Managing Multiple Priorities

Heather Brierley

Reasons for Poor Time Management

• Poor job description

• Personal disorganisation

• Organisational/Life issues

What am I FOR?

F Fundamental

O Outcome

R Requirement

Achieve, Mark Butcher

Q1 Urgent and Important

•Genuine crises•Pressing problems•Projects/work driven by deadlines•Fire fighting

Q2 Not Urgent but Important

•Planning, •Relationship building,•Creative thinking – new opportunities,•Preventing crises, projecting•Professional knowledge

Q3 Not Important but Urgent

•Interruptions•Some calls •Some mail•Some reports•Unprepared meetings

Q4 Not Important and Not Urgent

•Irrelevant mail and calls•Trivia•Unproductive activities•Stuff we like to do

Q1 Urgent and Important

•Genuine crises•Pressing problems•Projects/work driven by deadlines•Fire fighting

Consequences

- Burnout

- Stress

Q2 Not Urgent but Important

•Planning, •Relationship building,•Creative thinking – new opportunities,•Preventing crises, projecting•Professional knowledge

Consequences

- Vision

- Perspective

- Control

- Balance

Q3 Not Important but Urgent

•Interruptions•Some calls •Some mail•Some reports•Unprepared meetings

Consequences

- Out of control

- Short term focus

- Feel victimised

Q4 Not Important and Not Urgent

•Irrelevant mail and calls•Trivia•Unproductive activities•Stuff we like to do

Consequences

- Irresponsibility

- Dependant on others

Structuring Your Day

• Diaries

• Review Plans

• Multi-task

• High Energy Times

• Hidden Hour

Impacts of Procrastination

• Distress from delay

• Missed opportunities

• Last minute anxiety

• Guilt

• Damage to reputation

• Missed deadlines

• Sub-standard work

Why Procrastinate?• Reaction to threat

• Fear of Failure – need to be perfect

• Inner critic

• Short term gain – reduce tension, fun

• Logic based on past experience

• Fear of failure > Procrastination > Self-Criticism > Anxiety > Loss of confidence > Fear of Failure

Tips to overcome procrastination

• Everything so far

• Self impose deadlines

• Produce don’t procrastinate

• Think about starting tasks

• Bite size

• Time for leisure

Turn Procrastination into Action

• Often changing our ‘inner voice’ and our ‘self-talk’ is the first step to changing our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Here are some phrases as example:

• Think about some of the messages you give yourself when you think about the tasks you need to complete and identify other procrastination messages and how you can turn them into positive statements to promote action.

Procrastinators Producers

I have to I choose to

I must finish When can I start?

This is so big Take one small step

I must be perfect I am human

I don’t have time to play

I will make time to play

COMMUNICATE

Useful Resources

• Achieve! Personal Effectiveness in the Not-for-Profit Sector, Mark Butcher, 2003

The above can be purchased online at www.dsc.org.uk/publications

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven R. Covey

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Achieve! Personal Effectiveness in the Not-for Profit Sector

Mark Butcher

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Heather Brierley

Training Consultant

hbrierley@dsc.org.uk

0207 391 4857

www.dsc.org.uk