Time Management Its Hard Work

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Time Management Its Hard Work!

• Douglas M. Char, MD
• Navigating the Academic Waters 2009

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Ponder this

• What attributes have allowed you to be
  successful?
• What attributes limit you from reaching your full
  potential?

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• Do you have a mission or vision for yourself?
• Have you shared it with others?
• Is work a means to an end or just a job?
• Do you feel accomplished at the end of the day?

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• Do you plan your day/week/month?
• Do you have a to do list?
• Do you have a PDA or system?
• Do you ever complete everything on the list?
• ..do you care?

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• What are you willing to do to achieve your dream?
• Do you have some idea about where to start?

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Overview

• What is time management?
• How do we set and accomplish daily priorities?
• What specific skills can improve efficiency?

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Do you have enough time?
Nobody does!!
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Do you have enough time to do the things you want
and need to do?
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If not, what will you do to get more?

• If you dont have time for reading,
  letter-writing, cooking or exercising, get up
  earlier in the morning Lucy Hedrick
  in 365 Ways to Save Time (circa 1953)

What are your options?
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Lack of direction/focus versus overwhelming
number of tasks?
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Whats your desk look like?
Neatness ? productivity
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• Americans get 60-90 minutes less sleep than 10-15
  years ago
• We spend over billion dollars on time aids

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Time Cant be managed!

• Effective
• Efficient
• Effortless

Is there anything special about Emergency
Medicine?
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Emergency Medicine Specific Hurdles

• Stand alone mentality
• Shift work demands in 9-5 work world
• Lack appreciation of management training

Working harder, longer is not an option
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A business approach

• What is your product?

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You can only manage that which you have control
over
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Time Management Myths

• All stress is bad
• Planning ones time just takes more time
• There just isnt enough time to get done what
  needs to be done
• The busier I am, the better Im using my time
• I feel okay, so I must not be stressed

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Pareto Principle - 8020 rule

• 80 of the unfocused effort generates only 20 of
  the results
• Productivity Activity/Time
• Key is to focus energy on high priority,
  important tasks

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Approaches to time management

• 1st Generation
• Clock based reminders, alerts that task is due
• 2nd Generation
• Planning and preparation (appointment book, basic
  goal setting)
• 3rd Generation
• Prioritization, controlling activities (clarify
  values)
• 4th Generation
• Efficient and proactive (importance over urgency)

Stephen Covey in first things First
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Assessing Effort

• SWOT
• Strength
• Weakness
• Opportunity
• Threats
• Time Acuity Matrix

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(No Transcript)
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Goal Setting

• Road Map

• Short and long term goals

• Degree of detail depends on the trip

Artistic
Education
Value-based Goals
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Identify Priorities

• How does any given activity assist in
  accomplishing your goal?
• Whose priority is it?
• Some distractions cant be avoided recognize
  deal
• What training, education do you need to attain
  goals?
• Goals should be positive statements precise,
  prioritized and written down
• Keep operational goals small and focus on
  performance not outcomes (there are many things
  you cant control)

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Scheduling Success

• More than just keeping a list or putting it
  calendar
• Be realistic, dont over commit
• Block time for must do
• If no discretionary time then revisit priorities
• Plan contingency time
• Complete an Activity Log
• Effectiveness depends on time of day
• How much time spent on low value tasks?
• Schedule blocks of time for simple daily tasks

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Any Shortcuts You Subscribe To?
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Stupid Human Tricks Just say NO
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Action Plans

• Focuses on achievement of a single goal
• Revise and keep AP as future road map
• Complex task SCHEMES
• Space
• Cash
• Helpers
• Equip
• Material
• Expertise
• Systems

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To-do-list

• prioritized list of tasks that need to be carried
  out
• Important things at the top
• Share it allow others to work in tandem
• Attend to necessary tasks first
• Delegate
• remember you are still
  responsible
• Different ways to attack
  to-do-list

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• Prioritizing is the answer to time management
  problems not computers, efficiency experts or
  matrix scheduling. You do not need to work
  faster or eliminate gaps in productivity to make
  better use of your time. You need to spend more
  time on the right things

C Ray Johnson in CEO Logic How to act like a
chief executive
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Why spend time trying to manage time?

• Increase effectiveness
• Enhance career performance
• Personal development
• Increased responsibilities

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Things I wish I knew years ago

• Concentrate on results, not being busy
• Dont wait for the right mood or time to tackle
  important tasks
• Working longer, harder doesnt make up for poor
  organizational skills

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Things I wish I knew years ago

• Important tasks are often not urgenturgent tasks
  are often not important
• 8020 rule refocus attention and time on the
  20
• Schedule time for routine tasks so that less
  important things dont cause wasted mental energy

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Things I wish I knew years ago

• Meeting accomplishments are almost always
  worked out ahead of time
• Meetings lasting gt1 hour are a waste of time

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Best advise I ever gotbut have a hard time
following!!

• Create a personal mission statement
• Review it frequently
• Write down your goals (short and long term)
• Review them frequently

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Avoid TIME TRAPS

• Hanging out at the fun office
• Spending time on frequent updates of routine
  activity
• Jumping to eagerly into routine work
• Not starting important tasks first thing in the
  morning
• Not making a schedule /over-scheduling
• Endless meeting
• Agreeing to work that doesnt align
  with your goals

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Mentoring for success

• Look around, who is do you admire?
• Find a role model emulate success
• Time management doesnt come naturally for most
  people

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Managing time take PRACTICE
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Questions
What should I do next?