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Time Management-Articles

 

Time Management

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Confessions of a Time Management Failure
By Dave Saunders

Okay I'll admit it. In my pursuit to get more done, save time, be more efficient and all of that, I've made horrible mistakes when it comes to effective time management. But really, who hasn't? Life is for living and living sometimes involves making mistakes. Personal development is about recognizing those mistakes and improving upon them.

A more empowering way of looking at this is that mistakes really aren't mistakes at all. As long as you are willing to learn, what some people might call mistakes are really just confirmations of what not to do in the future. Laboratory workers at Edison's lab tried nearly 10,000 combinations of materials to create a filament for the modern-day light bulb. When interviewed, Thomas Edison did not view these iterations as mistakes. Instead he viewed it as important scientific data that led to a high quality product.

Some of the homerun kings, in the sport of baseball, are also the strikeout kings. Some basketball stars have a low percentage of baskets, but they're still the top point earners. By not focusing on individual failures but instead moving forward to better achievements, these sports stars set a great example for perseverance.

What does any of this have to do with time management?

All too often the biggest challenge in getting more done in using the time that we have more wisely comes down to honesty.

Honesty with ourselves.

When I feel like I'm in a slump something that is helpful is to get out a blank day planner sheet and log everything I did during the day in 15-minute increments. Sometimes I'm not proud of myself when I see an hour or two of completely wasted time staring me in the face. But this information is very important because it gives me a realistic look at where I'm spending my time.

With that awareness comes the opportunity for improvement.

Every day I also write in my journal. This gives me an opportunity to reflect on my day. I describe my perception of events and I also painted a picture of how I would've liked to have seen certain events transpire.

To keep a journal, you can write passages as a letter to yourself or as a report to a person that you wish was your mentor; like Albert Einstein. At the end of each entry describe your intent for your next day or the rest of the week.

Time management is an interesting phrase because it implies that we can manage time, but of course we can't. What we really learn is how to manage ourselves. As we strive to become more effective the time we have seems more fruitful. It's because of this learning that I no longer call myself a time management failure.

Dave Saunders is a national speaker and published author on personal performance. Make more money, spend more time with your family and have time for yourself too.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Saunders

 

How to Make To-Do Lists Work for You

By Will Newman

To-do lists are effective time-management tools - but only if they're easy to use. Here are six strategies for making your to-do lists work hard for you.

1. Keep it simple.

Whether you use a computer-based to-do list or a paper tablet, it must be simple. If it's too complex, you won't use it... guaranteed. I keep my to-do lists on a 5" x 7" paper tablet. I list "major" tasks to be accomplished, with big sub-steps underneath each one. For example, "Edit The Golden Thread e-letter for AWAI" is a major task of mine. "Write main article," "write Quick Tip," and "write Introduction" are big sub-steps.

Note: A major task is not necessarily one that takes a long time.

2. Limit yourself.

Small paper tablets work well, because there's a limit to how much you can write on a page. I stick to a maximum of 10 tasks, all of which can be accomplished within a week of when I list them.

3. Set a due date - and stick to it.

Due dates help prioritize what you do and when. Do not work on tasks in the order in which you write them down. Jot down the due date beside each one, and do them in the order of their deadlines.

4. Use a dark marker to reinforce your feeling of accomplishment.

Cross off sub-steps as you complete them with a regular pen. Use a dark marker to cross off the major tasks. Boy, does it feel good!

5. Redo the list every workday.

Do it every evening. This gives you a clear idea of what you have to do before the end of the next day.

6. Add "pop-ups" to your list.

When something pops up during the day that has to be attended to (such as an important phone call), add it to your to-do list - even if you've already done it. Then cross it off. To-do lists not only tell you what you have to do, they can tell you if you're using your time well.

[Ed. Note: Will Newman is the editor of AWAI's The Golden Thread online newsletter - a free weekly alert loaded with writing and marketing secrets, tips, and insights.]

 

Top 10 Time Management Mistakes

Mistake #1: Keeping too many things in your head - A common mistake is trying to use your memory to keep track of all the things you need to do and places you need to be.

Mistake #2: Doing whatever grabs your attention next - When you are done with your current task, how do you choose what to do next?

Mistake #3: Not spending enough time on your top priorities - If you find you are busy most of the day, but don't accomplish the things that really matter to you. you may be spending too much time on low priority items.

Mistake #4: Doing very efficiently that which need not be done at all - According to top management consultants this is one of the worst ways you can waste your time, particularly when you don't even realize you are doing it.

Mistake #5: Poor Planning - You've probably heard the saying "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". Poor planning is one of the main reasons projects fail, fall behind schedule or miss their deadlines. Lack of planning leads to inadequate preparation, unexpected problems and poor execution.

Mistake #6: Working in a disorganized and distractive work environment - While you may not have too much control over your work environment, there are things that you can do  to remove distractions and clutter from your desk.

Mistake #7: Attempting to do too much - In time management, the word 'overload' describes the condition of having too much work; more work than you can normally handle. Overload can be the result of external circumstances such as a big deadline, a coworker's resignation or a major crisis, but it is often self-inflicted.

Mistake #8: Always saying yes - Saying 'yes' to requests for your time is not always a bad practice. In fact better you are in managing your time and your projects, the more likely it is that you will be chosen to handle important tasks that need to be completed quickly with quality and care.

Mistake #9: Not managing your inflows - Workflow management is one of the aspects of knowledge work that traditional forms of time management have been unable to address adequately.

Mistake #10: Confusing activity with productivity - This final mistake is usually the result of a mismatch between the lower tactical levels of time management and the more strategic levels where goals, vision and purpose come into play.

