, whether thats early in the day, in the afternoon, or late evening. Plan the majority of your work to completed within this time bracket so that the important parts or the bulk of your work is done with little chance of error and as timely as possible.

Its always good to create set times for set projects, so a timetable shouldnt be ruled out (yes, its starting to turn out like the good old days of schooling). Timetables are extremely effective methods of plan if you know you can stick to one. If youre like me and only take on a very small number of freelance projects at a time (1-2), then you shouldnt really need to timetable; just have an idea of when youre going to sit down and complete the project(s) at hand.

3) Execution

The final, and arguably the most important part of the entire process is the execution of your plan. There are multiple steps you can take in order to execute your work plans well, some are:


Have all project briefs and information in a manageable state, preferably on paper in front of you (not digitally).

 

Create a mind map, and follow that through during the entire work process If working on a computer (which you most likely will be), make sure all other programs/applications are closed that are not needed; they serve as potential distractions. This is why personally I try to keep my project briefs in paper when working on a project so that there arent any reasons to swap windows and get distracted or use up processing resources in the process (for example, Photoshop is an extreme resource-hugger)

Ensure all tools are available in front of you. This will ensure you dont need to be getting out of your seat to be picking up equipment/documents and therefore waste time.

Focus and concentration on the project at hand is a necessity. To help you focus on the task at hand, think of what needs to be achieved through the project youve been assigned. Maybe you need to create an ecommerce website; if so, whats the overall aim of the ecommerce website? In what way should it be designed? Can you recommend any improvements on the design? Thinking about such issues will surely get you focused on the project at hand.

And finally, make sure you take breaks. Do a good amount of work first, then take a break. Make sure the break is both enjoyable and refreshing so that youre ready for more work as soon as youre done.

11) Ti e Management (Steven Coveys Style)

11.1) Steven Covey's Time Management Matrix as a Mind map

11.2) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ,

Stephen Covey developed the time management Matrix presented in Figure. This matrix shows that managers spend their time in four different quadrantsperforming activities that are (1) urgent and important, (2) urgent but not important, (3) not urgent but important, and (4)not urgent and not important.12 Covey points out that urgent means something requiring immediate attentionsuch as a ringKEY

ing telephone. On the other hand, something important deals with results, such as your values, your mission, and your goalsyour plan. The urgent and important quadrant (top left) reflects crisis management. Covey says that we all have some crises in our lives, but this quadrant consumes many people who are problem solvers and deadline driven. Many people prefer spending time in this quadrant because they like doing important (also what they think areurgent) things. According to Covey, Thats howpeople who manage their lives by crisis live.

Then there are those who spend large parts of their time in the urgent and not important quadrant (lower left), thinking theyre actually in the urgent and important quadrant. They react to urgent situations thinking that they are important, but Covey says that the urgency of these matters is often based on the priorities and expectations of others.13 Covey points out that the not urgent and important quadrant (upper right) is the heart of personal management. He goes on to say that effective people stay out of the Urgent and Not Important quadrant (lower left) and the Not Urgent and Not Important quadrant (lower right), urgent or not, they arent important. This last point is critical. By putting effort into the planningarena (the not urgent and important quadrant) through identifying issues and developing strategies and tactics to eliminate them, you will,as Covey says, be able to shrink the Urgent and Important quadrant down to size by spending more time in the Not Urgent and Important quadrant. Implementing your business plan is where you perform important but not urgent activities.

11.3) Ways on How to Be More Effective

Here are some ways to be more efficient when it comes to pressure and tension:

1. A Daily Plan- Know what needs to be done and follow the time frame you have reserved for each task. It helps to plan the next day before you retire at night. You will sleep better without trying to remember tasks through the night. Every time you are distracted from the agenda you are simply delaying the inevitable... and the task becomes so much bigger. Stick to the DMO as accurately as possible. 2. Number of tasks in terms of what should come first - Prioritise and number your tasks ahead of time. The most immediate of these will obviously require more attention. To know

what is more important, you should consider the consequences if you do not complete them. I love the time management matrix by Stephen Covey presented as a mind map (see below) Stephen Covey matrix of time management (presented as a mind map - very cool) 3. Knowing when to delegate - you probably know people who have skills which could help you and relieve stress. It is easy to find people to help...this is called outsourcing. See my post on tips to outsourcing. Just know what you should do yourself and what others can effectively do for you. You spend at least 80% of your time completing income producing activities (ad placement, call backs, team coaching) 4. Minimize distractions - some work better with the radio blasting. If you're one of them, then go ahead. Just be aware of surrounding yourself with things that will help focus and inspire you to be more productive. 5. Knowing when to take a break - If we don't take breaks, regardless how good our intentions are, we will fail! Holidays are here a reason; to refresh the body and revitalize the mind then return to work in good condition. Use them! Everyone has a breaking point!! If you 'hit the wall', this is not a sign of weakness. It just means you're human. You have to surround yourself with people who can give you the support you need. In addition to this, you must learn to take responsibility for your actions and the associated outcomes. With strength and time management , stress can be dramatically reduced. Be aware that to achieve your goals is the best thing that can happen to you because it leads you to the achievement of the next goal and so on. When you succeed, you get to see through emotional and physical hardship and that it was worthwhile. When this happens, enjoy the reward for a job well done. Look at the big picture, know where to head next, and work achieving your next goal.

12) The Five Time Zone Concept

To accelerate the ability to manage their time, managers need to strike a proper balance between monochromic and polychromic aspects of time management. The Five Time Zone Concept advocated by Lewis, Justus and Storz, Moni Laui (Switch on Your Mind: Accelerative Learning Strategies at Work.) enables managers to bring about that balance. The five links in the Five Time Zone approach are - vision, plans, personal organisation systems, commitment and energy.

