A D V I C E FROM OUR C O A C H E S Time Management: How to Become a To-Do List Conqueror by By Stacey Jerrold, Five O'Clock Club Career Coach ~"^^ o you always perform at your • peak? Do you excel at giving JLa.^ full attention to projects and providing ample support to the people in your life? Do you routinely finish your work and leave your job at the end of the day with a clean desk and an agenda for the next day? If you have answered Yes to all these questions, congratulate yourself and move on to the next article. However, if for any reason, you answered No to any of these questions—or if you feel that your life is out of control too much of the time—don't despair! Time management is a skill you can master. It can also be considered a mindset, or even a lifestyle. It can be mastered by anyone who wants: ^ to feel more in control ^ to attain more out of life "> to achieve success in business while having time to enjoy a personal life 4> to reduce stress and achieve more balance in their lives Your success depends, of course, on utilizing a time management system that works best for you. But you have to start by addressing your attitudes, feelings and habits. What are your fundamental values and goals? Without this foundation, any success you achieve might be short-lived. Time is the great equalizer. We all have an equal amount, but not all use it effectively. What Do We Mean by Time Management? Maybe the term is actually an oxymoron. There really isn't anything to manage. There are a fixed number of days in a week, hours in each day, minutes in each hour. But our perception of time can make a big difference. Some days we are conquerors and complete everything on our to-do list, and yet other days we can barely get through the first few items on the list. If you look back on your conquering days, you very likely will see that the projects/tasks that you completed were directly related to your goals, "Mr. Billings realizes you traveled a long which added way to meet with him. However, he decided meaning to your to change the meeting until next week." tasks: you went 12 THE F I V E O ' C L O C K N E W S / M A R C H 2 0 1 0 into high gear and time seemed to speed by. This is a major clue about becoming a conqueror of tasks and projects. When you are able to define your purpose, establish your values and vision, and develop a successoriented attitude, both direction and meaning are more likely to emerge. The best way to decide what you want—and set goals accordingly—is to have an understanding of yourself. The Five O'Clock Club's primary tool for doing this is the Seven Stories Exercise. This enables you to carefully analyze your outstanding accomplishments and identify your strongest and most enjoyable skills. Doing your Fifteen or Forty-Year Vision helps you to give shape and scope to what lies ahead. Your dreams and goals from this exercise are the driving forces that motivate you. When you have a clear vision, you can move on to set specific goals, and it might be helpful to keep the following acronym to in mind when you formulate goals: WHY SMART. That is, goals must be: ^ Written ^ Harmonious + Yours + Specific 4> Measurable 4> Attainable ^ Realistically high ^ Time-specific Specific goals will enable you to prioritize options, and just the process of writing them down can activate positive A D V I C E FROM OUR C O A C H E S thoughts. There is power in visualization; it can bring the necessary behaviors that will help you to accomplish all that you want in your life. Successful people have a passion for what they do, and usually have set goals that are harmonious with the vision they have created. Do It; decide which category it week, (3) next week, or (4) when I have the time ^ Delegate it to the appropriate person ^ Dump it; dispose of it in nearest recycling bin: get rid of anything that is not in alignment with your personal/pro"/ CAN go to lunch with you. fessional I just clutter up my desk with blank paper goals. so the boss thinks I'm busy." And create a filing system •$• Provide a written agenda and instead of a piling system. include the purpose and objec3. Do the right thing right. tives of the meeting. Management expert Peter Drucker says, <•* Start and end on time. "Doing the right thing right (effective^ Have someone take notes and ness) is more important than simply send a summary with the action doing things right (efficiency)"—no items to attendees. matter what the things are. •4> Determine the best way to share 4. Timing: determine your most the information communicated effective time of day and take advantage in the meetings. of your body's natural clock to achieve 9. Strive for time management at your tasks. Also decide the best time of home to help maintain control, since day to plan your day (for many people our professional and personal lives are the night before is the better option). so intertwined. 5. Refine your to-do list: break the 10. Learn to say No: taking on too tasks into either must do it and should much can be a major derailer and causdo it. es stress. 6. Plan for interruptions and build in buffer times that will allow you to Time is the great equalizer. We all get back on course. But try to minimize have the same amount, but the effective interruptions: pay attention to caller ID use of time is no accident. and let some calls go to voicemail; post Good time management is rooted a Do Not Disturb sign on your office in setting goals that are aligned with door or cubicle wall. your vision and purpose. Making it 7. Make the most of waiting time: happen is a personal choice. * it happens to all of us, and the odd five Stacey M. Jerrold, Five O'clock Club or ten minutes here and there can be coach, M.B.A., SPHR, is recognized as a used to get things done. leader in the field of Human Resources. 8. Make your meetings as produc- falls into (1) immediate, (2) this tive as possible. Do You Want to Spend or Invest? When trying to come to terms with time management, it is important to acknowledge and understand the difference between spending time and investing time. The definition of spend, according to the dictionary, is "to use up, exhaust, consume." However, when we invest our time, we do so with the expectation of some sort of ROI, return on investment. If we were to value time the same way we value money, we would probably be motivated to manage time better. We don't like to waste money, and while we all say that we don't like to waste time—it's hard to get out of the habit. The cliche is right: time is money! You can expect returns if you invest in it wisely—no matter what the current economic situation. How you use your time is a reflection of who you are. Not only is it an indication of what you think about yourself, it also reveals what you think of others. Your real commitment to die goals you have set for yourself is reflected in your use of time. How you invest your time mirrors your purpose, your vision and your values. Each day set out to achieve the highest level of performance and gratification. Fundamentals of Time Management You'll go a long way in overcoming die waste of time—and meeting your goals—if you can master the following ten concepts: 1. Get organized: set aside time to organize all paper and projects; block the time in your calendar or PDA. 2.Remember the three Ds when something arrives at your desk: + She is known for "turning potential into performance. " THE FIVE O ' C L O C K NEWS / MARCH 2010 13