Success Through Time Management!

Success through Time Management is the Progressive Realization of Worthwhile, 
Predetermined Personal Goals. Now, what do all these fancy words mean? Well, 
let's look at them individually:


Progressive...means ongoing and something you work at on a regular schedule
Realization....something that comes to be...accomplishment
Worthwhile..has a meaningful benefit..something you feel good about
Predetermined...goal set in advance of doing it
Personal... means it is yours and only yours..you own it
Goals....a task you need to accomplish set in writing with actions and due dates


It is true that who we are today is a culmination of our past behavior and we behave 
the way we have been programmed. The top 3% of individuals in our country today are 
wealthy people. The next 10% are pretty well off and have an average net worth of over 
$200,000. Now, the next 60% are the ones who pay most of the taxes, have a little equity in their home which is generally offset by Visa and Mastercard and usually have a net worth of $0. There are 230 million people in this category. The remaining 27% need some form of help to get by. The difference between the average of the first two groups is 50 times and from the top of the first group to the bottom of the second is 2000 times!


Now, this is not just a financial abormality. How many of you belong to some type of
organization? Church is probably a great example. If you took the top 13% out of that 
group of people what would you likely have left? Probably not much, right? These 13% are the Leaders; the people who get things accomplished that the others look up to! What sets the 3% apart from the 10%? Many say that they inherited it...but the statistics say otherwise. Only 9% of people have wills! They all have great Time Management skills and get more done is less time than the others. How do they do that? Read on...


These numbers have not changed in 75 years. Through all the wars, Presidents,
 Republican, Democrat, Race or Religion it makes no difference. Economists tell us that if you re-distributed all the money in our country and gave everyone an equal share, in 7 years it would be back in the same 3-10-60-27 distribution but not necessarily in the same hands...amazing isn't it?


How can we change who we are and get ourselves in the top 13%? We must change 
our behavior and that is done through Goal Setting and a process called Spaced 
Repetition. Spaced Repetition is how we learned to do the things we do today...also 
called Conditioning.  We have both positive and negative conditioning. Do you 
remember these?


Children should be seen and not ______
Don't bite off more than you can ______
Don't go where you're not ______
Never talk to a ______
Never take candy from a ______
Mom said be sure you have on clean underwear because______
How many of you thought "Be Careful" was part of going out the door?


Why do we remember these things so well? When you hear something only one time 
you will remember less than 3% after one week ... and the Pastors blame themselves 
when they ask you about last weeks Sermon! The reason the examples are so vivid is 
because we heard them over and over again with space in between ... 
spaced repetition. When Lou Holtz coached Notre Dame he kept telling his players 
how well they were doing...every day...day after day...over and over again. Pretty soon that's all they remembered was how good they were and guess what happened? 
You got it!


Well, if you want to change your current results you must change Your Attitude which 
drives Your Behavior. The way to do this is through Goal Setting and Spaced Repetition. Professor George Odiom of the University of Michigan once said:"That which does not change remains the same" (very profound statement!) but he also said: "That which remains the same becomes obsolete" Let's not go there. Let us do the things we talked about today and get ourselves in the top 13% of all people in our country.


Good Time Management mandates the use of Goal Setting and we will explore the 
elements to  Time Management Goals in future posts to this Blog. We'll take a look 
at Effective Use of Time, Detractors to Time, Top Payoff Activities, Master List of 
Time Managment Goals, Identifying Time Problems, and the Effective use of Delegation.

Effective Use of Time

It is important to understand just exactly where you now stand in
relation to using your time effectively. The following quiz will help
you to quantify your position on nine important areas of your
business life. You must be completely honest with yourself for this
to be helpful.


After you have completed your answers, allow some time to pass.
Then review the questionnaire and the answers and decide whether
you are pleased with the honest answers you gave. If you are
satisfied, place a check mark in the + column. If you wish it had
been possible to give a different answer, place a check in the -
column. The marks in the "-" column will give you some insight
into areas of Time Management where you might set goals for
improvement. Good Luck!