4-Minute Time Management Course

Why is it that certain people are rich and famous? What secret do they know that the rest of us don't? If you study their lives closely, you'll discover the rich and famous have certain habits that contribute to their success.

 Successful people are very careful about how they spend their time. No matter how you slice it, we all have 24 hours in a day, so the key is learning  how to use our time wisely.

Below are some ways you can dramatically increase your productivity through more effective use of your time:

1. MONITOR HOW YOU CURRENTLY USE YOUR TIME: If it seems like your day slips by all too quickly, try creating a log of your daily activities. Once you see where you are spending your time, you can identify and focus on the activities that provide the greatest returns for you personally and financially. Start your log by writing down what time you wake up, get ready, and begin work. Calculate how much time you spend on individual activities such as email, phone calls, and client work.

2. CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOUR TIME IS WORTH: Time is money. Knowing how much your time is actually worth can help you make better decisions as to whether you should perform a task or outsource it. For instance, if your time is worth $200 an hour, you are far better off paying someone $30 an hour to edit your newsletter. You can "bank" the other $170 per hour by spending your time on profit making activities. Also take the time to determine how much time a day you need to spend on billable activities to make your desired profit. I try to spend 1.5 hours a day on money making projects.

3. CREATE A DAILY SCHEDULE: Don't start your day without a to do list. Make a list of tasks and categorize them into business building activities, client activities, and personal items. Then break bigger unmanageable projects into smaller "doable" chunks so they are less intimidating and are easier to accomplish.

4. PRIORITIZE: Have more to do than hours in the day? By prioritizing your tasks, you'll make sure that you are tackling the items that matter most. Create a system that works for you. One standard way of prioritizing is to mark items with A, B, and C. Ask yourself these key questions: What items MUST be done today? Which items can be rescheduled? What can be delegated? Which tasks most closely match my priorities and goals? Which items can be eliminated?

5. LEARN TO SAY NO: Are you adding one more item to your never-ending TO DO list? You are in control of your time. Be strong and uphold your personal boundaries. When you are well rested and treat yourself and your family to the time off you deserve, you'll feel happier and more productive when it's time to go back to work. ** Before you say yes, ask yourself these questions: Do you really have the time or energy to do that extra task? Do I like this customer? Are they good for me? Will it be profitable? Does it invade on your personal time? Does it involve doing something you enjoy? Does it fit in with your list of priorities and goals?

6. REMOVE DISTRACTIONS AND TIME SUCKERS: Time sucks are lurking everywhere like viruses. Think about which activities are eating up your time. For me personally, these items include email, social calls, and telemarketers. I "conquer" the email demon by shutting down my Outlook when I am working. When a family member calls during work time, I politely ask if I can call them back during the afternoon and remind them of my work hours. Caller ID valiantly saves me from the "would be" telemarketer time thieves. With one glance, I can quickly differentiate telemarketers from important client calls.

7. STICK TO THE PLAN: Try not to get sidetracked from your plan. One of my friends has a motto, "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency for me". It's a smart one to live by. Unless it's a true emergency, or you are being paid "rush" time, you probably don't need to squeeze a last minute request in today. Also, by assigning yourself project deadlines, you can keep on top of projects and avoid those dreaded last minute emergencies.

8. CHOOSE AN INSPIRING PLACE AND TIME: We are all "built" differently. Do the tasks which take your most "brain power" when you are at your prime. Are you a morning person or do you work best burning the midnight oils? Create an ultimate work haven that is clean, distraction free, and inspiring. My office overlooks my flower garden and is right in the heart of family activity. As I glance to the right, our Angel fish "Spike" proudly parades across the fish tank. In front of me, Monet has a glorious display of peach poppies in a field. Above me, Monet is painting a vivid portrait of his flower garden. In the living room, my son is softly singing the Spiderman theme to himself - music to my ears!

9. BUNDLE LIKE TASKS TOGETHER: As you work through your daily list, try to chunk your tasks into like activities. By creating a separate "chunk" of time for answering email, invoicing, making return phone calls, you'll save time and mental energy.

10. AVOID INTERRUPTIONS: Trying to do the same thing over and over again with interruptions can be maddening. Once you start a task, try to finish it to the end. If something comes up that you need to remember or do, unless it's urgent, simply add it to your list and continue on with your current project.

11. BE ORGANIZED: When things are tidy, it saves you time and frees you to focus on the task at hand. Digging through a pile of papers and finding a squished Twinkie isn't very conducive to the work experience. Follow your own organizational style.

     PHONE LISTS: For instance, I arrange my phone lists into groups according to how I use them: friends, family, doctors, my children's playmates, etc. I also list people in my phone book that I talk to on a first name basis by their first name alphabetically. For instance, I list my mom under "M" and my brother under "T" for Troy. "D" has a list of all my doctors. This works for me, because it's how I think.

     EMAILS: Another time saving idea is to color code your emails. In my personal color scheme I use one color for clients, one for newsletters, and another for my coworkers. You can also group your emails using categories and folders.

     ONE CALENDAR MEETS ALL: Keeping track of work appointments, Brownie meetings, and committee meetings can be very difficult. My secret to keeping on top of family and work appointments is to schedule them all on one calendar.

     DAYTIMER SPECIAL SECTION: Create a special section of your Daytimer just for special interests, hobbies, or kids.

SUMMARY: Why wait for success when you can literally schedule it! By mastering your time, you can accomplish much more with less effort. Be choosey about how you spend your time. Focus on activities which most closely match your goals. By taking time to monitor, measure, and manage your time, you will enjoy an abundance of success and happiness.

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