Identifying and Managing Time Robbers at Work Presented by: Margaret Hemsley CAHRI
Stressed? Juggling? Managing?
Is this what happens to your day?
What is Time? Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years. The value of each depends on how much of it you have in total. Time management is not about managing time, it is about managing ourselves (Covey, 1989)
Heard this before? Not enough hours in the day! More to do I used to have more time If only I didn t have to do. If I just keep working hard I will be ok I have to do everything around here! If I don t do it no one will Interruptions and changes grrr!!!
How long do you spend at work? How much is productive? Who or what controls your time? Can you change that? When is enough enough?
Poor Time Management Major cause of stress! Contributes to high workload issues Makes you more re-active Makes you procrastinate Results in low productivity Affects other people
Contributing Factors Unclear roles and boundaries Poor decision making by peers or up line Clarity of task / resources needed Lack of planning / short deadlines Skills and knowledge gaps Ineffective communication Outdated or poor processes Poor performance management Inadequate budget
Perceived consequences Typical Time Management Urgent before important Likes before dislikes Deadlines Easy before difficult Fast before slow Small before large Interesting before uninteresting
Time Management: Is different for everyone Involves a pattern of behaviour Is a skill and takes time to develop Is an investment in life
You can manage your routine workload You can negotiate or ask for help with extras You can plan and meet agreed deadlines You can address issues arising
What you can not control The amount of work required Imposed deadlines Council systems and processes Other people s attitudes Other s perceptions Ratepayer demands Council directives
Strategies Tasks 1 2 3 4 5
Existing Stuff Identify all relevant tasks and deadlines Determine outcome requirements Determine resources and time needed Assign priorities and communicate with stakeholders if they conflict Organise yourself around these priorities Plan and take action
New Stuff.. Use the Four D s Do not avoid it, it will bite you later! ( Four D s concept ref. Priority Management)
Simple Action Plan
Urgent or Important? Urgent has consequences Important contributes towards objectives or key performance indicators and must be completed Important and Urgent Important but not urgent Do now or in near future! Plan to do and prioritise Not important but Urgent Negotiate re workload Not Important or Urgent Resist or stop doing We must react to genuinely urgent matters, but the key to time management is to be proactive so things don t escalate
Time Robbers Identify issues that are robbing you of your productive time Who are the Stakeholders? What are opportunities for change? Can you delegate them? Other possible actions Any negative consequences?
Delegate or Hold? Someone could do it better or quicker They may have more time Their time may be less expensive More skills and knowledge Could help them develop professionally Could meet the deadline or reach objective easier
The art of saying NO You can say no only if you really are too busy or it is not your role or responsibility If you can t say no, Discuss your workload, timelines or concerns with whoever is requesting your time. Ask the consequences of not meeting deadlines
What might happen? You might not be given the task after all You may be given more time to do it You may get additional help or resources You can ask what they would like you not to do or to reschedule from current tasks.
Dealing with Interruptions Ask the person for the reason they need to see you Stand up Be gracious of spirit not time Suggest formal meeting at a convenient time at their place Limit small talk, gossip, non relevant issues Use assertive communication to terminate the interaction
Dealing with Procrastination Handle things once only (use D s) Do things that are small and achievable first Do hard things early in the day Establish priorities and stick to them Keep your list visible and tick off items Complete tasks Negotiate things that are worrying you Face consequences as appropriate
If all else fails Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the Courage to change the things I can; and the Wisdom to know the difference Author unknown
If you can arrest as many time robbers as possible you will have more time to be less stressed! Margaret Hemsley CAHRI Phone contact 0403369295 email marg@lgpeople.com.au