1440 minutes in a day:

Managing Your Time

Presented by Michele Guerra, MS, CHES
Director UI Wellness Center
 Steps to
managing your time well

• Prioritize tasks
• Get Organized
• Overcome procrastination
• Let go of perfectionism
• Manage disruptions
• Avoid taking on too much
 Take the quiz!

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_88.htm
 Scoring the quiz
Questions Points Questions Points
1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15 2, 5, 10, 11, 12
Not at all 1 Not at all 5
Rarely 2 Rarely 4
Sometimes 3 Sometimes 3
Often 4 Often 2
Very often 5 Very often 1

Score Comment
46-75 You're managing your time very effectively! Still, see if
there's anything you can tweak to make this even better
31-45 You're good at some things, but there's room for
improvement elsewhere.
15-30 Ouch. The good news: you've got a great opportunity to
improve your effectiveness. However, to realize this, you've
got to fundamentally improve your time management skills.
 Understanding your score
(and improving your time management
skills)
Areas needing improvement Related questions
Goal setting 6, 10, 14, 15
Prioritization 1, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15
Managing interruptions 5, 9, 11, 12
Procrastination 2, 10, 12
Scheduling 3, 7, 12
 Organizing: The to-do list
• Helps you prioritize
• Helps you overcome procrastination
• It’s a critical starting point
– not a stand–alone tool
 ABCs to Prioritizing
1. Write to-do list
2. Review list: Break large tasks into smaller tasks
3. Prioritize by ABCs
4. Delegate those tasks more appropriate for
someone else
5. Schedule your day (week). Assign a deadline for
each task.
6. Consider your daily cycle (most demanding tasks
when you are most focused/ energized)
 A Priorities
• Urgent AND important
• Support a long term goal
• Support others you work with
• Ask: What terrible thing would happen if I
didn’t do this today?
• Only top priorities get A category
 B Priorities
• Important but not urgent
• Mild consequences for not doing this (e.g.
some may be unhappy or inconvenienced)
• Time (waiting period) usually elevates to A or
drops to C
• Never do a B task when there is an A task the
needs to be finished
 C Priorities
• Not important or urgent
– Sometimes are not important but are urgent
• No consequences for not doing this
• Nice to do
 Prioritization Grid
URGENT NOT URGENT
A B
Deadline Paper due next month
Important
Presentation tomorrow Planning
Scheduled at work Some calls or requests

Pick child up at daycare Rejuvenation time

C C
Not important

Interruptions Trivia
Disruptions Busy work
Some calls Time wasters
Friend asks favor Gaming, Facebook
 Organizing: schedules
• Get the big picture (semester, work cycle, vacations)
• Know your schedule (weekly calendar)
• Determine how much time it takes to complete various
tasks (double your estimates)
• Plan a balanced schedule (fixed and flexible tasks)
• Identify odd hours and small bits of time – plan how you
can use them
• Schedule time for prioritizing
• Schedule breaks and time for rejuvenation
• Enter all this somewhere (paper, outlook, phone app)
 Overcoming procrastination
• Recognize that you are procrastinating
• Evaluate and diagnose your procrastination: e.g. reasons,
what parts of the task,
• Take counter-measures against procrastination:
– use to-do list
– break large tasks into smaller parts
– schedule specific times to do things you are mostly likely to put
off
– address reasons (e.g. don’t like the task, hard to start, fear of
failure)
– reward yourself for starting and finishing
 More procrastination busting tips
• Create the Right Environment
• Set Up the Task
• Post Your Deadlines
• Do the Fun Stuff First
• Start Somewhere, Start Anywhere
• Beware of Multitasking
• Know That You Can't Do Everything Perfectly!
From ADDitude magazine
http://www.additudemag.com/slideshow/99/slide1.html?utm_source=eletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=August
 Perfectionism
• Be aware of your tendencies
• Take an honest look at how you spend your time
• Analyze & reframe your self-talk
• Focus on the big picture
• Ask “what’s really needed in this situation?”
– Is perfection necessary or even better?
• Maintain high but attainable standards
• Be realistic about what you can accomplish
• Seek help when needed
• Don’t throw work away – replant it
 Managing disruptions
• Disruptions are often urgent (at least in the mind of the
person presenting them) but not important
• Identify recurring interruptions and distractions
– Keep a log
• Learn to say no: Be polite but assertive
• Other tips: Establish available/not available hours, turn
off IM Chat; use Outlook to identify uninterruptable
time
• Set limits with necessary interruptions
– e.g. I have five minutes, I can do this tomorrow
 More disruption diffusing tips
• Remind yourself: Your Availability ≠ Your Importance
• Develop phrases that deflect the “Got a minute?”
intrusion to a later time
• Use “modified” open door policy
• Consider working in another location sometimes
• Configure your office so your desk faces the door
• Stand up on the entry of intrusive visitors
• Schedule meetings in other person’s office
 Avoid taking on too much

• Learn to set limits

and say no thank you
• Learn to delegate,
share work, let
others help
 Creating SMART goals
• Specific: Precise statement of what needs to be
accomplished: exactly what are you going do, how much?
When? How often?
• Measurable: Concrete criteria for gauging progress. Helps
you manage and evaluate your goal.
• Attainable:
Assurance your goal fits your ability.
Something you can accomplish. Not too easy or too hard
• Relevant: Personalization of your goal. Supports your
interests, values, needs and talents. Critical to motivation.
• Timed: Beginning point and deadlines. Gets your started
and keeps you on track.
 Final tips
• Use small bits of time, odd hours, waiting time
• Handle paper (email, etc.) only once
• Use automatic systems when possible
• Get enough rest, eat well, exercise
• Ask for advice when needed
 Make a plan today!
• Managing your time increases your success
– In school, at work , in life
• Managing your time well reduces stress
• Managing your time well enhances work-life
balance

The bad news is time flies. The good

news is you're the pilot. -Michael Althsuler
 Thanks for participating!
For more info contact Michele Guerra
244-2205 or mguerra@illinois.edu