Lesson 6 - Time Management

SESSION 6 FUNCTIONS OF FUNCTIONS OF A SUPERVISOR- A SUPERVISOR- TIME TIME MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT

GROUP EXERCISEGROUP EXERCISE

TIME MANAGEMENT EXERCISE

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DEFINITION DEFINITION


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Time Management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together to help you get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life.

The important point is that time management is not necessarily about getting lots of stuff done, because much more important than that is making sure that you are working on the right things, the things that truly need to be done.


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Time management is an essential skill that helps you keep your work under control, at the same time it helps you keep stress to a minimum.

Concentrate on results, not on being busy


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DEFINITION (cont’d)DEFINITION (cont’d) Smart time Supervisors know that there is

much more to do than anyone could possibly accomplish. So instead of trying to do it all, smart time Supervisors are very picky about how they spend their time.

They choose to focus and spend their time doing a few vital projects that will really make a difference, rather than spending all their time doing many trivial things that don't really matter all that much.

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In the end, time time management comes down management comes down to choices.to choices. Good choices Good choices lead to better resultslead to better results, while poor choices lead to wasted time and energy.


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ARE YOU WELL ORGANISED?04/27/23Terry Amirali-Rambharat8

TIME MANAGEMENT TIME MANAGEMENT PERSONALITY TYPESPERSONALITY TYPES

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Terry Amirali-Rambharat

WHICH ARE YOU??WHICH ARE YOU??1.1. The Fireman The Fireman – Every Event is a

Crisis.2.2. The Over Committer The Over Committer – You Cannot

say ‘NO’!3.3. The Aquarian The Aquarian – too ‘laid back.’4.4. Chatty KathyChatty Kathy – Born to Socialise5.5. The Perfectionist The Perfectionist – spend too much

time crossing ‘t’s and dotting ‘i’s.


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TIME MANAGEMENT MODEL

The ability to mange time The ability to mange time normally takes two skills: normally takes two skills: OrganizationOrganization: the ability to : the ability to organize tasks according to organize tasks according to their prioritiestheir prioritiesTaskTask: the ability to focus on : the ability to focus on the task on handthe task on hand


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Perfectionists will often spend too much time arranging their priorities, but do not focus on the task at hand. Slobs are always in disarray because they fail to prioritize and do not focus on the task at hand. Doers focus on a task they are performing, but often fail to accomplish the important ones because they fail to prioritize. Time Managers both prioritize their tasks so that they know which ones need accomplished first and always focus on the task at hand.

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We can also rearrange the two dimensions so that they shows the four steps of good time management when performing a task:

1. Focuses upon the task on hand to discover what needs to be accomplish.

2. Organizes the materials so that the task can be accomplished.

3. Uses the materials to get the task done 4. Uses one's inner-abilities and instincts to wrap

things up (know when to stop and what to finish) so

that the next priority task can be started — don't waste time on the unimportant details.


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FIND OUT HOW YOU FIND OUT HOW YOU REALLY SPEND YOUR TIMEREALLY SPEND YOUR TIME

Activity LogsActivity Logs

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CIRCADIAN RHYTHMCIRCADIAN RHYTHMPlot their day from waking up to going to sleep in hourly blocks .

When do you do your big Important Stuff?When do you do your lazy, mundane tasks?


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‘on fire’ ‘vibrant’ ‘cruise control’ ‘at 70%’ ‘distracted’ ‘slowing down’ ‘tired’ ‘hungry’


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CIRCADIAN RHYTHMCIRCADIAN RHYTHM

SELF ASSESSMENT SELF ASSESSMENT How long do you spend each day on unimportant things – things that don't really contribute to your success at work? Do you KNOW how much time you've spent reading junk mail, talking to colleagues, making coffee and eating lunch? And how often have you thought, "I could achieve so much more if I just had another half hour each day."

And are you aware of when in the day you do certain things like check your e-mail, write letters, or do your long-term planning, do your reports, deal with HR matters with your staff, even when you choose hold your department meetings?

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SELF ASSESSMENT SELF ASSESSMENT (Cont’d)(Cont’d) Most people find that they function at different

levels of effectiveness at different times of day as their energy levels fluctuate.

