MANAGE TIME
WHY IT MATTERS
Time is one of the few things that once it is lost can never be reclaimed. When time is managed well it can be a leader’s greatest asset. When it is not managed well it can be a leader’s greatest threat. Leaders who manage their time effectively are able to make more progress and get more done than other people, turning themselves and those they lead into invaluable resources to their organization. Leaders that do not manage their time well turn themselves and those they lead into liabilities as their unwise use of time leads to very real consequences. The consequences of their inability to manage time ends up being measured in reduced productivity, loss of professional trust, and missed opportunities.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that manage time effectively know you can get more done, and at a higher quality, if you pause to get organized first. They feel time is their most precious commodity, and they treat it with great care. They begin each day, month, quarter, and year by identifying their priorities, sequencing their work, and allocating the necessary time needed to accomplish each task. Because of their ability to manage their time their work is done more effectively and their time commitments are met.
Leaders that practice strong time management have developed a personal system for managing their time that works. They have studied different approaches to time management and have developed a preferred method for organizing their responsibilities, work, appointments, and tasks. They have honed the habit of taking time to write things down and get what is in their mind down on paper or recorded electronically. They know the key to good time management is having a system that fits their personality and style.
Leaders that excel at time management are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. They don’t consistently miss meetings, skip appointments, show up late, or forget they have somewhere to be. They know one of the fastest ways to lose trust with others is to consistently keep people waiting and waste their time. They keep their commitments and know how to manage their calendar.
Leaders that excel at time management know how to create timelines and schedules for work projects. They identify the tasks to be accomplished, the critical path, and the timing and sequence in which the work should be completed. They are expert at designing logical plans, and they are equally expert at changing them if needed.
Leaders that excel at time management know when to change direction and when to stay the course. They find ways to handle surprises instead of always bending their plans to them. They are sensitive to the disruptions that changes can cause to their work and the work of others. They identify and avoid modifications to their plans whenever possible.
Leaders that excel at time management teach others the importance of using time wisely. They encourage people to determine their own personal system for managing their time. They teach people to make the effort to get organized, stay focused on the work at hand, and not get distracted by lesser things.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
Time is one of the few things that once it is lost can never be reclaimed. When time is managed well it can be a leader’s greatest asset. When it is not managed well it can be a leader’s greatest threat. Leaders who manage their time effectively are able to make more progress and get more done than other people, turning themselves and those they lead into invaluable resources to their organization. Leaders that do not manage their time well turn themselves and those they lead into liabilities as their unwise use of time leads to very real consequences. The consequences of their inability to manage time ends up being measured in reduced productivity, loss of professional trust, and missed opportunities.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that manage time effectively know you can get more done, and at a higher quality, if you pause to get organized first. They feel time is their most precious commodity, and they treat it with great care. They begin each day, month, quarter, and year by identifying their priorities, sequencing their work, and allocating the necessary time needed to accomplish each task. Because of their ability to manage their time their work is done more effectively and their time commitments are met.
Leaders that practice strong time management have developed a personal system for managing their time that works. They have studied different approaches to time management and have developed a preferred method for organizing their responsibilities, work, appointments, and tasks. They have honed the habit of taking time to write things down and get what is in their mind down on paper or recorded electronically. They know the key to good time management is having a system that fits their personality and style.
Leaders that excel at time management are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. They don’t consistently miss meetings, skip appointments, show up late, or forget they have somewhere to be. They know one of the fastest ways to lose trust with others is to consistently keep people waiting and waste their time. They keep their commitments and know how to manage their calendar.
Leaders that excel at time management know how to create timelines and schedules for work projects. They identify the tasks to be accomplished, the critical path, and the timing and sequence in which the work should be completed. They are expert at designing logical plans, and they are equally expert at changing them if needed.
Leaders that excel at time management know when to change direction and when to stay the course. They find ways to handle surprises instead of always bending their plans to them. They are sensitive to the disruptions that changes can cause to their work and the work of others. They identify and avoid modifications to their plans whenever possible.
Leaders that excel at time management teach others the importance of using time wisely. They encourage people to determine their own personal system for managing their time. They teach people to make the effort to get organized, stay focused on the work at hand, and not get distracted by lesser things.
BELIEFS
- You are the only one who can organize yourself and your time. If you don’t do it, then who will?
- Time is something you can’t get more of, and one thing you can’t make up for once it is gone.
- Look at how someone spends, organizes, and tracks their time, and you will learn everything you need to know about their reliability.
- One of the quickest ways to lose trust is to not be where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there.
- The people who get the most accomplished are those who take the time to carefully review, prioritize, and sequence their work.
- The greatest secret to getting work done is to stop working long enough to plan and get organized.
- Time management capability goes up when you have a system, process, and methodology that fit your personal style.
- Even more important than having the perfect time-management system is having the self-discipline to actually use it.
BEST PRACTICES
- Plan each day’s work with a purpose.
- Prioritize what is most important to do first.
- Don’t waste your time or other people’s time.
- Don’t give excuses for not being on schedule.
- Be willing to reprioritize your daily agenda.
- Communicate your schedule to others.
- Take accountability for the use of your time.
- Meet the deadlines for your work.
- Be proactive and not reactive in using time.
- Make an account of what you accomplished daily.
- Value time as one of your most precious resources.
- Use a defined system for organizing your life.
- Be where you say you will be, at the right time.
- Know when to say no to things that don’t matter.
- Stay focused on what matters most.
- Don’t jump from one activity to another.
- Keep organized lists of to-do items.
- Have a clear purpose for what you do and when.
- Do not show up late to meetings.
- Avoid trying to do too many things at once.
- Do not waste time on things that don’t matter.
- Don’t get distracted from your plan.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I pause to plan my time before I begin my work, or do I begin my work without a plan?
- Do I begin each day, week, month, quarter, and year by creating a schedule, or do I fail to set a schedule?
- Do I have a self-defined way to keep track of appointments and tasks, or do I just hope I don’t forget something?
- Do I consistently use the tools I have been given to help me stay organized, or am I undisciplined in their use?
- Do I show up where I am supposed to be when I am supposed to be there, or do I forget meetings and appointments?
- Do I accurately predict how long it will take to complete tasks, or do I always end up too long or too short?
- Do I create timelines for my work, or do I too often work without a clear plan in place?
- Do I try and be flexible in my time management to allow for unplanned changes, or do I hold too close to my schedule?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t become so rigid with your time that you can’t react to the new and important things that come up unexpectedly.
- Don’t let your ability to successfully manage time lead you to judge too harshly those that are still learning how.
- Don’t get a reputation for being too high strung or hard to work with because you hold on too tightly to your schedule.
- I’m often told I do too much planning.
- I purposefully procrastinate because I work best under pressure.
- I make notes the night before so I begin each new day with purpose.
- If nothing else, I take pride in being reliable.
- Regardless of the meeting, I’m always taking notes.