1. Work Hours Y N   + -
a. Are you satisfied with the number of hours
    you work each week?
1. How many hours do you work?
2. How many would you like to work?
b. If you could shorten your work day one
    hour, do you know how you would spend
    the time you save?
1. How would you spend it? __________
    _________________________________


2. Work Habits
a. Do you make a written list of what you intend
    to do each day?
b. Do you keep any kind of record that shows
    whether you complete your list or not?
c. Do you assign time limits to the items on your
    task list?
d. Do you have a calendar where you record tasks
    and appointments you intend to accomplish in
    the future?


3. Types of Time
a. Do you set aside a block of time every day or
    several times a week for uninterrupted activity?
b. Do you set priorities for different tasks and
    decide which jobs merit your primary attention ?
c. Do you tend to organize related tasks to be
    accomplished is specific blocks of time? (Example):
    Grouping calls, reading mail, etc.


4. Work Space
a. Do you often find yourself spending more than
    2 - 3 minutes looking for something you need?
b. Do you keep your work space fairly clear of
    anything except the project you are currently
    working on?
c. Is your work space arranged so that everything
    you need is readily available?


5. Training Those Who Work For You Y N + -
a. Could as much as half of the questions be
    avoided with better job training?
b. Do you stop  your work to answer questions
    at unplanned times each day?
c. Could some of the questions be avoided
    with more effective delegation and authority?


6. Use of a Secretary
a. Does she know what is on your task list
    for today?
b. Does she know exaxctly how to handle visitors?
c. Does she know how to handle telephone callers?
d. Is she able to quickly find necessasry files
    for you?
e. Does she open and organize your mail?
f. Does your secretary automatically answer mail
   for you?
g. Does she always know where  you are during
    the working day?


7. Some New Time
a. Do you tend to sit with nothing to do while
    waiting for an appointment?
b. Do you make effective use of travel time
    commuting to work or going to appointments?
d. Have you used a tape recorder in the car
    while traveling?


8. Visitors
a. Could you discourage some visitors without
    being too unfriendly?
b. Do people feel free to stop in your office if
    they have no important business to address?
c. Do you usually keep your office door open?
d. Are you guilty of interrupting others by going
    to their offices on a frequent basis?
e. Do you encourage others to stay longer than
    necessary by engaging in small talk, offering
    a cup of coffee, etc.?


9. Your Work Habits
a. Do you allow the telephone to break your
    concentration?
b. Would your work day be easier if your
    secretary held calls and let you make return
    calls in groups?
c. Do you spend a good deal of telephone time
    on social exchanges not related to the call?
d. Do you interrupt other people with telephone
    calls that are not important?
e. Could you make better use of memos instead
    of numerous telephone calls?

Master List of Time Management Goals

Today what we want to do is review the minuses on your

self-evaluation questionnaire and start a list of time 

management goals. These goals shoud be something you

really want to accomplish and are meaningful goals. Estimate

the amount of money you and/or your company will make

or save when each goal is accomplished. Then list the date

each is achieved and the actual amount made or saved. Add 

additional goals as you think of them.

Achieving many of your personal goals depends upon your 

success in achieving challenging goals in your career and 

business life. Satisfaction of personal needs many times

has a direct relationship to your career goals. As an  

example, many of your personal goals involve items that

need money to buy them. You career is the means of

getting that money. Other personal goals are either directly

or indirectly tied to your business life. such as security, ego,

and self fulfillment. It becomes pretty obvious that 

productivity on the job provides the necessary means to

achieve these goals.

Your career as a manager will be greatly enhanced with a 

program of business and personal goal setting. Some of 

your business goals will involve personal activity and 

productivity. Others will depend on others to help you 

achieve them. Noteworthy here is the family relationship

you develop over years. You will set goals with your family

that are meaningful to all the people involved. They require 

everyone's cooperation to accompllish and are really fun to 

do together.

Here are the elements a goal should have to be recognized

as worthy:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Tangible

Master List

of

Time Management Goals

NAME_____________________ COMPANY ________________________ DATE 

   Goal Est. Comp. Date Est $ Value Date Comp. Act. $ 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.  

                                                                           

Time Problems

In today's session we are going to take a candid look at the problems 
that affect our proper use of the time available to us each day.  As 
before, you must be completely honest with this evaluation for it to be
valuable to you. 


