time management techniques and systems

time management skills techniques, free

templates and tools, tips and training
Here are practical tips, tools and skills to improve time management. Time
management starts with the commitment to change. Time management is
easy as long as you commit to action. You can train others and improve your
own time management through better planning; prioritising; delegating;
controlling your environment; understanding yourself and identifying what
you will change about your habits, routines and attitude.
The key to successful time management is planning and then protecting the
planned time. People who say that they have no time do not plan, or fail to
protect planned time. If you plan what to do and when, and then stick to it,
then you will have time. This involves conditioning, or re-conditioning your
environment. For people who have demands placed on them by others,
particularly other departments, managers, customers, etc, time
management requires diplomatically managing the expectations of others.
Time management is chiefly about conditioning your environment, rather
than allowing your environment to condition you. If you tolerate, and accept
without question, the interruptions and demands of others then you
effectively encourage these time management pressures to continue.
Time management has enormous implications for organisations and the
whole economy. See the astonishing 'wasted time' statistics on the time
management quick tips page.
The urgent/important matrix tool offers very quick easy improvement in time
management.

time management techniques, tools and

time management skills training
(time management quick tips summary here)
First, this one rule could change your ability to manage your time
more than anything else, which is why it's first: If you are a slave to
your email system, and particularly if your pc is set up to notify you
immediately upon the receipt of any incoming email, then I urge you to make
this simple change - it will dramatically improve your control over your time.
Turn off the pop-up or noise which notifies you that you have mail. For many
people this the single biggest obstacle to successful time management.
Establish a new habit of checking your email at certain times in the day,
when it is sensible for you and the business to do so - say, first when you
arrive at your desk or start work, second just before lunch, third around an
hour before normal business closes. You must decide when to look at
your emails - this control should not rest with everyone out there
who sends emails to you (nor indeed should this control rest with
the spamming and virus-spreading community). If your organization
has a policy which insists that you be constantly interrupted by your
incoming emails try suggesting that the policy is reviewed - involuntary
email notification is the single biggest time management detractor in the
world today.
Be prepared to make drastic changes. Be creative to find and introduce
different ways of doing things. Challenge and question your own habits,
routines, and the way you defend your time when others try to dictate how
you should use it. The Pareto Principle (80:20 Rule) is a simple easy starting
point for assessing where you currently direct your time, and for identifying
where your time could better be directed.
Really think about how you currently spend your time. If you don't know
keep a time log for a day or two. You can view and download a free time log
record tool at the businessballs free online resources section. Record
everything you do for a day or two, better still if you have varied days, keep
the time-log for a week. You'll be amazed; for instance, how long on average
are you able to work between each interruption? Many managers struggle to
achieve more than five or six minutes. If that's you, you need to make
changes.
Challenge anything that could be wasting time and effort, particularly
habitual tasks, meetings and reports where responsibility is inherited or
handed down from above. Don't just assume that just because 'we've always
done it this way' that it's still appropriate or even required at all. Think about
why you are doing things, and whether there is a better way. You can view
and download a free time management assessment tool at the free online
resources section, which will help you or another person to objectively judge
your time management, and underlying issues. This tool is also an excellent
preparation for time management training or coaching.
Review your activities in terms of your short-term and long-term goals, and
prioritise your activities accordingly. Especially, plan preparation and
creative thinking time in your diary for the long-term jobs, because they
need it. If you don't plan for the preparation you'll never do it, and all the
work will get left to the last minute (sounds familiar?......). The short-term
urgent tasks will always use up all your time unless you plan to spend it
otherwise.
Use a diary, and an activity planner to schedule when to do things, publish or
display it, and try to stick to it.
If you are subject to demand and request by others in your
organization, and need to recondition their expectations as to your
availability and their claim on your time, you should produce a
weekly schedule, showing your planned activities and time-slots for
everything that you do. This is a vital tool in helping you to explain
and justify to others why you must prioritise and schedule demands
from others when it suits you, not others.

