Time Management

RLDC 1Barry Cordero

SHPE National VP

Agenda

Gaining control of your dayHandling competing prioritiesGetting organizedManaging yourself and othersDon’t let stress control you

10 Golden Rules of Time Management

Identify how you spend your timeIdentify your “prime time”Do tomorrow’s planning tonightAsk yourself “why am I doing this right now?”Handle each item once

10 Golden Rules of Time Management

Plan your work but work your planDelegate whenever possibleDelegate wiselyIdentify high payoff items, spend the most time on thoseConcentrate on results, not on keeping busy

Identify your current chaosIs this you? Always Often Usuall

ySometimes

My desk is covered with piles of papers, files and books

My computer files are disorganized

My computer is not backed up

I’m often late and miss appointments

My email inbox is always full

I struggle with conflicting deadlines and demands on my time

I don’t know which are my real priorities

I start one task, get distracted and move to another

I always complete items right before they are due

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR DAY

What are the biggest productivy killers?

Poor PlanningBe realistic

Personal DisorganizationDisorganization > Stress > More Disorganization > More Stress

ProcrastinationEasy to do (especially today)Focus on the feeling of completing tasks

Improve your personal effectiveness

Schedule personal time and stick to itBe results oriented and set real goalsFocus on one (or maybe two) tasks at a timeLet go of perfectionism

Strive for excellence

Mentally prepare

Mental Preparedness

Mental Preparedne

ss

Emotions

Environment

Body

Mind

• Take Pride in Accomplishments• Use hatred of guilt to motivate

• Clear away distractions

• Have all supplies needed

• Turn off phone• Close browser• Close email• “Do not disturb”• Good lighting• Comfort

• Exercise regularly• Sleep• Minimize stimulant use

• Shutoff Negative thoughts

• Visualize completion of goals

• Consider consequences of not doing now

Prevent chaos from interrupting

Announce time limit: “I only have 5 minutes”Use Walk-Talk method: “Can we talk while we walk?”Get to the point assertively “Maria, what can I help you with?” (use sparingly)

Try: “Sorry, I am way behind, what’s going on?”

MANAGING COMPETING PRIORITIES

Set Goals/ObjectivesUse SMART

Specific – Clearly what does done look likeMeasurable – Some way to determine if you’ve completedAttainable – Can actually be done in your term or with your time/resourcesRelevant – Related to your education or chapter successTimely – Have a date (or even time) to be done

Put your goals in writing

Non-Written goals are the first to be ignoredWriting goals with your chapter allows discussion and alignment about prioritiesAssign an owner to tasks/sub tasks in writing

Ensure there is agreement or nothing will happen

Managing conflicting priorities

II I

IV III

Urgency

Impo

rtan

ce

Delegate or put-off Delegate if possible

Prioritize and CommencePrioritize and Commence

DelegationWhy?

Allow others to develop skillsWork more efficiently, free up time to focus on Quadrant I/II

What to delegate?Routine stuffTechnical expertise itemsItems enjoyable to othersItems you know very well

Do not delegateLong range planningStrategic planningSelecting team membersRewarding team membersDifficult situations

9-Point Delegation ChecklistGive the necessary authorityProvide necessary resourcesProvide ALL pertinent informationCommunicate the objectiveMake expectations clearHold them accountableGain acceptanceEvaluateReward success

Let’s talk

Why do you hate delegating?

How could you overcome this?

GETTING ORGANIZED

Theory of contexts

The learning curve and switching task types Schedule your day around contexts

Maintain your tasks in this order

The problem with multitasking

Time to switch between mental processes is time-consuming and inefficientLeads to stress and irritabilityLeads to disorganization and errors

May be ok for simple, repetitive tasks

How do you rate?

Do you check your email every time you get a new one? Texts?Do you fear turning off your cell? Losing it?While talking to someone, do you text others?Do you text during lecture? Studying?

