TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

STORY
Every morning in Africa a deer wakes up.
It knows that it must run faster than
the fastest lion. Otherwise it will be
killed.
Every morning in Africa the lion wakes
up. It knows that it must run faster
than the slowest deer. Otherwise it will
starve.
It does not matter if you are deer or
lion but when the sun rises it is
time to run.
 OBJECTIVES
• What is Time Management?
• Identify your BEST Time Zones
• Time Management Tools &
Techniques
• Goal Setting
• Cost of Inefficiency
• Major TIME WASTERS &
Remedies
• Time Management Matrix
• Procrastination
• Delegation
Eighty Six Thousand Four Hundred

Picture this:
Each day your bank
deposits $86,400
in your checking
account.

There’s just one catch.

You have to spend it all
in one day.

You can’t carry over any

money to the next day.
 24 hours per day
X
60 minutes per hour
X
60 seconds per minute
=

86,400 Seconds
 TIME IS THE
SCARCEST
RESOURCE
AND

UNLESS IT IS MANAGED, NOTHING

ELSE CAN BE MANAGED
- PETER F DRUCKER
 To Realize the Value of:
ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed
a grade.
ONE MONTH, ask a mother who
gave birth to a premature baby.
ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a
weekly newspaper.
ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer
with kids to feed.
ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are
waiting to meet.
ONE MINUTE, ask a person who
missed the train.
ONE SECOND, ask a person who just
avoided an accident.
ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person
who won a silver medal in the
Olympics.
 TIME
MANAGEMENT IS
MOSTLY CHANGING
HABITS –
HABITS RELATED
TO TIME
 Time Management, what is it ?
Time Management is only a
set of skills and tools to
help us more efficiently
control the events of our
lives.

Doing a better job of

managing our time is
meaningless unless we are
managing it to accomplish
those things that are of
greatest importance in our
lives.”
Hyrum Smith- Creator
of the Franklin
Day Planner
 ADVANTAGES OF TIME MANAGEMENT

• Prevent much stress.

• Creates balance in life – work, home, self.

• Increase in productivity.

• Progress in achieving your personal goals.

What we gain from Time Management in

essence, is not more time, but a
better life
 How Time Management
improves your performance
a) Top Performers always focus on
outputs, Average performers on inputs &
low performers focus on activities.
b) The practice of Time Management
skills develops judgment, foresight, self
reliance & self discipline.
c) A focus on time management forces
you to be intensely result-oriented.
d) Time Management enables you to
work smarter not just harder.
e) Good time management is a source
of energy, enthusiasm & a positive
mental attitude.
Key Practices of Time Management
1.Start in one area where poor time
management is holding you
back.

2.Use “trial & success” method

rather than “trial & error”
method, that is how to succeed
by failing, and then learning
from your mistakes.

3.Time management skill is learnable

like any other skill like typing or
riding a bike with practice &
repetition.

4.Time management is your key to

personal effectiveness, self
esteem, self respect & personal
productivity and happiness.
IDENTIFY YOUR “MACRO”
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS

ƒ Analyze when you work best

(morning, evening, night etc.)
ƒ Analyze where you work best
( room, office, home, canteen )
ƒ Analyze how you work best.
( one hour, 10 min, etc )
Energy Level in Individual

Example 1

150%
100%
50%
0%

0
:00

:00
m

m
8:0

2:0

4:0
0a

0p
10

12
6:0

6:0
 Energy Level in
Individual

Example 2

150%
100%
50%
0%
0

0
0
:00
:00
8:0

2:0
4:0
m

m
0a

0p
10
12
6:0

6:0
 Tasks

Low Energy High Energy

Staff Meetings Dealing with
Opening/Sorting Mail Customers
Responding to Writing Audit
Correspondence Responses
Collecting data Reconciling Stocks &
Figures
Inefficiency - Can Almarai Afford It?

Statistics show the

average worker loses
at least one hour of
productivity each day
due to
disorganization.

How much is
disorganization and
inefficiency costing
Almarai?
 Cost of Inefficiency
1 hour X one workers hourly
salary =SR____________

6 days a week X____ SR lost

today=SR lost this week.

48 weeks X $lost this

week+___ SR lost this year.

Number of employees x __SR

lost this year =________SR
total.
 Parato’s Law

Who/What is Pareto’s Law?

