Time as a Resource

Overview/Description
 One of the keys to success, according to author Steven Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," is to figure out what is important to you, and then do these things first. This is difficult, given the frantic pace in most work environments. You may not have thought about the important aspects of your job in several months. In fact, your daily schedule is probably filled with tasks imposed by external sources such as your boss, subordinates, or the system. This course is about figuring out which tasks are important to you on your job, and then finding time to do them. You will learn how to evaluate the importance of a task by looking at the payoff versus the time invested. Then, you will examine how you currently spend your time, and how to reset your focus on what's important. Focus is not enough, however. Once you've determined which tasks to focus on, you will need to incorporate them into your plans and set up your daily schedule so you do first things first. This course contains some great ideas on how to do this.

Target Audience
 Employees at all levels, team members, staff members, team leaders, supervisors, managers, and sales professionals

Expected Duration
2.5 hours

Lesson Objectives:

Using Your Time Wisely

  • recognize the benefits of examining the results of an activity before investing time in it.
  • choose applications of the Pareto Principle.
  • sequence the steps required to perform a Pareto analysis of a job situation.
  • identify the different ways that the Pareto Principle can be applied.

    • Setting Your Priorities

  • recognize the benefits of prioritizing job tasks.
  • identify task types that can be prioritized, and determine which one generates the desired results.
  • match tasks to categories within the "urgency and consequences" matrix.
  • select ways to make more time for nonurgent, consequential, tasks.

    • Planning Your Day

  • recognize the benefits of planning work activities.
  • select five critical questions that should be addressed by a good planner.
  • identify the characteristics of Master Lists.
  • identify the common problems when starting a planning program.

    • Scheduling Efficiently

  • recognize the value of scheduling tasks into blocks of time on a daily basis.
  • identify the techniques that can be used to reduce the time wasted by switching from one task to another.
  • identify the steps required to set up a daily schedule.
  • identify tips for staying on a daily schedule.

    • Course Number: PD0121