Developing Zone 1 - Vision and Goals: Managers must search for visions, not tasks. These visions are guided by their personal standards and values, and the direction they want to take. Once their visions are crystallized, they need to do some thinking to create goals from their visions and action steps from their goals.

Developing Zone 2 - Plans: Having established goals, managers now can move Into zone two - plans. A plan is needed to turn visions and goals into action. Writing Things down and using some form of planning tool are keys to successful planning. Once they have drawn up the plan, they need to review it. They should plan for highPayoff and low-payoff activities for high and low priorities.

Developing Zone 3 Personal Organization Systems (POS): Zone three Encompasses a managers personal organisation system. Organising the desk,

Follow-up, paperwork, physical environment are all part of personal organization System. The personal organization system should focus on Creating an interesting and relaxing work-space Providing easy access to basic tools and materials Grouping similar tasks together to optimize time Devising a good follow-up system that works well Enabling efficient handling of each piece of paper Ensuring a wider reach of people

Developing Zone 4 Commitment: The fourth time zone is the zone of commitment, in which managers correct any tendencies they might have towards procrastination. Procrastination can be overcome by identifying why one is procrastinating, breaking the mental blocks and visualizing the successful completion of a task while in a relaxed state. One way to do this it to identify the real reason for the procrastination - personal, logical, emotional or ethical barrier to action. Once this has surfaced from the subconscious to the conscious, strategies can be brought into play to deal with it.

Developing Zone 5 Energy: The final factor that keeps the chain together is zone five, the energy zone. Managers must check their office surroundings, as the environment they work in can sap or strengthen their energy levels. They must also identify the prime time - the time of day when they are most energetic and alert they can schedule high-priority, high-payoff tasks or activities for these times. Devising a good follow-up system that works well Enabling efficient handling of each piece of paper Ensuring a wider reach of people Find your prime time Internal and external prime time Cognitive tasks for the morning Complete high-energy tasks in high-energy periods Take energy breaks

13) Overcoming Barriers to Effective Time Management

a. Telephone Interruptions: Delegation of authority and responsibility is an ideal way of controlling telephone interruptions. Also fixing specific time slots for socializing and business will help the managers effectively reduce the telephone interruptions. Implementation of the screening procedures also lessen the burden of unwanted telephone intrusions.

b. Drop-in Visitors: Taking time-log of visits and implementing a plan to arrange and screen appointments is an effective way of dealing with drop-in visitors. Managers can also have Open Door and Quiet Hour timings fixed so that they are not distracted when certain of their tasks demand undivided personal attention.

c. Meetings: Setting a clear agenda before will provide the right direction to the meetings and elicit positive outcomes from them. Selecting an appropriate location and assessing the needs of participation, information and coordination are also important prerequisites in conducting meetings. Concise minutes summarizing decisions, assignments and deadlines followed by effective follow-up on decisions make meetings purposeful.

d. Lack of Priorities: Putting first things first helps managers spend relatively more time on activities that are important. Managers must realize that most of the problems arise due to action without thought. Defining clearly the objectives and priorities and deadlines in the form of a Daily Planner will help managers effectively use their time.

e. Personal Disorganization: Managers must recognize that personal disorganization, indecision, procrastination, insecurity, confusion of priority, and inability to meet deadlines are mostly due to lost documents. Uncluttered desk, orderly filing system

and simplified procedures will help the managers make the most of time management. Through a system in place for screening junk mails, minimizing paperwork and emphasis on brevity, managers can overcome their personal disorganization.

f. Ineffective Delegation: Managers must ensure that clear, unambiguous instructions are given to the subordinates. They should establish plans, schedules with details, progress reports, monitoring of deadlines, and emphasize goalaccomplishment methods and procedures. They should measure results rather than activity and track progress of an activity to take timely corrective actions.

g. Attempting too much: Managers must set their objectives, priorities, and deadlines daily so that they must plan, start early and always remember Murphys 2nd Law: Recognize that everything takes longer than you think. They must limit their response to the urgent and important demands. They should learn to say

No when necessary.

h. Unclear Communication: Managers must assess the legitimate needs for information and check for interference, noise or activity in the flow of information. They should also assess potential impact of unclear communication, take preventive steps and minimize organizational levels. If it is difficult to minimize organizational levels, they should facilitate easy flow of information across the organization.

i. Inadequate, Inaccurate or Delayed Information: Managers must determine what information is needed for planning, decisions and feedback on results. Then they should ensure its availability, reliability and timeliness.

j. Indecision/ Procrastination: Managers must set deadlines on all objectives and priorities, use reminders, have the secretary check on the progress, reward themselves (no coffee until they finish). They should avoid fixing blame; ask whats been learned and how repetition can be avoided.

k. Confused Authority / Responsibility: Managers must lay emphasis on accountability for results; through recognition and reward for exercise of initiative; through citation, consideration in performance and salary review, promotion, etc.

l. Inability to say No: Managers must recognize that inability to say No is a major cause of time wastage. They should understand that saying Yes may betray feelings of insecurity and low self-worth and should resist this urge. They should take time log recording all Yes responses that could have been No and assess the time wasted. They should learn to say No, especially to inappropriate or thoughtless requests. Dr Mackenzie suggests four steps to say NO and it is presented in the BOX on the next page for quick reference.

m. Leaving tasks unfinished: Managers must take time log and assess the impact of leaving tasks unfinished. They should set deadlines on all important tasks to provide incentive to complete them. They should get organized to permit effective control of tasks. They should recognize that sound organization saves time in retrieving information, processing decisions, and maintaining control over projects.

n. Lack of Self-Discipline: When a manager switches priorities of his team, he makes self-discipline difficult to practice. S/he should take time log to record frequency, assess cost, discuss with colleagues to seek ways of reducing problem.

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