• Vilfredo Pareto - (1843-1923), an French-Italian

economist and sociologist.
• “Law” first published in 1896-97, related to
taxes, i.e. 20% people paid 80% of taxes.
• Currently, observed/used diverse settings.
– E.g. ~20% patients lead to ~80% hospital’s
costs.
Pareto’s Law (80/20 Law) in
Time Management
Get “SMART” with TIME
SMART is
Simple
Measures that
Ascertain
Resourceful usage of
Time

Set “SMART” Goals •

GOAL SETTING
z Am I short of time to
meet my vision &
mission

• It is not enough to
have goals in mind.
Put them down on
paper

• It is an agreement
with yourself that you
are aware of goals
and will pursue them

• Be thankful to the
person who reminds
you of your goals
 Prioritizing

Prioritizing means determining the relative

importance and precedence of events. And it
is absolutely necessary for effective planning.
Prioritizing keeps us from spending time on
things we don’t really value.”
Hyrum Smith
 Six Major Time Wasters
Telephone Interruptions
Unexpected Visitors
Meetings, Meetings
Fire Fighting & Emergencies
Socializing & Idle conversations
Indecision & Delay
Time Waste - Caused
by Others

1.Common
Misunderstandings
2.Unclear Priorities
3.Poor Delegation
4.Unclear lines of
Authority.
5.Incomplete
Information
6.Aimless or Too
Frequent Meetings
7.Lack of Clarity
concerning one’s
job
 The Time Management Matrix
Urgent Not Urgent

I ACTIVITES: II ACTIVITES:
Important

III ACTIVITES: IV ACTIVITES:

Not Important

Adapted from Steven Covey’s- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Learning to say “NO”
• Many people put everyone
else’s requests and needs
first before their own.
• If we are to become
effective time managers,
we have to allocate and
prioritize time on the basis
of true need.
• “NO” is the most powerful
word in the Time
Manager’s vocabulary.
• We should say “NO” only
when it is clearly the right
thing to say.
 9 Ways to say NO
1. I’m sorry, but that’s not a priority for me right now!
2. I can’t help right now but I can next week. Would that be OK ?
3. I can’t help right now but I know someone who can !
4. Before I can take this on, perhaps we could spend a little time
together so that you could do it yourself.
 9 Ways to say NO
5. It would mean letting
down other people
and that wouldn’t be
fair to them.
6. I promise to get back
to you by next
Wednesday latest.
7. I’m sure that you’ll
understand when I tell
you that I can’t help at
this time due to
workload.
8. I can help if you agree
that the earlier tasks
you requested can
wait.
9. NO !
 Never do to-day what you
Can postpone tomorrow !

Come out of this attitude !

DIN – DO IT NOW
• Make a conscious effort to
develop a DIN attitude.
• Set deadlines for yourself.

• Set deadline for starting.

• Commit deadline to some
one.
• Develop a clear mental
image (Positive) of finishing
the work, and of how you will
feel when everything is done.
• Single most
powerful strategy
• Double benefit:
you & staff
• General rule: Never
perform a task that
someone else can
effectively do
• Remember the 3
concepts
- Responsibility
- Authority
- Accountability
• I can do it better
- you are not developing
staff
• I can do it faster
- not doing is fastest
• I am insecure
- no promotion if no
successor
We become better managers of
people & time
• I don’t want to give up
- delegate first what you do
best
• It is a dirty job
- every job has its share
- some want to prove
• I want to keep control
- not an effective way of
using your time
Time management tools and
techniques
• Use “to do” lists for
planning

• Create a time diary to

track where your
time actually goes

• Become aware of
your external and
internal timewasters
and avoid them

• Pulverize paperwork
The “to do” list: a power tool
• Use it as a master
planning tool
• Use annual, monthly,
weekly versions
• Statistics prove you’ll be
more productive
– It’s a visual schedule
– It acts as reminder
– It gives direction
– You get satisfaction when
items are crossed off
 Keep a diary
• Create the list
before you start
the day