Activity logs help you to analyze how you actually spend your time. The first time you use an activity log you may be shocked to see the amount of time that you waste! Memory is a very poor guide when it comes to this, as it can be too easy to forget time spent on non-core tasks like browsing news sites, chatting, reading low priority email, and suchlike. FOR A WEEK DO AN ACTIVITY LOG ON HOW FOR A WEEK DO AN ACTIVITY LOG ON HOW

YOU SPEND YOUR TIME YOU SPEND YOUR TIME


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MAIN AREAS MAIN AREAS OF OF

TIME MANAGEMENTTIME MANAGEMENT04/27/23

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1. 1. GOAL GOAL SETTINGSETTING To start managing time effectively, you need

to set goals. When you know where you're going, you can then figure out what exactly needs to be done, and in what order. Without proper goal setting, you'll fritter your time away on a confusion of conflicting priorities.

People tend to neglect goal setting because it requires time and effort. What they fail to consider is that a little time and effort put in now saves an enormous amount of time, effort and frustration in the future.


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2.2. PRIORITIZATIONPRIORITIZATION Prioritizing what needs to be done is especially

important. Without it, you may work very hard, but you won’t be achieving the results you desire because what you are working on is not of importance.

Most people have a “to-do” list of some sort. The problem with many of these lists is they are just a collection of things that need to get done. There is no rhyme or reason to the list and, because of this, the work they do is just as unstructured.


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PRIORITIZATION PRIORITIZATION USING A TO - DO LISTUSING A TO - DO LIST

So how do you work on To Do List tasks – top down, bottom up, easiest to hardest?

To work efficiently you need to work on the most important, highest value tasks. This way you won’t get caught scrambling to get something critical done as the deadline approaches.


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3.3. MANAGING MANAGING INTERRUPTIONS INTERRUPTIONS Having a plan and knowing how to prioritize it

is one thing. The next issue is knowing what to do to minimize the interruptions you face during your day. It is widely recognized that supervisors get very little uninterrupted time to work on their priority tasks. There are phone calls, information requests, questions from employees, and a whole host of events that crop up unexpectedly. Some do need to be dealt with immediately, but others need to be managed.


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MANAGING MANAGING INTERRUPTIONS INTERRUPTIONS (CONT’D)(CONT’D) However, some jobs need you to be

available for people when they need help – interruption is a natural and necessary part of life. Here, do what you sensibly can to minimize it, but make sure you don't scare people away from interrupting you when they should.


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“ “ The Thief of Time”The Thief of Time”PROCRASTINATION

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4.4.PROCRASTINATIONPROCRASTINATION “I’ll get to it later” has led to the downfall

of many a good employee. After too many “laters” the work piles up so high that any task seems insurmountable. Procrastination is as tempting as it is deadly. The best way to beat it is to recognize that you do indeed procrastinate. Then you need to figure out why. Perhaps you are afraid of failing? (And some people are actually afraid of success!)


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4.4. PROCRASTINATION PROCRASTINATION (cont’d)(cont’d)Once you know why you procrastinate then you can plan to get out of the habit. Reward yourself for getting jobs done, and remind yourself regularly of the horrible consequences of not doing those boring tasks!


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5.5. SCHEDULINGSCHEDULING Much of time management

comes down to effective scheduling of your time. When you know what your goals and priorities are, you then need to know how to go about creating a schedule that keeps you on track, and protects you from stress.


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5.5. SCHEDULINGSCHEDULING This means understanding the factors that

affect the time you have available for work. You not only have to schedule priority tasks, you have to leave room for interruptions, and contingency time for those unexpected events that otherwise wreak chaos with your schedule. By creating a robust schedule that reflects your priorities and well as supports your personal goals, you have a winning combination: One that will allow you to control your time and keep your life in balance.


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5.5. SCHEDULING SCHEDULING GUIDELINESGUIDELINES Scheduling is the process by which you look at the time

available to you, and plan how you will use it to achieve the goals you have identified. By using a schedule properly, you can:Understand what you can realistically achieve with your time; 1. Plan to make the best use of the time available; 2. Leave enough time for things you absolutely must do; 3. Preserve contingency time to handle 'the

unexpected'; 4. Minimize stress by avoiding over-commitment to

others.


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http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_00.htm

MY COMMON TIME MY COMMON TIME BANDITSBANDITS

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15 TIME 15 TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS MANAGEMENT TIPS

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1.1. Write Things Down Write Things Down A common time management

mistake is to try to use your memory to keep track of too many details leading to information overload. Using a to-do list to write things down is a great way to take control of your projects and tasks and keep yourself organized.


