Time Management Training: Stomping
Ants or Making Hippos Fly!
Are you one of those people
who is already so busy and overwhelmed with activities and responsibilities
that you don’t have time to take a time management course? Maybe you think
your system is working just fine, or maybe you think your life is so complicated
that no system could help it now. Whatever. The truth is, our very effective
Time Management Training classes have rescued thousands of hapless individuals
like you from drowning in a sea of inefficiency an over commitment. We can give
you the time management skills to get more done in less time with more satisfying
results. If you can find a way to invest 8 hours to train with us, we will teach
you how to get back double or triple that in increased efficiency and effectiveness
every month.
Stomping Ants or Making
Hippos Fly?
Many people go through life satisfied
with status quo, stomping ants, handling the routine, not reaching their God-given
potential. Others make Hippos fly, reaching their potential, accomplishing something
major. Which type of person do you want to be?
The two major components of time
management are practice and purpose. The practice component refers to what you
do with the minutes of your day. The purpose component refers to finding and
knowing your purpose in life. When you manage your time, the minutes of your
life, and it falls in alignment with your purpose of your life, you have a fantastic
chain reaction. This alignment can enable you to accomplish your tasks more
effectively, to reach your goals more quickly, and to give you a greater sense
of peace.
Quiet Time
God gave each of us a brain and a
soul, but many of us don’t make time to exercise it. I begin each day
with a cup of coffee on my front porch. I watch the sun rise, pray, and ask
God for direction for this day. I think about my goals and projects, and I listen
for new ideas. I then head off to my office to begin work. Every person must
make time to think. Schedule an appointment with yourself, close yourself off,
and don’t allow interruptions. You will be amazed how clear your life’s
purpose as well as the quality of your life will become.
Create A Hippo Goal
The best way to accomplish a major
goal is to break it down into smaller pieces. The old saying, "How do you
eat an elephant?. . .One bite at a time." The same is true with major goals.
For example, when I wrote my first book, I broke the writing down into smaller
pieces. I got up an hour early each day and wrote approximately 250 words. At
the end of the week, I had completed a chapter. At the end of the month, I had
completed four chapters. I continued on until I completed the book. This process
can be applied to almost any major undertaking. Focusing on the smaller parts
makes any task much easier and keeps motivation high. When you reach goals,
reward yourself.
Greg’s Ten Tips
1. Prioritize. Feeling overwhelmed
by all you have to do? Stop and Think--which item must be completed today? This
does not include items you’d like to get done today, but only the item(s)
that must be completed today. A friend woke up at three in the morning feeling
overwhelmed by the many tasks for the coming week and was worried that she could
not get it all done. In desperation, she asked herself, what has to be done
by Monday afternoon? Tuesday afternoon? The result was she discovered she could
indeed accomplish all of her deadlines for the week on schedule when she prioritized!
2. Be realistic. One way to set yourself
up for a panic situation is to plan an unrealistic amount of work for one day
or one week. Use your common sense to recognize when you have over-scheduled
yourself. Enthusiasm is wonderful, but it doesn’t add more hours to the
day.
3. Delegate. A person who refuses
to delegate will very likely be a very busy and frustrated person. For anyone
to personally handle every item is unnecessary and unwise. One very successful
regional manager readily attributed part of his success to the fact that he
trusted his administrative assistant to handle routine items that did not require
his personal decision. This left him free to concentrate on working with sales
personnel outside the office.
4. Work Efficiently. For example,
make sure your electronic calendar does not cost you time. People who love electronics
will shake their heads no at this idea. But sometimes it can take longer to
enter and maintain information in a gadget than to jot it down with a pencil
in an old-fashioned paper planner.
5. Organize Meetings Wisely. According
to a Wall Street Journal survey, meetings account for the greatest amount of
unproductive time--topping telephone calls, paperwork and travel. With a little
preparation, meetings can be transformed into productive assemblies helping
you and your group steam toward, instead of away from, their goals. The key
ingredient for a good meeting is preparation. Ask yourself--Is this meeting
really necessary? Can the information be presented best another way? If there
is still a need for a meeting, plan it well.