• 15 minutes of
investment will
help you everyday

• End of day:
Review Status
Time - Saving Tips: Telephone Interruptions
i) Conversations with difficult people should
always start by you defining how much
time you can spare.
ii) Try to get them to do the speaking (
which should not be difficult).
iii) Give only yes/No responses – chipping in
with relevant personal anecdotes will only
prolong the hole thing.
iv) Before making a call, set your own
agenda & stick to it.
v) Plan a particular time in a day to answer
all the important missed calls.
 Time - Saving Tips: Dealing with visitors
i) If you do not want to disturbed, shut the door or, in an
open plan office, face away from the point of access.

ii) If you are asked whether you’re free & you are not, politely
but firmly say so & set another time.

iii) Use body language – if someone comes unexpectedly,

stand up, look them in the eye & make it plain that now
is not the right time. Do not give them the opportunity to
sit down – remove extra chairs beforehand if you want.

iv) Say straight away that you’re too busy, and that you’ll
come to them ASAP. It’s easier to leave their workplace
than to get them out of yours.
Time - Saving Tips: Managing Meetings
1) Chase the agenda to ensure it set well
beforehand and circulated. The agenda
should be stuck rigidly – politely but firmly
use it as a tool to stop people with a
tendency to waffle.

2) Ensure that the meeting is properly chaired.

If necessary, chair it yourself.

3) Use new technology to avoid face to face

meetings where ever possible. Can the same
results be gained by tele conferencing? Can
E-mail help to disseminate information?

4) Wherever possible, send a deputy to the

slaughter.
Time - Saving Tips: Successful Delegation
1 Delegate the right work – Analyze every task
you do & be certain you are person who
should be doing it.

2. Don’t give an impression that you are

dumping your work – present new tasks to
people as a sign of your trust in their abilities.
Make it Positive!

3.Give a full brief – spend time explaining the

job in detail and ensure that your delegates
know what to do from the start.

4. Sincere praise for a job well done – it will

make it easier to delegate in future &
encourages the recipients to accept.
9. Is The Jar Full?
Stephen Covey in his book, •
First Things First, shares the
following story experienced
by one of his associates:

I attended a seminar once

where the instructor was
lecturing on time. At one
point, he said, "Okay, time for
a quiz." He reached under the
table and pulled out a wide-
mouthed gallon jar. He set it
on the table next to a platter
with some fist-sized rocks on
it. "How many of these rocks
do you think we can get in
the jar?" he asked.
After we made our
guess, he said, "Okay.
Let's find out." He set
one rock in the jar . . .
then another . . . then
another. I don't
remember how many
he got in, but he got
the jar full. Then he
asked, "Is this jar
full?" Everyone looked
at the rocks and said,
"Yes."
 Then he said, "Ahhh"•
He reached under the
table and pulled out a
bucket of gravel. Then
he dumped some
gravel in and shook the
jar and the gravel went
in all the little spaces
left by the big rocks.
Then he grinned and
said once more, "Is the
jar full?"
By this time the class
was on to him.
"Probably not," we
said. "Good!" he
replied. He reached
under the table and
brought out a bucket of
sand. He started
dumping the sand in
and it went into all of
the little spaces left by
the rocks and the
gravel. Once more he
looked and said, "Is
this jar full?" "No!" we
roared.
He said, "Good!" and
he grabbed a pitcher of
water and began to
pour it in. He got
something like a quart
of water in that jar.
Then he said, " Well,
what's the
point?" Somebody
said, "Well, there are
gaps, and if you work
really hard you can
always fit some more
things into your life."
"No," he said, "that's not
really the point.

The point is this:

Put the
Big Rocks
in First
TIME Flies…but • Time is Money – make sure that
you are giving value for money to
yourself & Almarai.

• Accept that there is only one

chance to achieve what you want in
life so you’d better start now.

• Believe it is possible to get more

out of existing time.

• Understand your ‘most effective

time zone’

• Create daily TO DO List for next 3

months

• Prioritize & schedule tasks.

• Invest time to train someone &

delegate in steps.

• Leave the habit of attending to

everything that comes in front
 A Final Thought On Time

Many People….
- Think too much of destinations and
too little of preparations
- They don’t realize that today’s actions
will determine tomorrows achievements
Recommended Readings
The One Minute Manager,
Kenneth Blanchard and
Spencer Johnson, Berkeley
Books, 1981, ISBN 0-425-
09847-8

The Seven Habits of Highly

Effective People, Stephen
Covey, Simon & Schuster,
1989, ISBN 0-671-70863-5