Consider each item and place the number that is your very best
estimate of your current status in the box to the right of the item. Place 
a 7 if you are highly satisfied or a 1 if you are totally dissatisfied. 
Numbers in between 1 and 7 may be used to indicate the degree of
satisfaction you have for the current situation.

Personal Attitudes and Habits


Personal Deadlines [   ]
Personal Priorities [   ]
Personal goals [   ]
Personal Organization [   ]
Ability to Delegate [   ]
Procrastination [   ]
Being Decisive [   ]
Energy Level [   ]
Planning [   ]
Perfection [   ]
Ability to Say NO [   ]
Other [   ]
Other [   ]




Kinds of Interruptions


Fire Fighting  [   ]
Questions from Superiors [   ]
Questions from Peers [   ]
Social Drop-ins [   ]


General Environment


Clear Standards [   ]        
Adequate Filing [   ]
Clear Communication [   ]
Paper Flow [   ]
Crisis Situations [   ]
Number of People [   ]        
Information Availability [   ]
Too Many Meetings [   ]        
Length of Meetings [   ]        
Clear Lines of Authority [   ]        
Clear Lines of Responsibility [   ]        
Organizational Deadlines [   ]
Organizational Priorities [   ]
Adequate Records [   ]
Organizational Goals [   ]


Take a look at each item and place a check mark in front of any item
where you could make substantial improvement by changing your 
personal attitude and behavior. These are great places to begin 
setting and implementing personal goals that will help you improve
your Time Management effectiveness.


As you review this list, describe your most pressing time management
problem. Once this is done, list one action you can take this week to
help you correct and find a solution to this problem. Please remember
that time management is a continuous activity. One action will not 
magically change your entire environment, but one action is a great 
start!


My Biggest Problem         Action I Will Take This Week


1. ________________________ 1. __________________________
2. ________________________ 2. __________________________
3. ________________________ 3. __________________________

Top Payoff Activities

Next on our agenda will be to determine which of the tasks we perform
are high payoff activities. Determine how much your time is worth. As 
an example, if you earn $25 per hour that is about $52,000 per year. It  
boils down to 42 cents a minute. Now with these numbers firmly in
your mind, list below the six most important activities you perform in
the order of their importance (prioritize them).


1.______________________________
2.______________________________
3.______________________________
4.______________________________
5.______________________________
6.______________________________


During the next few days, review the list above with your supervisor and
write your adjusted list below.


1.______________________________
2.______________________________
3.______________________________
4.______________________________
5.______________________________
6.______________________________


List the specific actions you will take to increase the amount of time you
spend in these top payoff activities. List all actions in your daily planner
as well.


1.______________________________
2.______________________________
3.______________________________
4.______________________________
5.______________________________
6.______________________________

Delegation . . . Success Attitudes

Here we have another evaluation which is going to require you to answer
the questions with a number from 1 to 7. If you will recall, 1 means the 
question is nothing like you and 7 means it is exactly like you. In between,
the numbers 1 to 3 mean varying degrees of nothing like me,  4 is in
the middle of the road and 5 to 7 are degrees of exactly like me. Please 
respond thoughtfully to each statement by placing the appropriate number
in the box [   ] that you believe best describes the degree to which each
statement is true for you. If you are not satisfied with some of your
responses even though they are true and accurate, develop a plan for
modifying your attitudes through adopting new behaviors. You now know 
how to do that since it was covered in "Success Through Time Management".
Now, add those items to your Master List of Time Management Goals.
The ability to Delegate effectively begins with attitudes as you will readily
see as you go through this exercise. Good Luck!


