Time Management Tips & Tricks for Pubic Service Librarians

Herding Cats or Time Management Tips & Tricks for Access Services LibrariansDr. Ray L. MorrisonAccess Services ConferenceNovember 8, 2013Introduction

Complex and demandingConstant changeChallengingEntertainingNew awareness and understandingDecision-makingSetting prioritiesLack of time and resourcesFrustration, anxiety and stressWhy manage time?

Reasons to manage time:To be more productiveTo reduce stress and put you in controlTo make more time for yourselfTime-wasters

Running unnecessary errandsLooking for keysInterruptions telephone, visitors and meetingsRunning out of suppliesLocating items on cluttered desk or file cabinetMoving aimlessly from chore to choreTaking on too many tasks than can be handledPerforming tasks better left to clerical assistantsFailing to keep accurate and accessible records

ProcrastinatingPerforming non-librarian tasksMeetings

Weigh options of holding a meeting or an alternativeSend agenda to each participantKeep large clock in roomKeep meeting movingRead delivered materials before meetingStay on course

Telephone calls

Decide if you want to answer callScreen all callsReturn all calls at one timePractice good phone mannersTime calls and sign off with verbal cuesAvoid playing phone tagSnail mail

Open mail and sort it over the waste canThrow out junk mail immediatelyPut requests in action file and lengthy article in the to read folderShred any mail that has personal information

Emails

Put subject and desired action in subject line. Be clear and conciseDo not copy people who dont need to see Ask is it better to talk to the person rather than send a lengthy email and correspond back several timesRead listservs at homeClean out mail box regularlyCheck emails remotely when on vacationCheck emails at specific times of the dayCalendars (paper & electronic)

Purchase paper or electronic calendarPut meeting dates down as soon as you get themBlock out times for important activitiesCheck calendar several times a dayElectronic calendar has entire staff schedulesUse computer/phone calendars which provide verbal beep as a reminderPeak production times

Block out time early in day to get most important tasks doneTake coffee breaks and lunchTalk a walk occasionally to clean out cobwebsTo-do list

List items by most important, somewhat important and when I get timeBreak diary into one-hour slots and put task in themMaintain long-term to-do listUse it dailyInterruptions

Close office door and list hoursUse verbal and non-verbal clues to discourage long interruptionsChat with staff at beginning to day to share information and problems before you get into your regular tasksFiling materials

Sort documents into logical pilesMake master list of all filesFile items daily, weed at end of semesterDont file routine memosUse double-sided sheetsPut file back after useFile current materials in front of file folderFive actions toss it, refer it, act on it, read it, or file itOffice

Let secretary know when you take second to last itemEliminate unnecessary formsLet fax recipients know when fax arrivesClean off desk on daily basisKeep supplies handy to eliminate unnecessary tripsUse In and Out basketOffice hours

Make sure you are in during office hoursClose your doorWork from home (or an outside office) when you need privacyLeaving at the end of the day

Set an alarm to go off at time you wish to leaveStop what you are doing and leave buildingPick up at that point the next dayDo not take work home unless you have an emergency task that has to be completed by morningTechnology

Select the right equipmentLearn how to use it and fix it if it breaksLearn basic computer troubleshooting skillsBackup all files regularly and clean up hard driveKeep computer manuals handyAttend hardware/software training classesInstall easy-to-use management systems on computers

Reading materials

Select most important journals and skim themCopy or rip out articles and file them until you have time to readRead abstract before determining if you want to read rest of articleRead articles while carpooling or waiting for computer file to downloadSay No!

Determine whether to take on another taskListen carefully what it being asked for youDont give visual cures that indicate agreement to doing taskBe polite and pleasantBe honest in why you decline requestOffer alternativesProcrastination

Do boring tasks as soon as possibleUse a colleague if task is too difficultEstimate time to complete task and project finish timeMost tasks do not go awayProcrastinators say they wont do it again, but they doPerfection

Perfectionism:Can lead to wasting time on unimportant tasks or the redoing of already completed onesIt is not always necessaryCan obstruct effectiveness and impede the realization of goalsManagement styles

Recognize your preferred style for workingSome prefer working in broad concepts leaving the staff to fill in the dealsOthers like to develop an idea fully before involving other staff membersI personally use the participatory management modelDelegating

Find the right person for the jobTake time to adequately train workersClearly delineate limits of responsibility and explain expectationsAllow staff to make decisions affecting their own workAllow differences in working styleFollow-up on progress made by staffFinding fun at work

Find tasks that you enjoy doingTry out other tasksDont stay on the same committeesIf work is not fun, look for another positionMulti-tasking

False belief that you can get more done by doing several different things at onceNeed to focus on one task and do it well, rather than to moving from one task to anotherThere are some exceptional people who can multi-taskStress

Over-commitment, proliferation of information, workload, staff cutbacks, interruptions, organization politics, hiring and firing staff, reprimanding others, balancing work and personal life, dealing with management, performances reviews and budget issuesIf you dont control stress, it can lead to the dreaded: burnout

Burnout

Burnout is when a person is so stressed that he/she quits their job or drops out of the job marketSymptoms include excessive absenteeism or tardiness, poor job performance and a poor attitudePrimary cause is overworkWay to prevent burnout. Just say NO!Working with the boss

When you talk to your boss, be preparedBe organized and to the pointBring solutions, not problems to the tableOutline alternativesObtain opinions or gain approval from the bossSummary

Reward: greater efficiency, time saved, reallocated to more pleasurable tasks and getting more accomplishedTime managers know where they are going and whyThings are done for good and proper reasonsLittle wasted motion and no lack of purposesUltimate reward is success Success will be visible to you and others embodied in an efficient well-run library and a librarian who has the time and patience to spend helping patrons

Bibliography

Cochran, J. W. (1992). Time management handbook for librarians. NY: Greenwood Press.

Foust, J. (2002). Dewey needs to get organized. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishers.

Hines, S. (2010). Productivity for librarians: How to get more done in less time. Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing.

Masterton, A. (1997). Getting results with time management. London, UK: Library Association.

Nauman, A. (1996). Making every minute count: Time management for librarians. Berkeley Heights, NY: Library Learning Resources.

Seiss, J. A. (2002). Time management planning and prioritization for librarians. Lanham, MA: Scarecrow Press.

Walster, D. (1993). Managing time: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians. NY: Neal-Schuman.

For more information:Dr. Ray L. MorrisonCoordinator of Access ServicesPenfield LibrarySUNY Oswegoray.morrison@oswego.edu315-312-3567 (office)