TIME AND STRESS TIME AND STRESS MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

BY MALAMI MUHAMMAD MAISHANU

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OutlineOutlineWhy is Time Management Important?Goals, Priorities, and PlanningTO DO ListsDesks, paperwork, telephonesScheduling YourselfDelegationMeetingsTechnologyGeneral AdviceStrategies of Stress Management

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Why Time Management is Why Time Management is Important?Important?

By using time management skills effectively, you can reduce work stress by being more in control of your time, and by being more productive.

This ensures that you have time to relax outside work.

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Time Management and StressTime Management and Stress

Bad Time Management = Stress

Stress = Poor Productivity5

The Problem is SevereThe Problem is SevereBy some estimates, people waste about 2 hours per day. Signs of time wasting:◦ Messy desk and cluttered (or no) files (see

next slide);◦ Can’t find things;◦ Miss appointments, need to reschedule

them late and/or unprepared for meetings;◦ Volunteer to do things other people should

do;◦ Tired/unable to concentrate

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Hear me Now, Believe me LaterHear me Now, Believe me Later

Being successful doesn’t make you manage your time well.

Managing your time well makes you successful.

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Goals, Priorities, and PlanningGoals, Priorities, and Planning

Why am I doing this?What is the goal?Why will I succeed?What happens if I chose not to do it?

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PLANNINGPLANNINGFailing to plan is planning to fail

Plan Each Day, Each Week, Each Month

You can always change your plan, but only once you have one!

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TO Do ListsTO Do ListsBreak things down into small steps

Like a child cleaning his/her room

Do the ugliest thing first

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The four-quadrant TO DO ListThe four-quadrant TO DO List

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1 2

3 4

Important

Not Important

Due Soon Not Due Soon

PaperworkPaperworkClutter is death; it leads to

thrashing. Keep desk clear: focus on one thing at a time

A good file system is essentialTouch each piece of paper onceTouch each piece of email once;

your inbox is not your TODO list

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TelephoneTelephoneKeep calls short; stand during call

Start by announcing goals for the call

Have something in view that you’re waiting to get to next

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Office LogisticsOffice LogisticsMake your office comfortable for you, and optionally comfortable for others

No soft comfortable chairs!

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Scheduling YourselfScheduling Yourself

You don’t find time for important things, you make it

Everything you do is an opportunity cost

Learn to say “No”15

Everyone has Good and Bad TimesEveryone has Good and Bad Times

Find your creative/thinking time. Defend it ruthlessly, spend it alone, maybe at home.

Find your dead time. Schedule meetings, phone calls, and mundane stuff during it.

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Cutting Things ShortCutting Things Short“I’m in the middle of something

now…”Start with “I only have 5

minutes” – you can always extend this

Stand up, stroll to the door, complement, thank, shake hands

Clock-watching; on wall behind them

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DelegationDelegationNo one is an islandYou can accomplish a lot more with help

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Delegation is not dumpingDelegation is not dumping

Grant authority with responsibility.

Concrete goal, deadline, and consequences.

Treat your people well

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Challenge PeopleChallenge PeoplePeople rise to the challenge:

You should delegate “until they complain”

Communication Must Be Clear: “Get it in writing”

Give objectives, not proceduresTell the relative importance of

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MeetingsMeetingsLock the door, unplug the phoneMaximum of 1 hourPrepare: there must be an

agenda1 minute minutes: an efficient

way to keep track of decisions made in a meeting: who is responsible for what by when?

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TechnologyTechnologyLaptop computer (and docking

station)◦You can scavenge time & work anywhere◦one machine in your life is the right number

Google (now with image search!)Digital Library (I haven’t been in

the library in over five years)22

E-Mail TipsE-Mail TipsSave all of it; no exceptionsIf you want somebody to do something,

make them the only recipient. Otherwise, you have diffusion of responsibility. Give a concrete request/task and a deadline.

If you really want somebody to do something, CC someone powerful.

Nagging is okay; if someone doesn’t respond in 48 hours, they’ll probably never respond. (True for phone as well as email).

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General Advice: VacationsGeneral Advice: VacationsPhone callers should get two

options:◦ If this can’t wait, contact so, so, person

at 080-350…◦Otherwise please call back June 1

This works for Email too!Vacations should be vacations. ◦ It’s not a vacation if you’re reading

email

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General Advice - D-O I-T N-O-W General Advice - D-O I-T N-O-W

D = Divide and conquer what you have to do. Break big tasks into smaller pieces and give each piece a realistic deadline.

O = Organize your materials... and plan how you will tackle the job.

I = Ignore interruptions. Come in early or stay after hours to assure needed quiet time to complete important projects.

T = Take the time to learn how to do certain essential things yourself instead of always having to wait for a secretary, consultant or some other helper to do it for you.

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General Advice - D-O I-T N-O-W General Advice - D-O I-T N-O-W N = Now, don’t procrastinate. Put the task

you have been dreading the most at the top of your to-do list.

O = Opportunity is knocking. Take advantage of opportunities.

W = Watch out for time gobblers such as the Internet, E-mail, watching TV, talking on the phone. But do make time to have lunch, exercise and take vacations to recharge your batteries and reconnect with your family and friends.

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STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENTStress happens when we are not relaxed,

when our minds aren't settled. When there's too much to do, too many

distractions, and too many problems. An overload of stress is bad for your

body, your emotional health, and your business. You can't eliminate it completely, but there are ways to reduce your stress levels.

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STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENTStress management starts with identifying the

sources of stress in your life. Your true sources of stress aren’t always

obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress.

Most definitely you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.

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STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENTTo identify your true sources of stress, look

closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I

just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?

Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”).

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STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENTDo you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

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STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENTUnhealthy ways of coping with

stressSmoking Drinking too muchOvereating or undereating Zoning out for hours in front of the TV

or computerWithdrawing from friends, family, and

activities 31

STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENT

Using pills or drugs to relax Sleeping too much Procrastinating Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence)

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STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIESSTRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIESAvoid unnecessary stressAlter the situationAdapt to the stressorAccept the things you can’t

changeMake time for fun and

relaxationAdopt a healthy lifestyle

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#1: Avoid unnecessary stress#1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.

Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.

Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route.

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#1: Avoid unnecessary stress#1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list.

Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

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#2: Alter the situation#2: Alter the situationExpress your feelings instead of

bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way.

Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. This way there will be good chance of finding a happy middle ground.

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#2: Alter the situation#2: Alter the situation

Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got a a deadline, tell any chatty colleague that you only have five minutes to talk.

Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress.

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#3: Adapt to the stressor#3: Adapt to the stressorReframe problems. Try to view stressful

situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.

Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

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#3: Adapt to the stressor#3: Adapt to the stressorAdjust your standards. Perfectionism is a

major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

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#4: Accept the things you can’t #4: Accept the things you can’t changechange

Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth.

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#4: Accept the things you can’t #4: Accept the things you can’t changechange

Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist.

Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

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#5: Make time for fun and relaxation#5: Make time for fun and relaxation

Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.

Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.

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#5: Make time for fun and relaxation#5: Make time for fun and relaxation

Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.

Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

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#6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle#6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle

Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.

Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.

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#6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle#6: Adopt a healthy lifestyleReduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary

"highs" caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary.

Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

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