Time Management

1 The views expressed are based on personal experience and information collected from the net.

Write a definition of TIME MANAGEMENT

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Common Problems I am very busy. The second crisis comes in before the first has

finished. I don’t feel I have achieved anything today / this month / this year. I don’t have control on my life. Things pile one on top of the other. I wish I had more than 24 hours per day so that I can get more things

done. The system overloads me with work. There is no time to breathe.

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Objective

To help you introspect and find clues to improve your time management & thereby enhance effectiveness

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What is Time Management?

Doing the “right things” and not “setting things right” In control of life, not driven by circumstances Enjoying JOURNEY of life: every day of it, not waiting for a perfect

day in future Having right balance in wheel of life

To get most output within given resources To get time for important issues in life To feel fairly satisfied , secure & on top of things And thereby enjoy stress free life

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Quiz - 1

How old were you five years ago? What did you look like at that time? What did you do then? What has changed ever since? What have you achieved in this time? And……. How quickly do you think has the time passed?

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Answer

You will agree with no hesitation that TIME has passed very quickly!

That is the mystery with this phenomenon called TIME. It passes very quickly and no one seems to know how! Anyway like in everybody’s case, in your case also,

nothing can be done about the past.

So let us look at the future – next 5 years!

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Quiz - 2 How old will you be 5 years from now? What do you think you will look like at that time? What do you think you will be doing then? What would have changed by then? What do you wish to achieve in this time? And……. How quickly do you think would the time pass now?

Would it be slower or faster than the last 5 years ???

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Answer

NONE OF THESE! The time would neither be faster nor slower. The clock would move at the same speed, one second at a

time. This has never changed and will never change!

What matters is how well YOU keep pace with this speed!

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Story Telling Time!

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Story Telling Time!

A king, his attendant and the Prime Minister One day, the King looking out from his Palace window saw some settlements forming at the banks of the river. He said to the attendant “Find out what it is”. The attendant ran and reported back after few minutes - “Your Highness, they are tents”. The King asked again “Where are they from”? The attendant ran again and reported back after some time – “From Persia”

Story Telling (contd.) The King asked again “How many people are there?” The attendant once again ran to find out and reported back “675 men”. “No women?” asked the King and off went the attendant again. Relentless questions and corresponding trips by attendant followed! Attendant was already getting irritated and started wondering why the King cannot think cohesively and ask more questions in one go rather than asking one question at a time.

Story Telling (contd.) The King was already asking his nth question to the attendant when the PM appeared. Hearing the King, the PM intervened and said, “Let us discuss what all we should know about that gathering near the river.” They went into a meeting for some time after which the PM went off to find out more. He was back after 2 hours. And what did he bring after being gone for 2 hours?

Story Telling (contd.)

Here was the PM’s report: “The tents at the banks of the river belong to a caravan of traders from Persia. There are 675 men, 210 women and 85 children. The leader of the group is ………………..….” The PM also said “they have 200 horses which they want to sell and I have negotiated the price at…… I need your consent on this”. The PM also explained on what all benefits the kingdom can accrue from the visit of these traders etc etc.

Story Telling (contd.)

Do you realize what the PM has achieved and how ?

And

What is the moral of the story?

Moral of the Story

It does not matter how hard you work or how much time you spend working.

What matters is HOW much you achieve in a given period of time.

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Quiz Time

What did PM do differently than the attendent to achieve what he achieved?

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Answer

The PM Made the king explain what all he wanted in one go, Did proper planning, Prioritized the job, Did some value addition of his own and Put the available time to the best use

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Time Management

How do we achieve this in day to day working life in the midst of all pressures and pulls from several tasks?

That is TIME MANAGEMENT and it is all about PRODUCTIVITY.

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Obstacles

Obstacles to effective time management Interruptions / socializing Multiple tasks at hand and not setting / sticking to priorities Inability to say “No” Inefficient delegation / poor planning Poorly run meetings Procrastination Waiting / delays Unclear objectives Disorganization / cluttered work space

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What can we do?

Recognize obstacles Identify / isolate them Employ strategies to overcome

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Time-Based, To-Do List

Prepare a time-based, to-do list A to-do list is a list of action items for the day Categorize each item based on the urgency and importance

important and urgent important and not urgent not important and urgent not important and not urgent

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Task Break-up Exercise

From To Activity

ImpUrg / ImpNoUrg / NoImpUrg / NoImpNoUrg

Accomplished / Satisfied / Regretted

7:00 AM 8:00 AM

8:00 AM 9:00 AM

9:00 AM 10:00 AM

10:00 AM 11:00 AM

11:00 AM 12:00 PM

… …

8:00 PM 9:00 PM

9:00 PM 10:00 PM

10:00 PM 11:00 PM

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Prioritize

Set clear priorities Do, Delegate, Delay, Delete Address the urgent Accomplish what you can early Attach deadlines to things you delay

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Be polite but assertive

Learn when to say “No” You can’t do everything Don’t undertake things you can’t complete Remain consistent to your goals

Be proactive Ask and force colleagues (including manager) to explain what

they want in one go! (like the PM in the story). Understand thoroughly what are the expectations from you.

Ask, clarify, ask again (if you are not clear) before you start the job

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Goal Setting

Set goals – long term v/s short term Set Rational Goals

Specific, short term goals – short term could be a week, a day or even an hour

Set Directional Goals General direction for long term – “What do I want to be 3

years from now?” Set apart some time everyday for your Directional Goals

SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based

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Procrastination

Understand what and why of your procrastination tendency

Remember “… if we wait for the moment when everything,

absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.”

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Self-improvement

Improve yourself Do a SWOT analysis of yourself (with no inhibitions)

S – Strength W– Weakness O – Opportunity T – Threats

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S-W-O-T

Strengths What advantages do you have? What do you do well? What relevant resources do you have access to? What do other people see as your strengths?

Weaknesses What could you improve? What do you do badly? What should you avoid? Are you not qualified fully for the future opportunities?

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S-W-O-T

Opportunities Where are the good opportunities facing you? What are the interesting trends you are aware of?

Threats What obstacles do you face? Are the required specifications for your job changing? Is changing technology threatening your position? Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your job? Is there any threat to you which will force you not to take the

“Opportunity” when it comes along?

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And also…

Concentrate on the task at hand Focus on your short-term goal Tune out interruptions

Consider your personal prime time Morning / Evening / Late night?

Take time to plan Don’t try to be a perfectionist – always! Learn to multi-task Celebrate your success / reward yourself

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Always remember

Things to do list

Identify priority

Make it happen

Evaluate deviations

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And finally… Little drops of Water And Little Grains of Sand Make the mighty Ocean And the Pleasant land So the little Minutes Humble though they be Make the mighty Ages Of Eternity

This is the Time This is the Place This is your Life This is your Opportunity Seize the Day Use this Moment

ACT NOW 33

THANK YOU

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