weekly activity schedule - sample

time management tool and
template
The items here are examples of various activities. You can show precise
timings if you wish. It's not necessary to know exactly what will fill each time-
slot, especially if you are subject to unpredictable demands, as most people
are; the important thing is to schedule the time to deal with what arises, and
activities that you can predict need to be done at certain times. You'll know
what sport of time you need for these unforeseen activities, so plan time-
slots to accommodate them. Plan time-slots to check emails and post, but
not to deal with each one fully there and then - desperate emergencies are
rarely communicated by email or post - mostly they'd be by phone, so think
about the originators realistic expectations. Most emails you'll need simply to
acknowledge and give an indication of when you will respond in full, which
can be scheduled later, when it suits you, depending on the level of
importance and urgency. Plan time slots for returning and making phone
calls - don't just do them when you feel like it or when you happen to
remember. Plan and schedule things sensibly and logically - try to kill several
birds with one stone. Think about how best to use lunchtimes - and don't
work through every one - you need to unwind and take a break now and
then. Once you've produced your first weekly activity schedule it's easy to
keep it going; many of the slots will repeat. You'll also notice monthly
patterns too. The more senior your role, the further ahead you need to plan.

TIME MANAGEMENT TASK/ACTIVITY SCHEDULE EXAMPLE

Use a simple weekly planner to manage and protect your planned activities.
You'll manage your time by managing your activities - that means protecting
the time slots you plan for your tasks. Time management is mainly
dependent on planning activities into time slots and then protecting the
activities from interruptions, whether from other people or your own
distractions.

mon tues wed thur

am 1. check 1. check 1. check 1. check emails 1. c

emails, post, emails emails. 2. my appraisal 2. w
initial etc. 2. chase 3. staff appraisal re
response. 2. staff figures for 4. staff appraisal 3. c
2. review last appraisal weekly p
week reports 1 report 5. check emails 4. u
3. department 3. staff 3. strategy n
meeting matters meeting is
4. agency arising 4. process 5. p
meeting time-slot review
4. project time-slot 6. c
5. check emails time-slot
5. check
5. check emails
emails
lunc
h • with agency • project • with • with • w
team customer appraisee
working
lunch

pm 1. return phone 1. supplier 1. customer 1. emergencies 1. a

calls visit 1 visit time-slot n
2. emergency 2. supplier 2. customer 2. systems and d
situations visit 2 visit process m
time-slot 3. major 3. my review time- 2. p
3. reading phone appraisal slot w
monthly calls preparatio 3. weekly report s
reports 4. check n preparation 3. s
4. appraisals emails 4. check s
preparation emails 4. check emails is
5. thinking 4. c
5. check emails time-slot 5. phone calls
and initial for new and 5. c
responses strategy correspond o
project ence is

Here's a free time management task scheduler template based on the

above.
Try to plan and defend time-slots for everything that you do. Make lists and
work to them. You are at your most efficient the day before you start your
annual leave. If you really want to you can be this well-organised every day.
You must also plan time slots for unplanned activities - you may not know
exactly what you'll need to do, but if you plan the time to do it, then
important things will not get pushed out of the way when the demand arises.
Use the test: is this urgent or important? A job may be terribly important, but
may not need doing now. Get the genuinely urgent jobs out of the way first,
and don't allow yourself to be distracted by the bigger jobs that you can do
later.
The following matrix tool will help you manage your time according to
urgent/important task response, prioritising and planning. It is based on, and
extends, the time management matrix featured in Stephen Covey's Seven
Habits Of Highly Effective People.