6. Learn to Say No! Many people have
a tough time saying no. They allow themselves to become members of every committee
even ones that are outside their particular talent or spiritual gift. I once
knew a man in my church that dedicated his life to youth. He was the pastor’s
dream come true. He organized youth trips and retreats. He was always at the
church. He taught Sunday school for the youth and they were being led to the
Lord. We were all shocked when we learned his wife asked for a separation. She
was upset because he spent all his time with the youth and very little with
his family. People, who can’t say no, quickly discover their life is out
of balance; it is being pulled in the opposite direction. No matter how important
the obligation maybe, do not allow your family priorities to suffer.
7. Destroy the Paper Monster. The
best guideline for paperwork is to either file it or toss it. We never use 80%
of the paperwork we keep. Paper, magazines and other forms create clutter and
confusion, which could turn into stress.
Another principle for paperwork is
handle it now. Spend 20 seconds filing that important paper now rather than
30 minutes searching for it later. Take a moment to jot down that phone number
on your permanent list instead of spending ten minutes tracking it down again
later. A third rule for paperwork is organize it. Use colored folders to prioritize
your work; colors allow you to see at a glance, which jobs, need your immediate
attention. Sub-divide files for greater efficiency. An administrative assistant,
tired of rifling through the thick folders left by the previous employee, took
time to sub-divide each large file into smaller, separate files. The time saved
was worth the time invested in the task and the compliments from the boss who
recognized the ease of use of the reorganized files was an unexpected bonus.
8. Manage Mail. Answer E-mail immediately.
Don’t read it and then let it pile up in your in-box; keep your in-box
clutter free. Create a "keeper" folder and transfer the mail you want
to retain. Create another folder for "actions pending." Respect other
people’s time and avoid forwarding all those stories people love to send
you. Delete junk E-mail without reading it and use your filters to eliminate
spam. Sort regular mail next to a trashcan. Handle it once-open it or throw
it away. Don’t stop doing the important things in your life to sort mail.
9. Make Lists. Making a list can
be a legitimate time manager. Keep a pad handy to jot down projects as they
arise, items that come to mind to do later, and even phone calls you need to
make. At the end of the day or week, whichever is best for you, mark off the
items handled. Then, make a fresh list and prioritize the remaining items. This
shouldn’t take but a few minutes each day or a little longer if done once
a week. Using this process can help you avoid that familiar sinking feeling
when you realize you forgot something important and also help you feel on top
of things on a daily basis while freeing your mind to concentrate on the job
at hand.
10. Allow Time for Fun and Surprises.
Don’t carry time management to the point of where everything in your life
is plotted, calculated, and placed on a calendar. Allow some spontaneity and
fun in your life. I know a manager who decided to invite everyone over to her
office for ice cream floats. This was a lot of fun and created a very positive
work environment. I know another company that provides their employees 22 tons
of M&M’s to eat each year. Every now and then do something nice for
someone totally unexpected. Call someone up and tell him or her how much you
appreciate them.
By Gregory P. Smith
Time Management Training Requires
Practice and Purpose
Time Management
Quote
We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.
John F. Kennedy
Suggested Reading:
Training for Time Management
by Philip Moon
Time management
for
teachers (Teacher training series)
by Karyn Henley
Managing management
time: Audio tape training series
by William Oncken
Personal Time Management
(Crisp Fifty-Minute Book)
by Marion E. Haynes
10 Secrets of Time Management
for Salespeople: Gain the Competitive Edge and Make Every Second Count
by Dave Kahle
Time Management : Proven
Techniques for Making the Most of Your Valuable Time
by Marshall J. Cook
Time Management from
the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule and
Your Life
by Julie Morgenstern
Time Power: The Revolutionary
Time Management System That Can Change Your Professional and Personal
by Charles Hobbs
Time Management
by Marc Mancini
10 Natural Laws of
Successful Time and Life Management
by Hyrum W. Smith
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