Managing Your Time

“One person’s success doesn't arise from having more or less time than other people.

Success in your professional (and personal) life is the result of the way you use the time you have available.”

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

• Controlling the use of your most valuable (and undervalued) resources

• Helps you work smarter to accomplish your work more easily and rapidly

• Teaches you about balancing your time appropriately• Uses the time you have available more effectively• It isn’t 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

What is Time Management?

• Smart time managers know that there is much more to do than anyone could possibly accomplish. So instead of trying to do it all, smart time managers 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

• If you become a good time manager, you’ll not only get a lot more done in less time, but you’ll feel more relaxed, focused and in control of your life

What is Time Management?

• To be successful in life• To successfully manage your priorities and reach your goals• To Know what you can and can't do within the time you have• To prioritise tasks and do the most important and urgent one’s first• To control your time and realistically structure your schedule to

help you become more effective and productive• Time is a very special resource in that you cannot store it or save it

for later.• It helps you use the time that you do have in better ways• You need time to get what you want out of life• You can accomplish more with less effort• Helps you to make conscious choices so you can spend more of

your time doing things that are important and valuable to you

Why is Time Management Important?

• Wasted Time• Missed Deadlines• Poor Quality Work • Strained Relationships• Lack of Focus• Disorganised• Overlooking Details

What are the Consequences of Poor Time Management?

• Tiredness• Frustration• Difficulty concentrating• Irritability• Rushing• Failing to communicate• Doing too much• Forgetting• Bored

Signs of Poor Time Management

• Inconsistent behaviour• Arguing• Criticising• Moaning• Loss of sleep• Missing deadlines• Overlooking details• Making mistakes

• Achieve more• Less (self-inflicted) pressure• Better planning• Better health• Better to know/be with• More considered views• In control• Better allocation of task• Your team respect you

Benefits of Time Management?

• Things get done• Improved communication • Less fire-fighting• Improved self-confidence• Increased energy• Get a sense of achievement

& peace of mind• Increased productivity

1. 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 organised.

2. Prioritise your list Prioritising 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.

15 Best Time Management Tips

15 Best Time Management Tips

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

15 Best Time Management Tips

15 Best Time Management Tips

7. Continuously improve yourself Make time in your schedule to learn new things and develop your natural talents and abilities. Continuously improving your knowledge and skills increases your marketability and can help boost your career.

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.

9. Use a time management system Using a time management system can help you keep track of everything that you need to do, organise and prioritise your work, and develop sound plans to complete it.

10. 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.

15 Best Time Management Tips

15 Best Time Management Tips

11. Don’t do other 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.

12. Keep a goal journal 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!

15 Best Time Management Tips

13. Don’t be a 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.

14. Beware of “filler” tasks When you have a to-do list filled with important tasks, be careful not to get distracted by “filler” tasks. Things such as organising your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you tackle the items that have the highest priority.

15 Best Time Management Tips

15. Avoid “efficiency 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. Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems that help you use your time to accomplish what you want.

Describe the importance of time management and list three potential consequences of poor time management

Then

Describe the techniques that are available to manage time

Time Management Task

Time Management Techniques

1. Work From A List2. Plan Your Day3. Work on important things first4. Schedule your "big rocks" and

let the other stuff fill the gaps5. Use Time Charts6. Use Reminder Systems7. Use a Diary

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

am

Lunch

pm

Plan Your Time

For More Information, Advice and Guidance

At Pathway group we want to help people make the most of their time and progress in their careers. For more information about our leadership, mentoring, team leading and time management

courses or any other information please:

Call: 0121 707 0550E-mail: info@pathwaygroup.co.uk