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Time Management and Goal Setting

Overview
"Time management refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques utilized to accomplish specific tasks, projects and goals. This set encompass a wide scope of activities, and these include planning, setting goals, delegation, analysis of time spent, monitoring, organizing, scheduling, and prioritizing. Initially time management referred to just business or work activities, but eventually the term broadened to include personal activities also. A time managment system is a designed combination of processes, tools and techniques." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_management

Time Management: A set of common sense skills that help you use your time productively and learn to:

Determine which things you do are important and which can be dropped Use your time in the most effective way possible Control distractions that waste time Give yourself more quality time to relax and enjoy life

Roll over highlighted items for more information.


Learn to say "no". When feasible, delegate. Don't let paperwork pile up. Ask yourself, "What is my objective or goal?" Think of your effectiveness first; your efficiency second. Break a job into bite-sized pieces, don't procrastinate because it can't all be done at once. Identify your time wastersand resolve to eliminate them. Add times for relaxation and recreation to your schedule.

Identify and make use of your personal biorythms, or "up" and "down" time. Save your sanity by realizing that is not possible to please 100% of the people 100% of the time!

Keep to a 1 hour attention span with a 15 minute break unless you are on a roll.

Steps: Making Effective Time Management Decisions


C Compare activites (are some less important?) H How will your choice affect you later? (consequences) O Order your priorities I Inscribe (write) scheduling decisions in your planner C Carry out the plan you have made E Enjoy being in control of your time!

Procrastination: Putting things off until they are unavoidable


Ways to procrastinate:

Over Planning Implementation is delayed Perfectionism Usually not required or cost effective and delays progress Boredom Self-discipline is needed Hostility to task or person giving the task "The Deadline High" meeting a tight deadline and the adrenaline rush can be addictive

Quotable Quotes
"No one has enough time, but everyone has all there is" Anonymous

"You delay, but time does not." Benjamin Franklin

Are you managing time or is time managing you?


Click the "yes" or "no" checkbox next to each ques
Yes No

1. I frequently need to respond to crisis or put out fires.


2. I have little time for actually planning ahead and sorting out priorities. 3. When I leave work on time, I feel guilty or anxious because of what has been left undone. 4. I have trouble devoting time and energy I would like to family and/or friends. 5. Even when Im off duty, I find it difficult to quit thinking about what is happening at work. 6. I often find myself caught up in busy work or trivia. 7. I dont have sufficient time to devote to activities that build my professional reputation. 8. Just keeping my head above water is about all I can hope for. 9. I have trouble finding a time system that works well for me. 10. Its often the same few problems or people that take up a large chunk of time.

Responding "yes" to even or two of these statements may indicate difficulties. Make some time now and plan ahead.

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating yourself to turn this vision of the future into reality.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS

Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Tangible with a target date

Measure Your Lifebalance


Financial and Career Do you enjoy your work? Are you living up to your potential? What about your retirement? Social and Cultural Does your circle of friends enrich your life/Do you have interests outside of your career and family? Spiritual and Ethical Are you living up to your personal values? Have you reconciled your relationship with a higher power or with the universe in general? Family and Home Have you realized your dream in terms of home and family relationships? Mental and Educational Have you accomplished your goals? Are you still learning and growing? Physical and Health Are you living up to your own standards in terms of diet and exercise? Are you fit enough to do the things you want to do?

By setting goals you can:


Achieve more Improve performance Increase motivation to achieve Increase pride and satisfaction in your achievements Improve self-confidence Suffer less from stress and anxiety Eliminate attitudes that hold you back and cause unhappiness Concentrate better See what you have done and what you are capable of doing

Thinking a goal through: sub-goals that lead to achievement


What skills do I need to achieve this? What information and knowledge do I need? What help, assistance, or collaboration do I need? What resources do I need? What can block progress? Am I making any assumptions? Is there a better way of doing things?

How do you spend your day? Use an ACTIVITY LOG to find out!

Keeping an ACTIVITY LOG: Without modifying your behavior log your time for several days and note the things you do as you do them. Also notes how you feel (alert, tired, etc.) Analyzing your ACTIVITY LOG: Now look at your log and notice the length of time you spend doing various tasks. Notice how and when your energy fluctuates during the day.

What are To Do Lists?


To Do Lists are lists of tasks to be carried out to achieve goals. Arranging tasks by importance (A,B,C), prioritizes your To Do List. Breaking large tasks into smaller chunks reduce stress

A - Items must be completed B - 80% must be completed C - Can be deferred

Setting Goals at the Right Level


Goals should be slightly out of your immediate grasp, but not so far that there is no hope in achieving them. Just remember that a belief that a goal is unrealistic may be incorrect!

Set Performance, not Outcome Goals


Base your goals on personal performance, skills or knowledge to be acquired, so you have as much control as possible. For example, you might achieve a personal best time in a race and still not be the winner.

Download the Goal Setting Worksheet

To complete the workshop, enter your name in the box below and click Email Score.

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