– – A Look at Critical Time A Look at Critical Time Management Skills Management Skills

04/19/23 2

Why are we here?Why are we here?

RTEC – Research Training and Education Committee

Piles to Files Management Series Session 1: Key Concepts and Critical Time

Management Skills Session 2: Tools & Techniques

04/19/23 3

Today’s AgendaToday’s Agenda

Critical Skills – the keys to success! Conquering Procrastination Learn to say “NO” Dealing with Deadlines The art of “Managing UP”

04/19/23 4

Picture this… Picture this…

This week is the Oct 1 deadline for applications. The grant specialist’s desk is covered in paper – stuffed

with faxes, yellow post-its, FedEx deliveries etc. The specialist is busy taking calls from worried grant

applicants – “What is the absolute latest that I can get this to you?” “Do you have the revised the budget?”

“Did BWH get back to you?” … The frustrated grant specialist is too busy pulling the information together

to even begin checking what has been received, let alone follow-up and update her checklist.

04/19/23 5

Exercise 1: Exercise 1:

Introduce yourself Name, dept, and position

Based on your own personal experience, answer the following: How did this grant manager get here? What are barriers to getting the job done?

(Consider people, policy, procedures, equipment, technology etc.)

04/19/23 6

The Covey Circle The Covey Circle

"Staying in your circle of influence" means defining which things you can change and which things you cannot change, and then doing something about the things you can change and not worrying about the things you cannot change.

04/19/23 7

CIRCLE OF CONCERNCIRCLE OF CONCERN

We each have a wide range of concerns--our health, our family, problems at work, the national debt, etc., and it is these things in our lives that make up our Circle of Concern.

04/19/23 8

CIRCLE OF INFLUENCECIRCLE OF INFLUENCE

As we look at those things within our Circle of Concern, it becomes apparent that there are some things over which we have no real control and others that we can do something about.

Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern

04/19/23 9

The Proactive ApproachThe Proactive Approach

Focus your efforts in the Circle of Influence. Work on the things you can do something about. The nature of your energy becomes positive, enlarging, and magnifying, causing your Circle of Influence to increase.

Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern

04/19/23 10

20 Time Wasters20 Time Wasters

1. Management by Crisis 2. Telephone Interruptions 3. Inadequate Planning 4. Attempting Too Much 5. Drop-in Visitors 6. Ineffective Delegation 7. Personal Disorganization 8. Lack of Self Discipline 9. Inability to Say "No" 10.Procrastination

11.Meetings 12.Paper Work 13.Unfinished Tasks 14.Inadequate Staff 15.Socializing 16.Confused Authority 17.Poor Communication 18.Inadequate Controls 19.Incomplete Information 20.Travel

Which fall inside of your control?

04/19/23 11

Critical Skills for effective Time Critical Skills for effective Time ManagementManagement

Time sense – the skill of estimating how long a task will take to accomplish.

Goal setting – deciding where you want to be at the end of a specific period.

Time planning – outlining ahead of time what work needs to be done in a specific timeframe

Recognizing procrastination – the ability to differentiate between legitimate reasons for delaying decision making and activities and needless postponements.

04/19/23 12

Periods of Chaos are Periods of Chaos are inevitableinevitable

Work efficiently not harder Streamline, eliminate valueless tasks Delegate but do not dump Negotiate or share work 80/20 Power of three (focus on the top three

activities 80% of the time)

Conquering ProcrastinationConquering Procrastination

"I have plenty of time…. I’ll do it later…. I perform better under pressure…."

"Underneath all the lies there is just one lie...The lie that we are helpless.

The truth is that we are Powerful."Steve Chandler

04/19/23 14

ProcrastinationProcrastination

Defined as “…putting off until tomorrow what needs to be done today".

It is caused by the following misperceptions: 1. an overestimation of the time left to perform tasks; 2. an underestimation of the time required to complete tasks; and 3. belief that working when not in the mood to work is sub-optimal.

04/19/23 15

The lies we tell ourselves…The lies we tell ourselves…

Lie #1. Expect Quick Results Lie #2.  Complaining is ok Lie #3. Fix it later.  Lie #4. Having an *idea* instead of a plan Lie#5.  Ignoring your talents Lie #6.  Elusive Goals instead of Do-able Goals Lie #7.  Adopting a "what I do doesn't matter"

attitude. 

04/19/23 16

Why Procrastinate?Why Procrastinate?

Tick all that apply and think about their impact on you:

____ You are trying to do too much.

____ You don't know what to do or how.

____ Your standard is too high. Perfectionism is holding you back. ____ You are not convinced of the benefits of doing the matter.

