Even Ants Have Time for a Picnic

Time Management Tips for the Desperate but Still Conscious

Facilitated by: Faith Wood of Inspiring Minds Consulting

#Inspiring_Minds www.faithwood.com

this seminar is going to discuss our human behaviour and attitudes towards time management and focus on some practical intervention strategies. I hope you may discover that elusive life-work balance, achieving your goals and becoming at least a little more effective with your time.

What did we do before clocks?

With respect to human history, timekeeping is a relatively recent human desire—probably 5000 to 6000 years old. However, somehow we have developed a slavery of sorts when it comes to clocks. Between work schedules and sleep requirements, we have an almost unnatural relationship with clocks. So what did we do before we became enslaved? Was it more relaxed than it is today? Consider Thomas Edison who was one of the most prolific inventors of all time (1093) patents in total. He stated that he found clocks to be a huge distraction to getting tasks completed so he never kept one anywhere near his workspace

Are you more a left brain thinker or a right one?

Left Brain thinkers see time as black and white – in monochromic order (narrow scope) – they do one thing and then another – never simultaneously Right brain thinkers see options at every turn. They have the ability to do multiple activities at one time. (not necessarily well, but definitely the ability to tackle talking and walking or watching TV and reading)

Are you Formal with Time or Casual?

Formal with time People –like order and predictability. Casual with time people – time is really more of a guide than a rule.

Time creates certain personality profiles: Some work for us and some don’t!

for you, every event is a crisis. You are so busy putting out the fires that you have no time to deal with anything else – especially the boring, mundane things (such as time management). The tasks pile up all around you while you rush from fire to fire all day long. You will typically see this personality type making a run for their car at the end of every day!

The Fireman

The Ant Personality

This group is more concrete sequential than most. They are the problem solvers and often fixate on a problem until it is finished – they simply cannot leave things alone. They have to know exactly what the project is, detail by detail, and then insist on solving it even if it is a long term project. They are unable to cope with too many varied demands as they fixate on the one they are working on. These individuals profess that any people who move chaotically from thought to thought without explicit structure will leave a trail of inappropriate blind spots or cause the gears of thought to grind to a halt.

The Over Committer

Your problem is that you have not learned how to say NO. All anyone has to do is ask and you will agree to chair yet another committee, take on additional projects or organize yet another community event. You are so busy you gave up on the task lists ages ago. We will typically find this person hiding out in the rest room.

The Aquarian

Honestly, there is such a thing as being too ‘laid-back’’, especially when it starts interfering with your ability to finish tasks or returning phone calls. Getting to things when you get to them is NOT time management – it is AVOIDANCE We typically see this personality hanging out with their feet on their desk daydreaming and contemplating their priorities

The Perfectionist

You have a compulsion to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s, preferably with elaborate whorls. Exactitude is your watchword and you feel that no rushed job can be a good job. Finishing tasks to your satisfaction is such a problem you need more time zones, not just more time. Typically we see this person hunched over their latest project working late into the night.

The Chatty Kathy

Born to socialize, you have astounding oral communication skills and cannot resist exercising them at every opportunity. Every interaction becomes a long drawn out conversation – especially if there is an unpleasant task dawning that you would like to put off in the hopes that someone else (like the over committer) will pick it up. We typically see this personality type talking animatedly on their cell phone.

Seriously! Get over yourselves!

Recognize and accept that everyone has a different approach to time and no amount of influence will dramatically alter the other person’s general outlook. Start influencing your own behaviours and let them worry about theirs!

Realize that Time Management is a Myth

No matter how organized you are, there are always only 24 hours in a day or 1440 minutes to work with. Time doesn't change. Notice how much you actually speed up time by telling yourself (all day long) “I’m running out of time” or “I don't have enough time”. “hurry up”, “Time’s almost up”; “I cant fit that in”

Which projects are occupying most of your time?

