TimeManagementStrategies

BenLaabs&TessaHill

“PlaytoWin”KerryAnnRockquemore

NationalCenterforFacultyDevelopment&Diversity

•  Considerhowyouspentyourtimelastweek(orinatypicalweek)–whatwastheratioofyourtimespentonteaching,research,service?

•  Howdoesthismatchupwiththeexpectationsofyourinstitution?

MultitaskingMyths

• Human brain not wired for it.

• Wastes more time than gains.

•  Leads to mindlessness •  Successful people are

not multi-taskers, but those who can focus on one task for short intervals.

See: The Organized Mind, Daniel Levitan and, Brain Rules, John Medina

UseTimeWell•  Focusonthetaskathand=mindfulness

•  Takeadvantageofshorttimeperiods

•  Scheduleyourthinking,planning,exercise,writingtimeandsticktoit!

•  Restrictyourtravelsfor“work.”

•  Takeavacationanddisconnect.

DealingwithClutter

•  Clutterisanythingthathasnocurrentvalue,merit,oruse.

•  Clutterisclutternomatterwhereitis.

•  Clutterispostponeddecisions.

80-90%ofpaperinaEilecabinetwillneverbeaccessedagain(forcomputerEiles,it’smorelike99%)!

Interruptions•  Self-Interruptionisthegreatestdistraction

•  Don’tdoitnow–writeitdown!

•  Closeyourdoorwhenyouwanttoworkinpeace.

•  Youdon’thavetoanswerthatphoneorrespondtothatemailmessage!

SpeciLicTimeManagementStrategies/Exercises

• Whatareyourbiggesttimemanagementproblems?

•  YourtimeshouldreLlectyourbeliefs,goals,aspirationsandhowyouarebeingevaluated.

TheProductiveEnvironmentScorecard™

•  AdaptedfromMegginMcIntosh,TheProductivityProfessor™

•  Completethesurveyhonestly.

TheProductiveEnvironmentScorecard™

•  105-117:Congratulations!You’reamodelfortherestofus!

•  79-104:You’reontherighttrack,butthere’sroomforimprovement.

•  53-78:You’refrequentlystressedandhaveasensethatyou’renotbeingaseffectiveasyouwanttobe(andneedtobe).

•  27-52:Disasterisloomingifchangesarenotmadesoon!

•  <26:Gethelpimmediately!

AvailabletoPromise

method(ATP)

Important/UrgentMatrix

(popularizedbyStevenCovey,“7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople”)Notethereare“apps”forthisnow,thatmanageto-dolistsinasimilarmanner

Gadgets,AppsandTools

•  AcademicLadder•  NationalCenterforFacultyDevelopmentandDiversity

•  CuttingEdgeworkshops

•  Appsforto-dolists•  Sharablecalendarapps(e.g.,GoogleCalendar)

•  Timetrackerapps–evaluatetimeusageregularly

Doyouhaveafavoritetool/app/systemfortimemanagement?

•  Rememberthattimemanagementisaboutmatchingyourvalues/goalswithhowyouspendyourtime–noappcanLixthatproblemforyou,and…

•  Thesetoolsonlyhelpifyouactuallyusethem,consistently.

ManagingE-mail•  TurnofftheautomaticnotiLication!

•  UseLiltersforjunk•  Yougetlessifyousendless.•  Don’trespondtotrivia.•  Wait24hoursforreplying•  Usethetelephone!Youcanoftenresolveissuesquicklyandsavetime!!

Howdoyousay“No”torequests?

•  “Nolympics”–partnerwithabuddy–earnapointeachtimeyousay‘no’toarequest–rewardyourselfaftersome##points!

•  Forceyourselftosay‘no’to3thingsbeforesayingyes.

•  CanIcompletethistask(review,presentation,service)inthenextweek?Ifnot,say‘no’

•  AmImeetingmyownwriting/productivitygoals?Ifnot,thenIcan’tsay‘yes’tohelpothers

“PlanforMargins”–RichardYuretich,EarlyCareerLeader

•  Arriveatmeetings10minutesaheadoftime.•  Leavespacesinyourcalendarbeforeandafterevents.

•  Buildinpreparationanddecompressiontime.•  Buildinfollow-upandclean-uptime.•  Alwayskeepsometimeunstructured.•  Workisapartofyourlife.Howmuchitoccupiesisuptoyou.

Work,Life,Tenure•  Workisanintegralpartofyourlife,butonlypart.Treatitassuch.

•  Tenureispartofanaturaltrajectoryofsuccess.

•  Useplanstoguideyouinachievingyourgoals.