urgent and important time management

matrix
The judgement as to whether activities are urgent, important, both or
neither, is crucial for good time management. Most inexperienced people,
and people who are not good at time management, nor in managing their
environment, tend to spend most of their time in boxes 1 and 3. Poor time
managers tend to prioritise tasks (and thereby their time), according to who
shouted last and loudest (interestingly, loudness normally correlates to
seniority, which discourages most people from questioning and probing the
real importance and urgency of tasks received from bosses and senior
managers). Any spare time is typically spent in box 4, which comprises only
aimless and non-productive activities. Most people spend the least time of all
in box 2, which is the most critical area for success, development and
proactive self-determination.

summary overview matrix - (tips on how to

manage time and activities in the matrix
below this one)

urgent not urgent

important 1 - DO NOW 2 - PLAN TO DO
• emergencies, complaints • planning, preparation,
 and crisis issues
• demands from superiors or
customers
•planned tasks or project
work now due
• meetings and
appointments
• reports and other
submissions
• staff issues or needs
• problem resolution, fire-
fighting, fixes
Subject to confirming the
importance and the urgency of
these tasks, do these tasks now.
Prioritise according to their
relative urgency.
not 3 - REJECT AND
important
EXPLAIN
• trivial requests from others
• apparent emergencies
• ad-hoc interruptions and
distractions
• misunderstandings
appearing as complaints
• pointless routines or
activities
• accumulated unresolved
trivia
• boss's whims or tantrums
Scrutinise and probe demands.
scheduling
• research,
investigation, designing,
testing
• networking
relationship building
•thinking, creating,
modelling, designing
•systems and process
development
• anticipation and
prevention
• developing change,
direction, strategy
Critical to success: planning,
strategic thinking, deciding
direction and aims, etc. Plan
time-slots and personal
space for these tasks.
4 - RESIST AND
CEASE
• 'comfort' activities,
computer games, net
surfing, excessive
cigarette breaks
• chat, gossip, social
communications
• daydreaming,
doodling, over-long
breaks
• reading nonsense or
irrelevant material
•unnecessary adjusting
equipment etc.
• embellishment and
 Help originators to re-assess.
Wherever possible reject and
avoid these tasks sensitively and
immediately.
over-production
Habitual 'comforters' not
true tasks. Non-productive,
de-motivational. Minimise or
cease altogether. Plan to
avoid them.

