In Time and Task Management for Busy People (Like You!), you'll learn...
- A more focused approach to your daily and long-range tasks—discover how to schedule your tasks in accordance with your true priorities
- How to set up and use a personal time and task management system, one that makes the best use of daily planners, calendars, “to-do” lists and computer programs
- How to identify and eliminate your personal time robbers—procrastination, disorganization, interruptions, lack of communication and many others—that stop your productivity
- How to use technology to free up time rather than add to your frenzy
- And much more!
Effective time and task management isn’t about controlling time—because you really can’t. It’s about managing how you invest your time. About managing multiple priorities and tasks that compete for your time. About managing yourself out of unproductive habits that rob you of valuable time.
That’s the focus of this seminar: Taking a good hard look at the tasks that fill your time, tuning in to the time-wasting habits and routines and learning which time management system will work best for you.
WORKSHOP AGENDA
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Time and task management basics+
- The 10 steps essential to every successful time and task management program
- A simple tool for gauging how you’re currently spending your time
- Time and task management versus self-management: Is there a difference?
- How to reconcile the paradox of time so that your life has order, meaning and purpose
- How to set clear and realistic goals—and why they’re the foundation of effective time and task management
- How to distinguish between the merely important and the truly urgent priorities and tasks
- How understanding which events you can control and which ones you can’t leads to more effective use of your time and reduced stress
- Why knowing the difference between goal-related tasks and routine tasks is vitally important for increasing your daily productivity and achieving your long-range goals
Techniques for taking control of your time+
- 7 reasons you must plan if you’re serious about getting a grip on your time and tasks—and ultimately your future!
- Overcoming the 5 most common obstacles to effective planning
- A simple formula for taking charge of your daily tasks by prioritizing them rather than simply making a “to-do” list
- How to use stress as a motivator for getting things done
- How to coordinate the goals and priorities of a group to keep time-wasting conflict to a minimum
- 7 guidelines for delegating routine tasks so you have time to work on your high-payoff priorities
Planners, calendars and organizers—how to choose and use the tool that’s right for you+
- Tips for using any brand planner to increase your productivity by 20 percent or more
- What features to consider when searching for a planner/organizer best suited to your work style
- How to create a daily action plan based on your personal and professional priorities
- The major difference between a Master Task List and a daily “to-do” list and how to use each one to ensure all your tasks get done
- Proven scheduling techniques for completing your tasks on time and bringing closure to each day
- 5 questions for analyzing the most efficient way to carry out every task on your “to-do” list
- One vital rule you must keep in mind no matter what planning tool you choose
- Never overlook another important detail: How to use an action planning worksheet to keep the individual tasks in a project from falling through the cracks
- How to use a Work Breakdown Structure to understand the relationship among the various activities and tasks required to carry out a particular project
Time-saving tips for managing information overload in the electronic age+
- How to use technology to free up time rather than add to your frenzy
- How to use your PC to automate and speed up routine tasks
- The pros and cons of using an electronic planner to get a handle on your tasks and priorities
- How to quickly find just the information you’re searching for amid the excess of on-line data
- How to tell at a glance which e-mail messages you should read now—and which ones can wait until later
- Energizing and stress-reducing time management techniques for people who do business globally
- The time-saving advantage of setting up an electronic networking system to plan and track group tasks
- When it’s better not to use the fax machine
- Weighing the pitfalls and the conveniences of pagers, beepers, cellular phones and other time-saving devices
Overcoming daily time robbers+
- How to assertively, but tactfully, handle drop-in visitors and interruptions from colleagues—even from your boss!
- Spending too much time looking for things you can’t find? Practical tips for organizing your work area
- How to turn your telephone into a time-saver instead of a time-waster
- How to overcome procrastination—the biggest time management saboteur of all
- How to recognize when lack of organization—not time—is the issue
- 8 tips for making your meetings shorter and more productive—including the advantages of teleconferencing and videoconferencing
- Proven tips for turning travel time into productive time
- Putting pressure to work for you: How to survive when you’re caught in a time management crisis
- Still waiting for the paperless society? Tips for setting up a personal filing system and other techniques for taming the paperwork tiger in the meantime
- The importance of giving and receiving clear instructions: How to close the communication gaps that keep things from getting done right the first time
- How to get the most out of your leisure time—and why it’s important to schedule some every day
- Reclaiming the “lost” moments of your day: How to turn idle waiting time into productive time
- Why striving for perfectionism wastes time in the long run—and 6 suggestions for overcoming it
Reinforcement techniques for making effective time and task management a lifelong habit+
- 3 ways to assess whether your time management system is still working for you or whether you need to make adjustments
- How to get back on track quickly if you do find yourself slipping back into unproductive habits
- Why it’s vitally important to reward yourself for achieving your goals
- How to use progress reports to monitor your tasks and head off potential problems
