Utilizing Effective Time Management

Utilizing Effective Time Management

2005 SASFAA Conference Presenter -Wanda White NC Community College System

Utilizing Effective Time Management 9:00 AM -10:AM - Hanover G

Moderator Rochelle King St. Augustine’s College February 14, 2005

Time Management • Solutions to excessive stress usually boil down to eating right, getting enough sleep, and managing your time effectively. Organization is time management, and time management is one part of stress management.” » Lucy H. Hedrick » “Five Days to an Organized Life”

Objectives • Examine time management skills • Organize your desk, day, and life • Resources

Key Questions to Ask Yourself • Do you plan tomorrow’s work today? • Do you get unpleasant duties out of the way as soon as possible? • Are you able to deal bluntly with people who waste your time?

Effectively Managing Time • Do you set aside a portion of each day to think, create, plan? • Is your desk or other workplaces tidy? • Can you find what you need without wasting time?

Everyone has the same amount of time • 60 minutes per hour • 1,440 minutes per day • 525,600 minutes per year

How We Waste Time • Lack of discipline

• Inability to say “NO”

• Indecisiveness

• Poor Delegation Skills

• Personal Disorganization

• Day Dreaming

• Procrastination

• Worry

Time Waste - Caused by Others • Telephone Interruptions

• Unscheduled Meetings

• Drop-In Visitors

• Poor Communications • Confused chain of Authority

Inefficiency - Can Your Company 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 your school or company?

Do the Math • 1 hour X one workers hourly salary =$____________ • 5 days a week X____ $ lost today=$ lost this week. • 48 weeks X $lost this week+___$ lost this year. • Number of employees x __$ lost this year =$ total. •

Signs of Disorganization -Causes Inefficiency • Desk or office cluttered with papers, files and equipment. • Poor or no filing system • No follow-up system • Don’t know where to put the papers • Procrastination - It’s either the fear of failure or simple indecision.

Signs of Disorganization -2 • Being reactive instead of proactive to the job or task at hand -(Waiting for something to happen instead of making something happen) • Unable to identify between the urgent, the important and the unnecessary -(A problem with prioritizing)

Time Log • Write down everything you do for a period of time • Learn how you really spend your time • Identify areas where you can improve your use of time

Time Management • 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.” – –

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Hyrum Smith- Creator of the Franklin Day Planner

Essential Tools • Master List • Calendar • Prioritized Task List • Paper • Directory

Energy Level Example 1 150% 100% 50%

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Energy Level Example 2 150% 100% 50%

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FAA Responsibilities • __Deal With angry student/parent • __Staff Meeting • __Sort/review mail • __Review student files • __Read new regulations • __Respond to NPRM • __Complete FISAP • __Complete Audit Responses

Tasks • Low Energy

• High Energy

• Staff Meetings • Opening/Sorting Mail • Responding to Correspondence • Collecting data

• Dealing with angry parents and students • Writing Audit Responses • Reconciling federal Programs

Start With Your Desktop! • A Master List • Unused File Folders • Pen

What To Do • ACT ON IT • DELEGATE IT • FILE IT • THROW IT AWAY

Act • Add to master list • File in new folder • File in Action Drawer

Delegate • Individual’s name • Notes • Place in delegation stack • Place in individual’s mailbox

File/Throw Away • Toss old papers/articles • File in inactive file • Forward -routed mail

Clear Up the Clutter • Family pictures • Books of sayings • Puzzles • Stapler/staple remover • Paper clip holders • In/out baskets • file tray bins

Clear Up The Clutter - 2 • A cluttered desk is a sign of disorganization • The higher on the organizational chart, the less cluttered the desk

Keep Clutter Out of Your Life • Managing Time More Productively Keeps Clutter Out of Your Life • Mental Clutter-Things that occupy your mind that should be released from it. -Example - Things you should delegate to others.

Keep Clutter Out of Your Life2 • Emotional Clutter - Things that trouble us emotionally that need to be released • Examples - fear, worry, pride, jealousy, etc.

Too1 1: Master List • Begin with items from your desktop • Quick reference of ongoing activities • Include due dates • Include personal and professional goals

Master List Examples • Complete and submit FISAP by Sept. 30 • Schedule appt. for shots for dog by Nov. 1 • Purchase plane tickets for vacation by Nov. 10 • Write Audit Responses by Dec. 1 • Complete Staff Evaluations by Dec. 10

Too1 1: Master List • Keep track of delegated work • Establish and set goals • Organize larger projects -Break down into smaller task -Daily task lists -Expect the unexpected

Breakdown of Large Task • September 30 - FISAP Due Sept. 25 submit FISAP electronically Sept. 24 - send signature pages Sept. 20 - review Business Office data Sept. 1 - schedule appointment for signatures Aug. 5 - send request for information to the Business Office – Aug. 1 - review instructions-request computer data – – – – –

Tool 2: Your Calendar • Maintain your own calendar • Keep one calendar for everything • Take calendar wherever you go • Know your energy cycle • Plan every day

Tool 2: Your Calendar • Don’t plan every minute • Prioritize • Save peak energy periods for yourself • Schedule time for routine tasks • Schedule your rewards

Tool 3: Daily Task List

• List everything you’d like to accomplish • Assign value using “ABC” system • Assign numerical value to each item

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

Tool 4: Notes • Carry paper at all times • Make notes • Use full-sized paper • Date notes • File in action file folders

Tool 5: Telephone/ Address Directory • Carry It • Maintain one directory • Transfer business card information • Include e-mail, fax, home address/phone

Time - Saving Tips: Telephone Calls Unavailable Person

• leave specific message • find out when person will be available • mark availability on calendar

Time - Saving Tips: Telephone Calls • Don’t answer phone! • Leave message • Forward calls

Time - Saving Tips: Managing E-Mails • Know your system’s special features • List serves • Same time every day • Use Web services -(examples) -IFAP.ed.gov -NASFAA Today News

Time -Saving Tips: Interruptions • Close your door • Distinguish between necessary visits and interruptions • Use different techniques -Visit others -Arrange appointment -Leave your office -Establish regular meeting time

Time-Saving Tips: Meetings • Request agenda • Arrive early • Notify chair if you will be late • Avoid routine, emergency, impromptu meetings • Avoid Monday mornings, Friday afternoons

Change Your Time Paradigm • New travel and/or work times • Direct deposit, off-hours for banks/ATMS • Change lunch hour • Schedule vacations during nonpeak times • Investigate service provider

Remember • Value the time your have • Nothing is worth more than this day. • Take care of today….let the calendar take care of the years.

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

Thank You