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2.2. Prioritize Your Prioritize Your List List

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you focus and spend more of your time on the things that really matter to you. Rate your tasks into categories using the ABCD prioritization system described in the time management course.


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3.3. Plan Your Week Plan Your Week Spend some time at the beginning of

each week to plan your schedule. Taking the extra time to do this will help increase your productivity and balance your important long-term projects with your more urgent tasks. All you need is fifteen to thirty minutes each week for your planning session


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4.4. Carry a Notebook Carry a Notebook You never know when you are going to

have a great idea or brilliant insight. Carry a small notebook with you wherever you go so you can capture your thoughts. If you wait too long to write them down you could forget. Another option is to use a digital recorder.


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5.5. Learn to Say No Learn to Say No

Many people become overloaded with too much work because they overcommit; they say yes when they really should be saying no. Learn to say no to low priority requests and you will free up time to spend on things that are more important.


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6.6. Think Before Acting Think Before Acting How many times have you said yes to

something you later regretted? Before committing to a new task, stop to think about it before you give your answer. This will prevent you from taking on too much work.


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7.7. Continuously Improve Continuously Improve Yourself Yourself Make time in your schedule to learn new

things and develop your natural talents and abilities. For example, you could take a class, attend a training program, or read a book. Continuously improving your knowledge and skills increases your marketability, can help boost your career, and is the most reliable path to financial independence.


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8. Think about what you are giving up to do your regular activities It is a good idea to evaluate regularly

how you are spending your time. In some cases, the best thing you can do is to stop doing an activity that is no longer serving you so you can spend the time doing something more valuable. Consider what you are giving up in order to maintain your current activities.


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9.9. Use a Time Use a Time Management System Management System Using a time management system can

help you keep track of everything that you need to do, organize and prioritize your work, and develop sound plans to complete it. An integrated system is like glue that holds all the best time management practices together.


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10.10. Identify Bad Habits Identify Bad Habits

Make a list of bad habits that are stealing your time, sabotaging your goals, and blocking your success. After you do, work on them one at a time and systematically eliminate them from your life. Remember that the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace it with a better habit.


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11.11. Don’t do other Don’t do other People’s Work People’s Work Are you in the habit of doing other

people’s work because or a ‘hero’ mentality? Doing this takes up time that you may not have. Instead, focus on your own projects and goals, learn to delegate effectively, and teach others how to do their own work.


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12.12. Keep a Goal Keep a Goal JournalJournal Schedule time to set and evaluate your

goals. Start a journal and write down your progress for each goal. Go through your goal journal each week to make sure you are on the right track.

Keeping a journal on your computer has never been easier!


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13.13. Don’t be a Don’t be a Perfectionist Perfectionist Some tasks don’t require your best

effort. Sending a short email to a colleague, for example, shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes. Learn to distinguish between tasks that deserve to be done excellently and tasks that just need to be done.


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14.14. Beware of “filler” Beware of “filler” Tasks Tasks When you have a to-do list filled with

important tasks, be careful not to get distracted by “filler” tasks. Things such as organizing your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you tackle the items that have the highest priority.


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15.15. Avoid “Efficiency Avoid “Efficiency Traps”Traps” Being efficient doesn’t necessarily

mean that you are being productive. Avoid taking on tasks that you can do with efficiency that don’t need to be done at all. Just because you are busy and getting things done doesn’t mean you are actually accomplishing anything significant.


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16. BE FLEXIBLE. Allow time for interruptions and

distractions. Time management experts often suggest planning for just 50 percent or less of one's time. With only 50 percent of your time planned, you will have the flexibility to handle interruptions and the unplanned "emergency." When you expect to be interrupted, schedule routine tasks.


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17. YOUR BIOLOGICAL 17. YOUR BIOLOGICAL PRIME TIMEPRIME TIME That's the time of day when you

are at your best. Are you a "morning person," a "night owl," or a late afternoon "whiz?" Knowing when your best time is and planning to use that time of day for your priorities (if possible) is effective time management.


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EFFECTIVE PRIORITY EFFECTIVE PRIORITY SETTINGSETTINGHow can you set priorities that will make it easier for you to reach your goals and keep you out of trouble? Here are some suggestions:

1. Give priority to any problem that is rendering you ineffective as a supervisor: Sometimes an upsetting human relations problem might be bothering you, such as a conflict with one of your employees or a serious communications conflict with your superior. Such situations can disturb you emotionally and make you ineffective, or at least not up to standard in the rest of your work.