1.  I must know every detail about the work in my unit so I can
     instantly answer any question my superior asks.  [   ]
2.  I am bogged down in endless details.  [   ]
3.  I work harder than anyone else in my department.  [   ]
4.  I expect perfection of myself in everything I do.  [   ]
5.  I must be in control of myself and my work at all times.  [   ]
6.  No one else can do the work as well as me.  [   ]
7.  There is so much day-to-day detail in my job that there is no
     time for planning or long range goal setting.  [   ]
8.  I feel productive in my work only if I am constantly pushed to
     meet deadlines and get the work out.  [   ]
9.  If I were promoted today I would feel insecure.  [   ]
10. My superior will think I am not doing my job if I try to get
     rid of some of my work.  [   ]
11. I tend to supervise all of the work done by my employees.  [   ]
12. I will not ask someone else to do work I am not willing to do.  [   ]
13. If I get rid of some of my work my employees will not like it
     and resent what I am doing.  [   ]
14. If I  delegate some of my work my boss will think I am not 
                needed.  [   ]
15. I cannot trust anyone else to keep the work confidential.  [   ]
16. I cannot take a vacation this year because my department 
     would fall apart without me.  [   ]
17. No one else cares enough to do the job well.  [   ]
18. Other employees are out to get my job.  [   ]
19. My superior expects me to personally do the work I have been
     assigned.  [   ]
20. I am the first person here in the morning and the last to
     leave at night.  [   ]
21. If I am not willing to do my share of the work I cannot expect
     others to do their work.  [   ]
22. I supervise every detail of the work done by others.  [   ]
23. I let people influence my decisions to delegate.  [   ]
24. My boss expects quantity instead of quality so I delegate
     everything I can.  [   ]

Goal Planning and Action Plan

What we want to do next is to give you a form for goal planning
and setting up your plan of action. There are a few areas we want
to visit again just to be certain you know what to do in certain
situations.


Be absolutely certain that your goal has the characteristics we
spoke about earlier: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realisitc and
Tangible. If your goal does not have all of these, either revise your
goal or get another one. To further define Specific ask yourself:
Who is involved?
What do I want to accomplish?
Where? Identify a location.
When? Establish a time period.
Which? Identify parameters and components.
Why? The reason, purpose and benefits of reaching this goal.


Benefits from achieving your goal may be increased income or items
you will possess. Also remember to include intangible benefits such as
better relationships, greater respect from your peers or a sense of
accomplishment.


The goal form also includes a space for identifying Possible Obstacles
and Possible Solutions. This is very important! Being able to identify
these prior to beginning your goal planning is huge. When you know
what to expect it makes overcoming an obstacle much easier.


On the Action Plan list the daily tasks you must take to bring your goal
into focus. Most goals depend on the completion of a series of action
steps that must be completed in order . . .one after the other. Some
of these steps might even be broken down into small, more detailed
action plans. Be sure to set target dates for each action step and
record the date you reviewed each step. Also enter the date you
complete each item. This will give you a built in check list of your
progress.


Once you have completed your list of specific action steps for
achieving this goal you should be able to predict how long it will
take you to complete the entire task. Write this date on the form
under Final Target Date.


Finally, you need to develop a method of tracking your progress so
you stay motivated during the goal completion process. Now that
you know what is required in terms of time, money and effort you
should ask yourself if it is worth the time, money and effort you
will expend to accomplilsh this goal. If the answer is YES then go
right ahead and dive into your goal. If the answer is NO then you
should either revise your goal or discard it. Sometimes you may
find that your goal is still worthy but at a different time. If this is
true just simply change the date and begin it later.


When you have finished your goal put the date you completed it
under Date Achieved. Then move the goal to its proper folder either
Personal Accomplishment or Business Accomplishment. Now, be
sure to celebrate the completion in a proper manner and enjoy the
benefits!




                  Goal Planning Sheet


Business ___ Personal ___  Today's Date _______ Final Date_______ Date Achieved_____


Goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Tangible)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________


Benefits From Acieving This Goal
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________


Possible Obstacles Possible Solutions
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________
___________________________ _____________________________


       Action Plan to Achieve This Goal
                   
Steps Necessary to Achieve My Goal                            Target Date    Date Reviewed    Completed


1. ________________________________________
    ________________________________________


2. ________________________________________
    ________________________________________


3. ________________________________________
    ________________________________________


4. ________________________________________
    ________________________________________


5. ________________________________________
    ________________________________________


6. ________________________________________
    ________________________________________


Method to Track Progress
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________


Is it worth the time, money and effort to attain this goal?


Yes_____  No_____ Yes, Later_____