Take control of phone callsScreen your calls

Phone on silentIgnore texts

Set time to make calls, respond to voicemail daily

Get to the point. Replace “how are you?” with “I need to talk to you about x”

Leave voicemails with availabilityAvoid phone tag

Email

USE FOLDERS!Project foldersClass folders“projects on hold”“opportunities”

Use task management to respond to emails. Set date/time, etc. for responsesUse your calendar and alerts

Clarity in Communication Use simple words Use active voice

Active: “The email needs to be sent out by Friday”Passive: “Juan, please send the email before Friday”Active: “I made mistakes”Passive: “Mistakes were made”

Get Feedback: “What is your understanding of the task?”Try to use correct grammar, tense and good style to maintain credibility

Standardize your workTime Duration Task Conte

xtDays

6am Workout Out-About

MWFSu

7:30AM 30m SHPE Email Computer

Daily

4:30PM 30m SHPE Email Computer

Daily

12pm 1hr Review First Half Lecture notes Library

M-F

4pm 1hr Review Second Half Lecture notes Library

M-F

7p 30m Phone Calls Phone M-F

11p 30m Clean apartment Apt TRSu

11:30p 6.5hr Sleep Apt Daily

What are you going to do to get organized?

MANAGING YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Listeners: 5 typesPretend Listeners:

Nod, yes/no

Selective Listeners: Only when it interests them or to avoid caught

Attentive ListenersListen only to share their own experience

Interactive ListenersListen, paraphrase, question but still sellfish

Empathetic ListenersListen attentatively, question, try to truly understand the speaker

Exercise

Choose a listening typeOne speaks one listensSwitch roles

Excellence vs PerfectionPerfectionists

Miss a deadline bc it’s “not good enough”Wants everyone to believe they are perfectConstantly question own abilityRarely delegate bc nobody can do as wellOften stressed, easily burnt out

Excellence

Always doing their bestProvides exceptional performanceOpen to feedback to improveSets and meets realistic deadlinesDelegates when appropriateRelaxed and easy to talk to

USA method to saying “No”Understanding statement

“Regina, I know this problem is important”It is to them and maybe even to you, but not urgent or planned

Situation statement“I’m working on a report I promised myself I’d finish by 11am”

Action statement“Let’s get together at 2:15pm in the student center and discuss it”

Follow up with task owners

Schedule regular status meetingsThis is not micromanaging

Try to understand project progress and resource, time constraints

Prod by sharing own struggles

Offer support, suggestions for getting back on taskReassess deadlines

Manage yourself first

Put your grades above all elseGet help when you need itShare your schedule with othersHold others accountable and get them to hold you accountableStudy together, but stay focused (try lyric-free music)

Increase your valueKeep a positive attitudeIncrease skills in areas your boss and the org needs themLearn how to express your ideas clearly (practice if necessary)Be prepared: Arrive early and do your homeworkCompliment your boss and others on good workHelp your boss look good

Get Recognition at work

Speak up about your accomplishmentsPublish in the company newsletterParticipate in extracurricular activities (SHPE Professional Chapters)Volunteer in your community (SHPE)

MANAGING STRESS

How are you handling your stress?Question T/

F?

I feel too tired to work or do hobbies

I am late for work, class or appointments at least once a week

I often feel sad, depressed or bored

I am working longer and harder but not making any progress

I am frequently irritable, impatient, grumpy or short tempered

I have frequent headaches, stomach aches, recently gained/lost weight

I have a relationship that is troubling me.

I am hanging onto a relationship because I feel I have to

I often wish I was somewhere else

I am unable to relax without drugs or alcohol

I take myself and my image to others very seriously

I am under pressure to succeed all the time

Score

0-3: Cool cat3-6: In the frying pan6-10: In the fire burning10-12: Burnt and blackened

Stress affect mental and physical

Negative impact of stressLowered resistance to illness and diseaseLeads to loss in relationships• Stressed people are difficult to be around

and often don’t make effort to nurture relationships

Causes an out-of-control feeling• Make more mistakes, cause stress around

them• Susceptible to shutting down, affective

everyone

Handling “it”

Look at the situation, determine what “needs to be done”Consider available options

Is there a time frame?Are there others who can help?

Breathe…. Write a quick plan of actionDo your best to not sacrifice sleep and exercise for stress

11 step plan to avoiding burnoutFocus on you

Determine why you are always in a hurryDevelop a support group (someone to vent to)Determine how much sleep you need and do it regularlyEat nutritious foods, plan meals, drink waterExercise regularly

Control what you can

Focus on one task at a timeVisualize calmTake some time hourly to do nothing.. Breath, relaxSeek privacy whenever possibleAvoid stimulants and depressantsReject perfectionism

Final thoughts

Create a standard scheduleStay healthyDo the right stuff one at a timeAllow yourself to focusControl what you canCommunicate wellDon’t try to be perfect

Thank You

Questions?

Barry.Cordero@shpe.org