Time Choices

TIME CHOICES

Based on the GROW model

GOALS?

What makes you want to change things? How would you like it to be? (work / home / non-work?) Your ideal state?

How would you like to be doing it?   By when?

REALITY?

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

·       What is your job? Who do you work with / support?

·       How does it link to the wider goals of the organisation?

·       What are your key roles / responsibilities? 

·       What are the targets for your unit / section / division and yourself?

Actions:

List your key tasks and responsibilities and the importance of these within your role (high or low importance / impact?).

How important are these for the future?

WHAT DO YOU REALLY DO?

When do you do it? How long does it take?  How do you feel about it?

Actions: ACTIVITY LOG / TIME AUDIT

·    Record what you do, how long it takes and your thoughts / observations / how you feel about it. Record this for a typical day or longer. 

·    Use diary, activity log, blog or whatever best suits you. (see ‘Resources’ below)

·    Use Covey’s Urgent / Important matrix – map as dots your activities over a typical day. (see ‘Resources’ below)

·    Understand where you might need to spend more / less time. When are you at your most effective / efficient – when not? 

·    What choices are you making / avoiding?

OPTIONS

What is stopping you achieving your goals? What are your options to change this?

What is stopping you achieving your goals? What are your options to change this?

What currently steals your time? 

Which of these are:

·       under your own control,

·       partially under your control,

·       outside your control  - reality or your perception?

e.g. allowing others to come into your office to chat, share their problems.

Supporting others within team / organisation

trying to do everything yourself, rather than expertise of others

saying ‘no’ when you can’t do a piece of work

disorganised documents or work area – takes time to locate what you need

storing things no longer required that take up space as above

dealing with items no longer required, or to a standard beyond that which is needed.

Browsing internet

Half starting task then taking longer to get back into it

Leaping into a task without thinking it through, and having to undo or restart work

Spending too much time correcting problems or issues of others as they not well enough trained.

How might you deal with them, do it differently to achieve your goals? What additional resources might you need? Who could help you?

PRIORITISE

What is:

·       Important / Not Important 

·       Urgent / Not Urgent

(see the Covey matrix below). 

Pareto 80:20 sets out relationship between effort and results:

The rule says typically 80% of unfocussed effort generates only 20% of results, The remaining 80% of results are achieved with only 20% of the effort.

·       80% of returns may be generated by 20% of customers

·       80% of our targets are achieved my 20% of our activities

·       80% of our time produces 20% of our results

This may not be exactly an 80/20 split but how much of your time is actually spent on truly value adding work?  How can you change the ratio to focus on adding value or impact?

See resources –

TO-DO LISTS

Why?

·       Tasks that need to be done captured in one place – avoids forgetting

·       Set priorities for each task

·       Time frame for each, are these sequential or in parallel?

·       ‘Chunk’ large jobs

·       If overload of essential tasks discuss with manager, colleagues etc – are there other options?

·       Can you delegate any tasks to others?

·       Intersperse boring with interesting?

·       Build in time for breaks, lunch, and time for oneself – be realistic

·       Tick off as completed – praise yourself

DELEGATING

Can you delegate the task(s) to others?

If not, what prevents you from doing so? Are these reasons real reasons or your perceptions?

What are the reasons?

e.g. no one else can do it as well as me? -  What standard is actually required for this task?

Everyone else is overloaded?  - with priority work or could something be re-scheduled?

PROCRASTINATION

·    When do you procrastinate?

·    Why are you procrastinating? What stops you from doing the things you know you need to do?

·    What are your options / solutions / strategies or dealing with this?  (see To Do Lists, Priority Matrix etc.) How realistic are these (1-10 scale) How committed to following these (1-10 scale) are you?

·    How will you put these into action, what resources do you need, whose assistance do you need?

Examples of procrastination:

·       I find the task really boring.

·       The task is so big I feel overwhelmed by it / don’t have enough time etc.

·       I only want to start it when I have all the information I need.

·       I don’t really know what is required, how to do it.

·       I don’t want to have to deal with the person concerned.

·       I don’t want to do it badly or make a fool of myself.

SAYING NO

Why do we say ‘Yes’ when we mean ‘No’?