time management activities examples and

management methods

urgent not urgent

important 1 - DO NOW 2 - PLAN TO DO
• real major emergencies and • planning and
crisis issues preparation
• significant demands for • project planning and
information from superiors or scheduling
customers • research and
•project work with imminent investigation
deadline • networking
• meetings and appointments relationship building
• reports and other • thinking and
submissions creating
• staff issues or needs •modelling,
designing, testing
• problem resolution, fire-
fighting, fixes • systems and
process development
• serious urgent complaints
• anticipative,
preventative activities
Subject to confirming the or communication
importance and the urgency of • identifying need for
these tasks, these tasks need doing change and new
now. Prioritise tasks that fall into direction
this category according to their
relative urgency. If two or more
 tasks appear equally urgent,
discuss and probe the actual
requirements and deadlines with
the task originators or with the
people dependent on the task
outcomes. Help the originators of
these demands to re-assess the
real urgency and priority of these
tasks. These tasks should include
activities that you'll previously have
planned in box 2, which move into
box 1 when the time-slot arrives. If
helpful you should show your
schedule to task originators in
order to explain that you are
prioritising in a logical way, and to
be as productive and effective as
possible. Look for ways to break a
task into two stages if it's an
unplanned demand - often a
suitable initial 'holding' response or
acknowledgment, with a
commitment to resolve or complete
at a later date, will enable you to
resume other planned tasks.
not 3 - REJECT
important
(DIPLOMATICALLY)
• trivial and 'off-loaded'
requests from others
• apparent emergencies
• developing strategy
These tasks are most
critical to success, and yet
commonly are the most
neglected. These activities
include planning, strategic
thinking, deciding
direction and aims, etc.,
all crucial for success and
development. You must
plan time-slots for doing
these tasks, and if
necessary plan where you
will do them free from
interruptions, or 'urgent'
matters from quadrant 1
and 3 will take
precedence. Work from
home if your normal place
of work cannot provide
you with a quiet situation
and protection from
interruption. Break big
tasks down into separate
logical stages and plan
time-slots for each stage.
Use project management
tools and methods. Inform
other people of your
planned time-slots and
schedules. Having a
visible schedule is the key
to being able to protect
these vital time-slots.
4 - RESIST AND
CEASE
•unnecessary and
unchallenged routines
• 'comfort' activities;
computer games, net
 • ad-hoc interruptions surfing, excessive
cigarette breaks
• misunderstandings appearing
as complaints • chat and gossip
face-to-face and
• irrelevant distractions
phone
• pointless routines or activities
• social and domestic
•dealing with accumulated communications
unresolved trivia
•silly emails and text
• duplicated effort messages
• unnecessary double-checking •daydreaming and
• boss's whims or tantrums doodling
• interrupting others
• reading nonsense or
Scrutinise these demands
irrelevant material
ruthlessly, and help originators -
even your boss and your senior • unnecessary
managers - to re-assess the real adjusting, tidying,
importance of these tasks. Practice updating equipment,
and develop your ability to explain systems,
and justify to task originators why screensavers, etc.
you cannot do these tasks. • over-long breaks,
canteen, kitchen visits
Where possible reject and avoid
these tasks immediately, informing • embellishment and
and managing people's over-production
expectations and sensitivities •passive world-
accordingly; explain why you watching, TV,
cannot do these tasks and help the
originator find another way of • drink and drug
achieving what they need, which abuse
might involve delegation to another • aimless travel and
person, or re-shaping the demand driving
to be more strategic, with a more
• shopping or buying
sustainable solution.
for no purpose
Look for causes of repeating
demands in this area and seek to
prevent re-occurrence. Educate and
These activities are not
train others, including customers,
tasks, they are habitual
suppliers, fellow staff and superiors,
comforters which provide
to identify long-term remedies, not
a refuge from the effort of
just quick fixes. For significant
discipline and proactivity.
 repeating demands in this area,
create a project to resolve cause,
which will be a quadrant 2 task.
Challenge habitual systems,
processes, procedures and
expectations, eg "we've always
done it this way". Help others to
manage their own time and
priorities, so they don't bounce
their pressures onto you. Question
old policies and assumptions to see
if they are still appropriate.
These activities affirm the
same 'comfort-seeking'
tendencies in other
people; a group or whole
department all doing a lot
of this quadrant 4 activity
creates a non-productive
and ineffective
organizational culture.
These activities have no
positive outcomes, and
are therefore
demotivating. Often they
may be stress related, so
consider why you do these
things and if there's a
deeper root cause address
it.

The best method for

ceasing these activities,
and for removing
temptation to gravitate
back to them, is to have a
clear structure or
schedule of tasks for each
day, which you should
create in quadrant 2.

