Time Management Trainer’s notes

These notes are intended to be used in conjunction with the Time Management Prezi which can be found here http://prezi.com/znbj4wgkzc1r/time-management/?auth_key=0c85c4634310c823596b8bf0ce82fb4497d251e6

To run the workshop you will need

·  A room suitable for people to work in groups (ie not a lecture theatre)

·  Computer and projector, to show the prezi

·  Copies of the handout and time log for each attendee.

The workshop takes around 2-2.5 hours to deliver, depending on the number of participants

Preparation

It is useful for each attendee to complete a time log for at least a day before attending the workshop. Therefore, when confirming attendance, it is a good idea to send a blank time log and request each person complete it and bring it to the workshop. This helps attendees focus on what wastes their time

Navigate through the prezi using the arrow keys or the left mouse button. Additional notes on each section follow. Section titles are underlined

Introduce yourselves

·  When everyone is seated, get them to introduce themselves to the rest of the table and talk about what they want to get out of the course. This breaks the ice and introduces ideas that can be drawn out later in the discussion.

What wastes your time?

·  Take suggestions from the group about what they think wastes time- what came up in the time logs? Was this a surprise? Did it confirm what they already suspected?

·  One of the key things that will come up is lack of planning, which leads to procrastination

Procrastination

·  Almost everyone will say they procrastinate. There are lots of different reasons for procrastination- perfectionism (not starting til you are confident you’ll be perfect) Fear of failure (it can’t go wrong if you never start) and fear of success (if you do brilliantly once, you will have to be equally as brilliant next time).

·  Whatever the reason for procrastination, it leads to reacting to situations as they arise, rather than planning for them in good time. Recognising when you are procrastinating is the first step to avoiding it

Tackling time wasters

·  Look back at the time logs- what kind of time wasters are people identifying? Time management helps you avoid , get rid of or plan around them.

·  Good time management can increase your focus, benefit your work/life balance and reduce stress and anxiety.

·  It’s about increasing productivity-you work smarter, not longer!

·  The following time management techniques are examples- try them and see what works (this is important, different people will find different things useful)

Concentration and focus

·  Pomodoro is a good way to get through lots of small tasks, or tasks you don’t want to do (25 minutes doesn’t seem like a long time, easier to fool yourself into doing it)

·  The breaks need to be actual breaks- get up, walk around the room, get a drink.

·  Good time management takes into account when you concentrate most fully- plan the day to take account of this

·  Focus is better when you are using your brain to process information- use tasks software or a note book to note things down so you are not worrying about forgetting them.

Planning and your to do list

·  Almost everyone will use a to do list so it is worth spending some time on this

·  To do lists contain short term tasks, which work toward a longer term goal. For example, if the goal is to produce a conference paper, a task might be drafting the introduction.

·  SMART targets are useful to give focus to the tasks.

·  To do lists need to be revised in order to be useful

·  Activity Participants create a to do list for the coming week. Take questions afterward- how did it go?

Tools

·  Examples of tools in the handout.

·  Flowchart: useful for visualising processes (the example is from XKCD.com)

·  Tasks software: often integrated in email (gtasks) or as a reminder app (on the ipad). Useful for sending reminders if you forget things

·  Mind maps. The photo is of Erika Hawkes’s mind map of tasks. Main branches are goals, smaller are short term tasks. Useful if you process information visually.

·  Gantt charts. Possibly familiar to people with engineering backgrounds or experience in project management. Useful for showing timings and dates for individual tasks.

·  There is more information in the resources section of the handout.

Prioritisation

·  When faced with a to do list it can be daunting- prioritisation is key.

·  Important means it feeds into your long term goal. Urgent means it has a tight timescale.

·  The action-priority matrix can help distinguish between the two (in the handbook)

·  Non-work activities are also important- relaxation helps you work more effectively!

·  Activity Participants prioritise their to-do list

Saying no

Saying no

·  Other people can take up your time- saying no to requests is hard, but can help you manage your time better.

·  Talk through different ways of saying no-can you reschedule, put it off, say ‘yes, but this means I can’t do the other thing’ etc etc

Interruptions

·  Avoiding interruptions helps get things done

·  Find a quiet space to work if possible

·  Use an ‘out of office’ note on your email/door, even if you are in the office

·  Turn off your phone/Instant messenger for set periods of time

·  Schedule a time for interruptions- an hour when you can tell people to get back in touch.

Final activity

Participants create a time management strategy taking into account working style, tools, techniques. Ask participants to share details of this with the rest of the group- the conversation is often the most useful part.