Brainstorm your own reasons. These might include:

·       Wanting to help or please others

·       Unsure how to say ‘no’ without sounding rude or impolite

·       Fear of conflict

·       Feeling guilty or embarrassed to saying ‘no’

·       Someone above you ‘pulls rank’

·       Moral blackmail

·       Pride – you don’t want to admit you cannot cope with more work

·       Believing saying no will end a relationship

If you need to say ‘no’ to your manager

·  Explain your workload and priorities as you perceive them and ask for guidance from your supervisor

·  Offer alternative suggestions as to how this could be managed.

·  Offer alternative timeframe when this could be achieved.

If you need to say ‘yes’ even though it should be ‘no’:

·    Get clarification on what is required, by when, to what standard, and what can be deferred, negotiated or transferred.

·    Ask for help to complete part of the tasks involved

·    Negotiate what must be done immediately and whether can delivered at later date

·    Explain what resources are required to support delivery of task within timeframe required

You do not owe anyone an explanation. To say ‘it does not fit with my schedule’ is acceptable.

EVALUATION

What has worked for me? 

Which of the tools have I used? Which was the most valuable?

How have I implemented it? What were the results?

What do I still need to improve? How will I manage this? What additional support do I need?

What are the results and impact on my work / private life?

·    Quantitative – time saved, impact on work?

·    Qualitative – atmosphere, reduced stress, more timely response, improved balance between work and outside life

What feedback have I received from others?

How do I feel about it myself?

How can I share my successes with others?

RESOURCES
Tony Schwartz on Managing personal energy rather than time
The Energy Project
Energy audit link

Mind Tools – Time Management

Including downloadable tools on:

Prioritization Scheduling Time Management Challenges

Concentration and Focus Goal Setting Self-Motivation

How good is your time management.

Activity log

Priority matrix

Prioritised ‘To do’ list

Seven simple ways to say no

COVEY’S TIME MANAGEMENT MATRIX
Quadrant I Activities: URGENT + IMPORTANT ·       Crises ·       Pressing Problems ·       Deadline-driven projects These activities should take first priority. However, your long term goal should be to reduce time spent here by prevention, preparation, etc.	Quadrant II Activities: NOT URGENT but IMPORTANT ·       Prevention ·       Planning ·       Relationship building ·       Recognizing new opportunities ·       Values clarification ·       True recreation The key to success in gaining control of your time priorities is to focus on activities in this quadrant. If you are currently doing very little here, begin by carving out a small amount of time each day and building on it.
Quadrant III Activities: URGENT and NOT IMPORTANT ·       Interruptions, some calls ·       Some mail, some reports ·       Some meetings ·       Proximate, pressing matters ·       Popular Activities Many of us get trapped by other people's sense of urgency telling us what is important. Allowing your priorities to fall here can result in a frenzied rush to get "things" done, followed by a sense of emptiness and lack of satisfaction.	Quadrant IV Activities: NOT URGENT and NOT IMPORTANT ·       Trivia, busy work ·       Some mail ·       Some phone calls ·       Time wasters ·       Pleasant activities Minimize time spent in activities in this quadrant. Be ever vigilant about it. There will always be someone who wants to revise your priorities

TIPS / CHOICES FOR MAKING MORE TIME

Preparation / organisation:

Be conscious of time and how you actually spend it

Be organised – desk, files, where things are

To do list

Delegate

Be assertive

Say ‘no’ to jobs that aren’t yours

Set realistic timeframes and deadlines

Make space for yourself

Managing interruptions:

Be clear about who needs to see you / you need to see

Get someone else to deal with the rest (if possible)

Be ruthless with time and gracious with people

Ask person why they have come to see you

Suggest you fix a meeting later

Make the meeting in the other person’s office

Stand up when he/she comes in / perch on edge of desk

Save small talk for elsewhere

Meetings:

Plan the meeting- clear objectives, start and end time

Don’t allow meetings to be interrupted

Be conscious of wasting other people’s time

Telephone:

Get someone to field your calls and have call back system

Make your calls in blocks

Write down the points raised in call

Be aware of time passing while on phone

e-mail:

Take automatic notice off

Read e-mails 2/3 times per day

Use rules and filters to divert ‘copies’ to separate file

Handle each mail once – file or delete once read

General:

Finish one job before going on to next

Plan your day in advance (with assistant if the case)

Handle each piece of paper only once

Make use of committed time

Put a clock up where everyone can see it