____ You are not really committed to the matter.

____ You choose to do other things - saying "yes" to other things.

____ You have some belief that is getting in the way. (I can't do this.)

____ You are afraid you will fail.

04/19/23 17

Dealing w/the Underlying FearDealing w/the Underlying Fear

• Make a mistake

• Lose respect

• Be rejected

• Be embarrassed

• Make a bad decision

• Need to change the way you comfortably do things

• Not know enough

• Look desperate

• Not be able to find out what you need to know

• Miss something important

• Not be able to do this matter

04/19/23 18

Stop Procrastinating!Stop Procrastinating!

•Focus on short-term goals of each project

•Work from a plan - use checklists and complete project, one phase at a time•Find small ways to reward yourself for getting projects completed on time.

What do we fear most?

The DEADLINE

04/19/23 20

How to manage a deadlineHow to manage a deadline

Don't accept or promise what you can't deliver. Only set or accept realistic time frames - and then add a

cushion. Plan ahead. Organize. Break the task into small parts with

time frames for each. Start early. Don't procrastinate. Work smart, not hard. Be strategic and efficient. Avoid

perfectionism. Work when you're fresh, not when you're tired. Take timeouts. Avoid distractions. Stay "on task." Delegate and ask for additional resources if needed.

04/19/23 21

What to do when you fall off What to do when you fall off schedule?schedule?

If you're running behind schedule, inform people as soon as possible. Brainstorm alternatives with them such as:

Getting extra help. Relieving you of other duties. Scaling back the scope of the project. Reprioritizing the task to find out which elements are essential

and which can wait. Determining what is the preferred delivery date and what is

the real point of no return.

Then keep them up-to-date with regular progress reports

What do we fear most?What do we fear most?

Saying “NO”

04/19/23 23

Learn to Say NOLearn to Say NO

Saying NO is an important life skill in this fast-paced world.

It's a way to protect yourself from stress and overload.

Even used five per cent of the time, it will serve you well.

If you want a role model, just watch your two-year-old the next time he says NO to you.

04/19/23 24

WHEN SHOULD WHEN SHOULD YOU SAY NO? YOU SAY NO?

When you're exhausted or stressed out When you're overloaded and have no time When you have higher, more pressing priorities When it's not your job or area of responsibility When it's not your area of expertise and someone

else can do it better

04/19/23 25

HOW TO SAY NO HOW TO SAY NO

Express your wish to comply: "I'd like to do that for you" or "I wish I could be helpful."

Give an explanation. "I'm working on a tight deadline" or "I have to get to a dental appointment."

Offer an alternative. " Barb's really good at this and she loves to do it." Or "I won't be able to do it, but I can show you how to do it."

Offer to do it later. "I can't help you now, but I can do it next Tuesday."

04/19/23 26

HOW TO SAY NO HOW TO SAY NO

Offer to do part of the task. "I won't be able to do all of it, but I'd be happy to do this part for you."

Ask your boss to help you prioritize. "Which of these projects would you like me to set aside in order to do this one?"

Ask for time to think about it. "Can I get back to you in an hour? I'll try to re-arrange my schedule."

What do we fear most?What do we fear most?

Dealing with Difficult People

04/19/23 28

Six ways to organize your boss - Six ways to organize your boss - the art of managing upthe art of managing up

Learn your boss’s priorities Understand the work style s/he prefers Identify areas for improvements, make

recommendations, then get permission to initiate change Be aggressive about knowing your boss’s schedule and

how to contact him or her Keep your boss informed but do not burden him or her

with trivial matters Use a memo with a fuse: “I will take this action, if you

do not not say otherwise by “x” date or time.”

04/19/23 29

Handling drop-in visits or Handling drop-in visits or “talkers”“talkers”

Set time limits Hold the meetings while standing Restrict availability Be creative in terminating the meeting Keep clock in full view Learn to say “no” or “later”

04/19/23 30

Building Effective Building Effective PartnershipsPartnerships

KNOW YOUR STRENGHS & WEAKNESSES – Your time spent and participation should add-value to the partnership.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL OR NOTHING. When someone asks for your time, let them know which specific tasks you are committed to – do not take it all on.

BARTER. If someone asks for your assistance, ask this person to volunteer their time right back.

NO GUTS-NO GLORY. If you have no intention of saying YES, don't avoid the issue by saying, MAYBE, or IF I HAVE TIME.

TAME YOUR TO DO LIST. Your To Do List should not be ten pages long.

Questions?Questions?

What are you doing now that you may do differently to increase productivity?

What do you feel still stand in your way?

Where do we go from here?