other time management tips

When you're faced with a pile of things to do, go through them quickly and
make a list of what needs doing and when. After this handle each piece of
paper only once. Do not under any circumstances pick up a job, do a bit of it,
then put it back on the pile. Do not start lots of jobs at the same time.
Be absolutely firm in dealing with time allocated for meetings, paperwork,
telephone, and visitors. When you keep your time log you will see how much
time is wasted. Take control. If you keep a weekly activity schedule you will
be able to control the time allocated for your tasks.
Review your work environment, layout, IT equipment, etc, and set it up for
efficiency. Tidy up your work-space and keep all paperwork filed away unless
you're working on it. Keep a clean desk and well-organized systems, but
don't be obsessive, or spend all week adjusting the settings of your screen-
saver.
If you have one, give 25% of your responsibility to your successor. (See the
rules of delegation.)
Delegate as much as possible to others (within the rules of delegation).
If you can't stop interruptions then go elsewhere when you need time alone.
Fight for your right to work uninterrupted when you need to.
Review all the regular reports you write and receive for usefulness, and
make or recommend changes. Set up an acceptable template for the regular
weekly or monthly reports you write, so you only need to slot in the updated
figures and narrative, each time. Why re-invent the wheel?
If you can, get a good assistant, secretary or pa.
Sharpen up your decision-making. If you can't decide, then decide how to,
(eg consult, get more information, delegate, etc), but don't just let it sit
there. Remember 'JFDI' (see the acronyms archive).
Learn to say 'No', politely, and constructively. Don't make a rod for your own
back. Be careful about accepting sideways delegation by your peers to you.
If you find it difficult to say 'No' you'll find it easier by using business reasons
to justify your position, eg., "I understand this is urgent for you, but I have
other priorities which I must deal with first for the good of the business - I'd
rather agree a realistic deadline with you than one which I can't meet." And
show people your schedule, which justifies and proves how you prioritise and
manage your time.
Always probe deadlines to establish the true situation - people asking you to
do things will often say 'now' when 'later today' would be perfectly
acceptable. Appeal to the other person's own sense of time management:
it's impossible for anyone to do a good job without the opportunity to plan
and prioritise.
Never try to eat an elephant all in one go, (ie break very big tasks down into
digestible chunks). Use project management methods for large jobs.
And above all, choose at least three of the above tips - preferably more - and
put them into effect.

time management training

Here are some ideas for time management training.
Focus on the practical issues. Time management training benefits from a
practical approach. Time management theory is difficult to put into effect
because problems are often caused by habit and environment, so training
should concentrate on helping people to implement necessary changes to
their routine, planning and especially their response to others. Successful
time management, especially for front-line or internal services staff, is about
re-conditioning the environment, as much as making changes to personal
planning and task completion.
Use the time management tools, templates and examples here, and explore
how best to adapt them for your own people's best benefit.
Work with the delegates to identify problems, solutions and then agree
commitment to making changes, which need to be supported by line
managers. Follow up with one-to-one mentoring and coaching (and involving
managers to get their support).
Particularly good improvements to time management can be achieved with
small groups from the same department (max 4 training delegates) -
comprising colleagues from the same work team. Small group sizes and
short sessions, up to two hours each, enable a strong practical focus and
results-based approach. Fortnightly sessions enable follow-up and
identification of next actions and changes.
It takes a while to change time management - on-going follow-up is critical or
it remains theory. Delegates are helped by group discussion about time
management issues, causes, and personal difficulties in implementing
change and control, which also allows the trainer to identify and coach
solutions. Identify practical improvements and then formalise commitments
to make changes (no need to do it all at once - identify solutions one by one;
seek improvements in stages rather than strive for one big all-or-nothing
change).
Look at the basics like diaries, wall-planners, a place to do big tasks free
from interruptions (eg home), better control and use of systems: mobile
phones, email, Outlook, etc - they can all undermine time-management if
they become masters not tools; day-books and updating daily priorities lists,
planning time-slots (for projects and routine activities) and keeping the time
slots protected. Use flow diagrams to establish and plan time-slots for
routine tasks.
Involvement of colleagues in the group is essential because mutual job
covering enables time slots to be protected, and interruptions to be reduced.
Involve delegates' managers in changes - it's in their interest to understand
and support (managers are often the main cause of time management
problems because they don't respect their staff's time-planning and
protected slots for projects or big task activities). Time management requires
re-conditioning the environment rather than allowing the environment to
condition the worker.
Time management training works when people can examine and develop
solutions for their practical issues - identify problems, develop solutions,
agree commitment to change, and arrange support (mutual within team, and
from managers).
Time management is well-suited to the activity mentoring approach
described on the general training section of businessballs.
A great illustration of the need for time management planning is the rocks in
a bucket story.
See the Pareto Principle (80:20 Rule).

By:- SAMIR KHAN