2. Do not focus only on your top-priority task: Frequently supervisors become so involved in reaching one goal that they neglect others, resulting in more harm than in the long run. Keep all your priorities in mind and balance them.

3. Sometimes it is good to delay a problem or task, giving it a lower priority: some problems become so complicated that an immediate solution is impossible. More time is needed to evaluate the facts and measure the total impact. In such instances, you might wish to drop the problem to the bottom of your list, where you can watch it but not forget it.

4. Sometimes you can group goals into meaningful sequence: Many supervisors are good at putting theirdaily goals into a priority pattern that saves time and effort. Into this category fall such things as making one trip accomplish three goals or arranging tasks in sequence so that they are easier to accomplish.

5. If something has been on your list for a long time, either do it or forget it: An item that keeps showing up on a priority list soon becomes an irritant. Do not give it that power.

6. Do not push what should be a high priority item to the bottom of your list because of fear. Some managers keep what should be top-priority items undercover because they are afraid to face them. This kind of denial is a serious mistake because time solves very few problems

7. Oscillating back and forth from one priority to another is unwise. Once you put a task near the top of your list, try to complete it . If you start something and then keep switching to another priority, you will lose all motivation to complete the project.

TO-DO LISTSTO-DO LISTS

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To – do List Guidelines To – do List Guidelines Should be Done Daily/Weekly

List Items in Order of Priority – due, urgency

Put Time to Each Item

Be Realistic – allocate time for breaks, lunch, interruptions ,phone calls etc.

Make your schedule work. Leave time for fun!


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To – do List Guidelines To – do List Guidelines 1. Start by writing down all of the tasks that you

need to complete, and if they are large, break them down into their component elements.

2. Do this until you have listed everything that you have to do, and until tasks will take no more than 1-2 hours to complete.

3. Next, run through these jobs allocating priorities from 1 (very important, or very urgent) to 25 (unimportant, or not at all urgent).


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To – do List Guidelines To – do List Guidelines 4. If too many tasks have a high priority,

run through the list again and demote the less important ones. Once you have done this, rewrite the list in priority order.

Prioritized To-Do Lists are fundamentally important to Prioritized To-Do Lists are fundamentally important to efficient work. If you use To-Do Lists, you will ensure efficient work. If you use To-Do Lists, you will ensure that:that:

You remember to carry out all necessary tasks You remember to carry out all necessary tasks You tackle the most important jobs first, and do You tackle the most important jobs first, and do

not waste time on trivial tasks. not waste time on trivial tasks. You do not get stressed by a large number of You do not get stressed by a large number of

unimportant jobs. unimportant jobs. 04/27/23Terry Amirali-Rambharat

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How to Budget your How to Budget your TimeTime Schedule enough work to keep you busy, but not

so much that you get discouraged. This way you always have an attainable goal ahead of you.

Cut down on fatigue and monotony by changing tasks during the day.

You cannot work at top pace all the time. Alternate hard and easy jobs.

Delegate wherever possible Find out where your greatest waste of time is and

whittle it away. Get difficult or disliked tasks out of the way by

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How to Budget your How to Budget your TimeTime Build up habits that can save time such as

keeping things where they can be readily located. Don’t spend too much time in making decisions

on minor details. Know at what time you do mental work best and

what time is best for routine work. Plan your day so that meetings and visits usually

take place during certain hours At the end of each day, take a look at must be

done tomorrow. Periodically analyse how you actually spend your

time so that you may see where waste occurs.04/27/23Terry Amirali-Rambharat

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GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE MEETINGSMEETINGS

Here are the basics for a productive meeting

NEED. Hold only those meetings for which there is a demonstrated need.

PURPOSE. Every meeting must have specific, stated objectives and a broad purpose. Attendees need to know the meeting topics beforehand, in writing, so that they can come prepared.


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ATTENDEES. Invite only attendees who can contribute or who have a serious need to know

AGENDA. Agendas are an absolute must for every meeting.

Agendas not only help the attendees come prepared, they force the meeting leader to organise his thoughts and priorities. A good agenda addresses issues in order of importance and allocates time to each issue.


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CHOOSE A GOOD MEETING PLACE. The room should offer proper ventilation, comfort, accessibility, and the necessary equipment. It should also be free from distractions and interruptions.

START AND END ON TIME. Meetings should begin and end punctually. This sends a message to participants that their time is respected and that they are expected to respect the meeting time.


