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Managing time

Dr Sanjay Gupta
Kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab
Pal mein parlay hogi, bahuri karega kab
Aaj kare so kal kar. Kal kare to parson
Itni jaldi kaahe ki, abhi to jeena barson!
Time Management
• Why is managing time important?

• Everybody has 24 hours

• Non-renewable, cannot be stored

• Manage your time as you manage your money


Time
What is time?
Everybody has the same 86400 seconds/day:
Why are some people
More successful
More prosperous than others?
Happier
Relativity of time
• Time flies when …….

• Time drags along when ……..


What do we spend time on?

• Sleeping
• Rituals – tea break!
• Actual work
• Comparing
• Complaining
• Day dreaming
• Entertainment/pastimes (timepass!)
• Games- physical, psychological!
Uncontrollable Events
There are events that are uncontrollable. These are
events over which we have literally no control.

Examples of events like this are:


• Weather conditions
• Acts of God
• Traffic jams

List three more events that are completely beyond your


control
Indirectly Controllable Events
There are events that involve other people’s behaviour. These are events
over which we have indirect control.

If we are to have some control over events that involve other people’s
behaviour we need to influence others.

Some examples are:


• The ringing telephone
• People coming into your office

List three more events that can be controlled by influencing other round us!
Directly Controllable Events
There are events that involve our own behaviour. These are events
over which have direct control.

Examples of events that involve our own behaviour and therefore


are controllable are:
• Getting ready for work on time
• Doing things when they need to be done
• Being more assertive

List three more events that can be controlled by changing


our behaviour!
YOU
YOU CAN’T
CAN’T CHANGE
CHANGE
ANYONE.
ANYONE.

YOU
YOU CAN’T
CAN’T CHANGE
CHANGE YOUR
YOUR
FATHER,
FATHER, YOUR
YOUR MOTHER,
MOTHER,
YOUR
YOUR WIFE,
WIFE, YOUR
YOUR
BROTHER,
BROTHER, YOUR
YOUR SISTER
SISTER ––

NOT
NOT EVEN
EVEN YOUR
YOUR BOSS!
BOSS!

CHANGE
CHANGE YOURSELF
YOURSELF
FIRST!!
FIRST!!
Common Time wasters

• Lack of clear objectives, purpose


• Lack of technical knowledge & planning
• Defective or incomplete communication
• Ineffective delegation
• Interruptions- telephone, visitors, meetings
• Crisis management
• Inability to say ‘No’
Important vs Urgent
• Internal vs External

• Our response

• Try to put things in proper perspective


Covey’s Quadrants
Urgent Not Urgent
I II
• Crises • Preparations
Important

• Pressing problems • Prevention


• Deadline-driven projects, • Values clarification
meetings, preparations • Planning
• Relationship building
• True re-creation
• Employment

III IV
Not Important

• Interruptions, some • Trivia, busywork


phone calls • Some phone calls
• Some mail, some reports • Time wasters
• Some meetings • “Escape” activities
• Many proximate, • Irrelevant mail
pressing matters • Excessive TV
• Many popular activities
“The more important an item, the
less likely it is urgent, and the
more urgent an item, the less
likely it is important.”

Dwight Eisenhower
Urgent vs Important

 Non-urgent, not important Ineffective


put on hold, delegate, ignore

 Urgent, not important Action


do now, do quickly

 Non-urgent, important Plan


plan, block time

 Urgent, important Crisis


avoid!
What to do?
• Prioritise and avoid crisis management
• Don’t attempt too much at one time
• Regulate visitors, phone calls
• Delegate effectively
• Avoid the habit of procrastination
• Say no when needed
Workaholics
• Never say “No”
• Never say “Yes” to offers of help
• Are poor delegators (“no one can do it as
well as me”)
• Have a reputation for delivering - so get
more work
• Don’t value training and development
• Have ‘To Do’ lists
• Tackle the most difficult task first
• Do everything once
• Clear your mind
Tips
• Don’t make unwelcome visitors welcome- don’t let
them sit down!
• Learn to say NO- develop assertiveness
• Don’t volunteer –ALWAYS(monkeys)
• Don’t do what you do BEST
• Have a ‘Not to be disturbed’ time- either early or
late
• ORGANISE YOURSELF- do a Rethink

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