Time Mgt Alm1

TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

STORY Every morning in Africa a deer wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion. Otherwise it will be killed. Every morning in Africa the lion wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the slowest deer. Otherwise it will starve. It does not matter if you are deer or lion but when the sun rises it is time to run.

OBJECTIVES •

What is Time Management?

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Identify your BEST Time Zones

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Time Management Tools & Techniques

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Goal Setting

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Cost of Inefficiency

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Major TIME WASTERS & Remedies

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Time Management Matrix

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Procrastination

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Delegation

Eighty Six Thousand Four Hundred Picture this:

Each day your bank deposits $86,400 in your checking account. There’s just one catch. You have to spend it all in one day. You can’t carry over any money to the next day.

24

hours per day

X 60

minutes per hour

X 60

seconds per minute

=

86,400 Seconds

TIME IS THE SCARCEST RESOURCE AND

UNLESS IT IS MANAGED, NOTHING ELSE CAN BE MANAGED - PETER F DRUCKER

To Realize the Value of: ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade. ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer with kids to feed. ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train. ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident. ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

TIME MANAGEMENT IS MOSTLY CHANGING HABITS – HABITS RELATED TO TIME

Time Management, what is it ?

Time Management is only a set of skills and tools to help us more efficiently control the events of our lives. Doing a better job of managing our time is meaningless unless we are managing it to accomplish those things that are of greatest importance in our lives.” Hyrum Smith- Creator of the Franklin Day Planner

ADVANTAGES OF TIME MANAGEMENT • Prevent much stress. • Creates balance in life – work, home, self. • Increase in productivity. • Progress in achieving your personal goals.

What we gain from Time Management in essence, is not more time, but a better life

How Time Management improves your performance a) Top Performers always focus on outputs, Average performers on inputs & low performers focus on activities. b) The practice of Time Management skills develops judgment, foresight, self reliance & self discipline. c) A focus on time management forces you to be intensely result-oriented. d) Time Management enables you to work smarter not just harder. e) Good time management is a source of energy, enthusiasm & a positive mental attitude.

Key Practices of Time Management

1.Start in one area where poor time management is holding you back. 2.Use “trial & success” method rather than “trial & error” method, that is how to succeed by failing, and then learning from your mistakes. 3.Time management skill is learnable like any other skill like typing or riding a bike with practice & repetition. 4.Time management is your key to personal effectiveness, self esteem, self respect & personal productivity and happiness.

IDENTIFY YOUR “MACRO” STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS ƒ Analyze when you work best (morning, evening, night etc.) ƒ Analyze where you work best ( room, office, home, canteen ) ƒ Analyze how you work best. ( one hour, 10 min, etc )

Energy Level in Individual Example 1 150% 100% 50%

m

6:0

0p

0 4:0

0 2:0

:00 12

:00

0 8:0

10

6:0

0a

m

0%

Energy Level in Individual Example 2 150% 100% 50%

m 0p

0 4:0

6:0

0 2:0

:00

12

:00

10

6:0

0a

m 8:0 0

0%

Tasks

Low Energy Staff Meetings Opening/Sorting Mail Responding to Correspondence Collecting data

High Energy Dealing with Customers Writing Audit Responses Reconciling Stocks & Figures

Inefficiency - Can Almarai Afford It? Statistics show the average worker loses at least one hour of productivity each day due to disorganization. How much is disorganization and inefficiency costing Almarai?

Cost of Inefficiency 1 hour X one workers hourly salary =SR____________ 6 days a week X____ SR lost today=SR lost this week. 48 weeks X $lost this week+___ SR lost this year. Number of employees x __SR lost this year =________SR total.

Parato’s Law

Who/What is Pareto’s Law?

• Vilfredo Pareto - (1843-1923), an French-Italian economist and sociologist.

• “Law” first published in 1896-97, related to taxes, i.e. 20% people paid 80% of taxes. • Currently, observed/used diverse settings. – E.g. ~20% patients lead to ~80% hospital’s costs.

Pareto’s Law (80/20 Law) in Time Management

Get “SMART” with TIME SMART is Simple Measures that Ascertain Resourceful usage of Time Set “SMART” Goals •

GOAL SETTING z

Am I short of time to meet my vision & mission

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It is not enough to have goals in mind. Put them down on paper

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It is an agreement with yourself that you are aware of goals and will pursue them

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Be thankful to the person who reminds you of your goals

Prioritizing Prioritizing means determining the relative importance and precedence of events. And it is absolutely necessary for effective planning. Prioritizing keeps us from spending time on things we don’t really value.”

Hyrum Smith

Six Major Time Wasters

Telephone Interruptions Unexpected Visitors Meetings, Meetings Fire Fighting & Emergencies Socializing & Idle conversations Indecision & Delay

Time Waste - Caused by Others 1.Common Misunderstandings 2.Unclear Priorities 3.Poor Delegation 4.Unclear lines of Authority. 5.Incomplete Information 6.Aimless or Too Frequent Meetings 7.Lack of Clarity concerning one’s job

The Time Management Matrix Urgent

Not Urgent

ACTIVITES:

II

ACTIVITES:

III

ACTIVITES:

IV

ACTIVITES:

Not Important

Important

I

Adapted from Steven Covey’s- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Learning to say “NO” • Many people put everyone else’s requests and needs first before their own. • If we are to become effective time managers, we have to allocate and prioritize time on the basis of true need. • “NO” is the most powerful word in the Time Manager’s vocabulary. • We should say “NO” only when it is clearly the right thing to say.

