#048: Where Did the Time Go?

Introduction

In today's "People Skills" newsletter, we're going slightly "off-piste" and showcasing one of our Worksheet collections in its entirety.

The collection is on "Time Management" and there are 25 worksheets in the set. They cover every aspect of your time usage, from logging your time, to identifying how much control you have over your time, and analysing your current to-do list.

The purpose of these worksheets is to help you identify, rather than guess, how you spend your time. Since most of us rarely do this, the results may surprise you and, so, lead you to better personal time management.

Just think! You need never again wonder where the time went.

So, now on with the worksheets...

Worksheet 01: What is Effective Time Management?

Instructions: Complete the six boxes below. They will give you a full 360-degree insight into the meaning of effective time management. Share your views with others who have also completed this worksheet.

Worksheet 02: The Time Log

Instructions: A time log is a valuable starting point for effective time management. Start by deciding which different categories you want to log...

Worksheet 03: A Week in My Life

Instructions: First carry out a time log over a period of a week, using the categories of work, home, social and personal...

Worksheet 04: A Day in My Life

Instructions: First, complete a time log for a day's activities. Using the information in your time log, transfer it to the 12 categories below...

Worksheet 05: Style and Culture

Instructions: How you manage your time at work depends on the style and culture of the organisation or function you work for...

Worksheet 06: Time and Your Boss

Instructions: How you manage your time at work depends on the style, personality and favoured management approach of the person you work for...

Worksheet 07: You as a Time Manager

Instructions: Your skill as an effective time manager is dependent on the way you are able to manage the different tasks in your work.

Worksheet 08: My Current To-Do List

Instructions: In column A below, write down your current to-do list of tasks...

Worksheet 09: Your Attitudes to Time and Work

Instructions: Look at the nine different attitudes towards work below and rank them in importance to you...

Worksheet 10: Routine Work

Instructions: In the chart below, record examples of different types of routine work...

Worksheet 11: The Paperwork Audit

Instructions: This worksheet will show you the cost of waiting paperwork...

Worksheet 12: Progress Work

Instructions: Progress work is work that adds value to your time. It is work that produces something new.

Worksheet 13: Goal-Setting

Instructions: The chart below helps you think of why you set your goals, the end result and the steps you need to take to get to the goal.

Worksheet 14: Start-Of-The-Week Chart

Instructions: Use the chart below to plan your next week before it comes.

Worksheet 15: Time Robbers

Instructions: Look at the list of external and internal time robbers and tick those that you believe affect your time...

Worksheet 16: Managing Time

Instructions: Look at the seven versions of what being a successful time manager is and see which you agree with.

Worksheet 17: Non-Doing Work

Instructions: Non-doing work needs to be fitted in to your weekly time management plans.

Worksheet 18: My Daily Energy Graph

Instructions: We all have times of the day when we feel more energetic than at other times...

Worksheet 19: Work and Rest Chart

Instructions: The Work and Rest Chart is a good reminder of the value of breaking up work with periods of rest.

Worksheet 20: My Important Others

Instructions: Use the chart below to find out who your important others are and how much time you typically spend with them.

Worksheet 21: The Interruption Log

Instructions: The Interruption Log is a useful device for recording and analysing who causes you most interruptions over any given period...

Worksheet 22: Team To-Do Lists

Instructions: During a team meeting of up to 6 people, discuss all the jobs that the team needs to do.

Worksheet 23: Time Travellers

Instructions: Discuss your respective approaches to time management and then decide which of the time management personalities fits you.

Worksheet 24: Tomorrow's Jobs

Instructions: Use this chart to think about the jobs you need to do tomorrow.

Worksheet 25: When Jobs Come In

Instructions: Use the chart below to decide what to do when jobs come in.

What Next?

When asked in surveys how good they are as time managers, most people rank themselves as "low" on the basis that they either don't know where their time goes or don't have time to find out.

When this happens at work, this means only one thing: people are less productive, sometimes hugely less productive, than they could be. It also means you are probably doing far more work than you need to.

Using a simple system of recording your time usage with our MTL Time Management worksheets, you can kiss goodbye to poor productivity at a stroke and emerge as a master manager of your time.

Just give it a try!

Thanks for reading this edition of the "People Skills" newsletter and good luck with your ongoing learning.

Oh, and one last thing.

In the spirit of making the world a freer, happier and more enlightened place...

...please pass this newsletter on.

Thankyou!

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