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STICK TO THE AGENDA. Although you want to encourage participate, new issues should be noted and held over for a later meeting. If you let the meeting get sidetracked, you will have difficulty meeting the goals and objectives established.


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ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION. Attendees should feel comfortable enough to offer opinions or suggestions openly

LEAD A BALANCED, CONTROLLED DISCUSSION. Support members in expressing their opinions even on volatile, highly charged issues, but discourage arguments.


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SUMMARIZE AND DISTRIBUTE MINUTES. Recap the decisions and any actions planned as a result of the meeting to make sure that everyone is in accord on the proposed action details: who is to do what and when. Make sure that each attendee receives written minutes no later than two days following the meeting.


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Good meeting facilitators always: ESTABLISH A CLIMATE FOR

SHARING. Maximize participant comfort by: holding the meeting in a comfortable facility; providing name tags, if necessary; arranging chairs so that each person can see the others; encouraging everyone to speak; protecting the rights of individuals to have dissenting opinions and to change their opinions.


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EXPLAIN THE GROUND RULES. Let attendees know what you expect of them. Check their understanding and acceptance of the rules

SET GOALS. Develop meeting goals with the group and refer to them often as the meeting progresses.


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STAY TASK-ORIENTED. Focus on the tasks, not personalities or irrelevant issues.

LET EVERYONE BE HEARD. Acknowledge all ideas. Not all ideas must be used or even judged, but all ideas must be heard.


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ENDING THE MEETINGENDING THE MEETING

As the end of the meeting nears, the leader should press for a conclusion. The last few minutes should be used to summarize highlights and decisions, and to restate all agreed-upon assignments and deadlines. Always conclude the session on a positive note, for instance, thanking participants for their attendance and contributions. It is important that everyone feel that the meeting accomplished its objectives. If the group needs to meet again, save time by scheduling the meeting while the group is right there.


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HERE’S HOW TO PLAN A HERE’S HOW TO PLAN A MEETINGMEETING

Ask yourself these five questions: What do I want the meeting to

accomplish? How can we best accomplish it? Is a

meeting the best way or is there a better way?

Who should attend? When is the best time to hold the

meeting? Where is the best place to hold it?


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HERE’S HOW TO ACHIEVE HERE’S HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR MEETING’S TASKYOUR MEETING’S TASK Make sure the purpose of the meeting is

clear to everyone Follow the agenda and keep discussions

on track Help participants build on each other’s

experience and knowledge Help participants explore the issues fully

before reaching a decision


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HERE’S HOW TO ACHIEVE HERE’S HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR MEETING’S TASKYOUR MEETING’S TASK Record decisions, agreements and action

points Gather facts, opinions and ideas from all

participants Ensure that no one masquerades their

opinions as facts Summarise progress often


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CHECKLIST FOR CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSSUCCESS Start and finish on time Keep meetings short enough to hold

everyone’s attention Invite the right people Hear everyone’s point of view. Don’t let

anyone dominate.


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CHECKLIST FOR CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSSUCCESS Don’t waste time on irrelevant side

issues, going over old ground and so on Don’t lose or ignore good ideas. Note

down important ideas, decision and actions to be taken and follow through on them.

Deal with one issue at a time Make sure people hear each other out

without interrupting


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CHECKLIST FOR CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSSUCCESS Make sure no one feels pressured to

compromise their feelings and opinions Don’t comprise or dictate – go for

consensus Focus on facts and on understanding and

exploring points of disagreement.


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CHECKLIST FOR CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSSUCCESS Focus on the future, not the past (e.g.

not on why something went wrong but on what to do about it now and how to prevent it happening again)

In addition to achieving a task, use meetings to build a sense of belonging, shared responsibility, shared goals and team spirit.


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CHECKLIST FOR CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSSUCCESS Allow group members to explore all sides

of the issues fully. To prevent confusion, clarify and summarise regularly.

Ask people to discuss what they know, not what they don’t know. Don’t ask for input on matters the group knows nothing about, has no expertise in or has no solid data or information about. People might be willing to share their opinions but you may then find yourself having to ignore those opinions


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CHECKLIST FOR CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSSUCCESS When you need to reach a decision, avoid

accepting ‘the lowest common denominator’, the ‘easy way out’ or rushing into a poor or rash decision.

Keep your own ideas until last, since your team may not want to disagree with you openly or challenge your opinions.

When a decision is reached, be clear about what it is and how it will be implemented.


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THE THE ENDEND

Documents

Lesson 6 - Time Management