9 Ways to say NO 1. 2. 3. 4.

I’m sorry, but that’s not a priority for me right now! I can’t help right now but I can next week. Would that be OK ? I can’t help right now but I know someone who can ! Before I can take this on, perhaps we could spend a little time together so that you could do it yourself.

9 Ways to say NO

5.

6. 7.

8.

It would mean letting down other people and that wouldn’t be fair to them. I promise to get back to you by next Wednesday latest. I’m sure that you’ll understand when I tell you that I can’t help at this time due to workload. I can help if you agree that the earlier tasks you requested can wait.

9. NO !

Never do to-day what you Can postpone tomorrow !

Come out of this attitude ! DIN – DO IT NOW

• Make a conscious effort to develop a DIN attitude. • Set deadlines for yourself. • Set deadline for

starting.

• Commit deadline to some one. • Develop a clear mental image (Positive) of finishing the work, and of how you will feel when everything is done.

• Single most powerful strategy • Double benefit: you & staff • General rule: Never perform a task that someone else can effectively do • Remember the 3 concepts - Responsibility - Authority - Accountability

• I can do it better - you are not developing staff •

I can do it faster - not doing is fastest

• I am insecure - no promotion if no successor

We become better managers of people & time

• I don’t want to give up - delegate first what you do best • It is a dirty job - every job has its share - some want to prove • I want to keep control - not an effective way of using your time

Time management tools and techniques •

Use “to do” lists for planning

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Create a time diary to track where your time actually goes

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Become aware of your external and internal timewasters and avoid them

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Pulverize paperwork

The “to do” list: a power tool • Use it as a master planning tool • Use annual, monthly, weekly versions • Statistics prove you’ll be more productive – – – –

It’s a visual schedule It acts as reminder It gives direction You get satisfaction when items are crossed off

Keep a diary • Create the list before you start the day • 15 minutes of investment will help you everyday • End of day: Review Status

Time - Saving Tips: Telephone Interruptions i) Conversations with difficult people should always start by you defining how much time you can spare. ii) Try to get them to do the speaking ( which should not be difficult). iii) Give only yes/No responses – chipping in with relevant personal anecdotes will only prolong the hole thing. iv) Before making a call, set your own agenda & stick to it. v) Plan a particular time in a day to answer all the important missed calls.

Time - Saving Tips: Dealing with visitors i) If you do not want to disturbed, shut the door or, in an open plan office, face away from the point of access. ii) If you are asked whether you’re free & you are not, politely but firmly say so & set another time. iii) Use body language – if someone comes unexpectedly, stand up, look them in the eye & make it plain that now is not the right time. Do not give them the opportunity to sit down – remove extra chairs beforehand if you want. iv) Say straight away that you’re too busy, and that you’ll come to them ASAP. It’s easier to leave their workplace than to get them out of yours.

Time - Saving Tips: Managing Meetings 1) Chase the agenda to ensure it set well beforehand and circulated. The agenda should be stuck rigidly – politely but firmly use it as a tool to stop people with a tendency to waffle. 2) Ensure that the meeting is properly chaired. If necessary, chair it yourself. 3) Use new technology to avoid face to face meetings where ever possible. Can the same results be gained by tele conferencing? Can E-mail help to disseminate information? 4) Wherever possible, send a deputy to the slaughter.

Time - Saving Tips: Successful Delegation 1 Delegate the right work – Analyze every task you do & be certain you are person who should be doing it. 2. Don’t give an impression that you are dumping your work – present new tasks to people as a sign of your trust in their abilities. Make it Positive! 3.Give a full brief – spend time explaining the job in detail and ensure that your delegates know what to do from the start. 4. Sincere praise for a job well done – it will make it easier to delegate in future & encourages the recipients to accept.

9. Is The Jar Full? Stephen Covey in his book, • First Things First, shares the following story experienced by one of his associates: I attended a seminar once where the instructor was lecturing on time. At one point, he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." He reached under the table and pulled out a widemouthed gallon jar. He set it on the table next to a platter with some fist-sized rocks on it. "How many of these rocks do you think we can get in the jar?" he asked.

After we made our guess, he said, "Okay. Let's find out." He set one rock in the jar . . . then another . . . then another. I don't remember how many he got in, but he got the jar full. Then he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone looked at the rocks and said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Ahhh"• He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar and the gravel went in all the little spaces left by the big rocks. Then he grinned and said once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," we said. "Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all of the little spaces left by the rocks and the gravel. Once more he looked and said, "Is this jar full?" "No!" we roared.

He said, "Good!" and he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in. He got something like a quart of water in that jar. Then he said, " Well, what's the point?" Somebody said, "Well, there are gaps, and if you work really hard you can always fit some more things into your life."

"No," he said, "that's not really the point. The point is this:

Put the

Big Rocks in First

TIME Flies…but

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Time is Money – make sure that you are giving value for money to yourself & Almarai.

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Accept that there is only one chance to achieve what you want in life so you’d better start now.

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Believe it is possible to get more out of existing time.

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Understand your ‘most effective time zone’

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Create daily TO DO List for next 3 months

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Prioritize & schedule tasks.

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Invest time to train someone & delegate in steps.

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Leave the habit of attending to everything that comes in front

A Final Thought On Time

Many People…. - Think too much of destinations and too little of preparations - They don’t realize that today’s actions will determine tomorrows achievements

Recommended Readings The One Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, Berkeley Books, 1981, ISBN 0-42509847-8

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey, Simon & Schuster, 1989, ISBN 0-671-70863-5