Boulders are long term goals. They usually take weeks and many steps to complete. These are the strategic priorities and are the most important to keep moving forward Pebbles are tasks – phone calls, meetings, reports, etc that are valuable. Often pebbles are connected to a boulder. Pebbles can be completed in one sitting, one conversation, one meeting, etc Sand represents low-value interruptions. People dropping by your desk to chat, much of your email, etc. They may look important, but typically fails to produce any meaningful results

(According to Author Hugh Culver, Give me a Break)

Start by Putting a Stop to the Time-Sucking, Productivity Draining Bad Habits:

1.Stop and Start

You wouldn’t start cooking dinner to turn it off and wander off to do 10 other tasks for an hour and then come back to cooking.

#2: Fake Work

You know. The pretend work you do when you are avoiding something really scary? The stuff that justifies you calling it a work day, but yet accomplishes nothing.

The difference between fake work and real work is the impact it has on your business. Fake work is a distraction disguised as work.

#3: Wheel Spinning

#4: Administrivia

#5: Agenda-less Meetings

Getting bogged down with the little details that distract you from more purposeful tasks.

Meetings that start without purpose and focus tend to drag on and accomplish nothing. My rule is: no agenda, no attenda!

#6: Endless Time

#7: Social Candy

If you give something endless amounts of time, it somehow finds a way to fill it. And yet the same task done under pressure is easily done in half the time.

The warning signs that you are participating in social candy is when you stop actively engaging and start passively consuming.

Leverage Habits and create strong rituals

Routines simplify; clarify; and create order, symmetry, and familiarity in chaos and high stress. Rituals are the foundation of success.

Commit to the 4 D’s

Do It Now

Dump It Delay It

Delegate It

Stop Procrastinating

1. Reframe your Focus 2. Chunk the project down

3. Sometimes DONE is PERFECTION 4. Make time to Celebrate 5. Minimize or Eliminate Distractions

“I have time”. I have come to realize that the amount of time I have to get something done is exactly the amount of time it takes to make that happen.

Try this! There is one thing on your plate right now that you feel pressured to get done. Tackle it immediately – not email or web surfing. As you work on it, repeat this sentence in your head “I have plenty of time”. You will be amazed. You no longer feel the need to rush through everything. You do not have to do it all at once. You can pick the most important thing and slow down.

Implement a Plan

Plans

The focus of time management is actually changing your behaviours, not changing time.

Organize your Workspace:

Getting rid of clutter is one of the best things we can do to make a more efficient work environment.

Take a minute

When you multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, you can accomplish anything you want.

Gain Control over your Email

Check your mail twice a day. Checking your e-mail frequently is one of the big time-wasters of the modern office. Avoid it if you can. Set aside two periods when you know it will be quiet and check your mail then. Set a timer to remind you to stop this task so it doesn’t get away on you. Use separate accounts for personal and business mail.

Sort Emails by Sender or Project

Make Time for What Matters…. Urgent Vs Important. What's The Difference?

“Are you one of those people who consider eating and sleeping life’s little luxuries?” - Faith Wood, Author of Life under the Limbo Bar

How can you make sure that you have one quiet, productive hour per day without interruptions? What important projects or tasks do you never seem to have time for? Do you even need to do them?

“Researchers tell us we spend far fewer hours of our lives regretting the things we’ve done than we do regretting the things we haven’t done.” - Faith Wood, CSP

There are times when an appropriate No can save you hours or even days of additional effort. You must learn the value of your own time.

Stop wasting time: WAITING

Always take something to do with you, such as a report you need to read or edit, an article that you want to read, or just a blank pad of paper that you can use to plan your next brilliant idea.

Watch Your Posture -- Move About Energetically -- Listen to Your Body...

Take A Break?

Deep breathing is the best

way to promote mental

stimulation. Take a brisk walk,

do knee bends -- anything to

increase your deep breathing

and stretch your muscles.

Make time for Fun?

Look for things that are fun to do, and find new ways to have fun at what you're already doing. To keep a healthy balance and to prevent burnout, switch between your roles as needed to stay current with your interests, hobbies, family, friends and fun.

"The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary." Thomas A. Edison

A few minutes spent doing ‘nothing’ is NOT wasted time. Your brain has to be able to wind down periodically You need to be able to relax or you’ll burn out.

Any Questions? Comments?

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Chalk full of ideas and tips for gaining balance and enthusiasm!