Outline of a two day interactive course

 Click on any of the links to get more information – this site is almost a book in itself!

Day 2

9.30      Other major time thieves

Time wasters: what are they, and what can be done about them? Delegates provide examples of their main time wasters, and plans are made for dealing with these.

Examination of telephones, e-mail and saying no in more detail.

Groups suggest strategies for these three major problem areas and the ideas generated are combined with tutor lists.

11.00     Coffee

Stress, and the link with time management. More info

The session starts with a presentation of the big picture of stress – how both quality of life and achievement are affected by stress levels, and how to find the best combination of these factors.

Next there is a closer look at the contribution that poor time management makes to our stress levels - a questionnaire identifies the main day to day causes of stress for each participant, and for each cause we will discuss strategies for reducing the stress level. These causes of stress include procrastination, trying to keep lists in one’s head, not allowing enough time, not saying No and then regretting it, untidy desks, and even lack of exercise.

Beating procrastination

How to overcome your natural subconscious tendency to put off things that are large or difficult.

Eight methods will be assessed for their effectiveness against real tasks currently being procrastinated by the participants.

12.45     Lunch

Looking at the big picture - the objectives of time management: a key session on the WHY of time management, linking it to achievement and quality of life, both at work and at home. This forms the motivation to improve and to become more assertive and more self-disciplined. Delegates will list their personal goals at work and outside, and then these goals will be refined against an improved version of SMART called SPVEM. Then we will add details for each goal, dates, skills required and obstacles to be overcome. The result will be a Goals Plan.

3.00     Tea

Physical systems for time management: diaries, lists, filing, your desk, etc. More info

A session on why some lists work and some don’t, why it is necessary to have a master list and a daily list, how to transfer parts of a large task over onto the daily list, when you should write your daily list each day, what should be in your diary, whether home should be in the same diary as work, why your diary should never be completely full, how to make sure that all promises get followed up, and what your diary and lists should physically look like.

“From now on I will…”

Delegates write down what they plan to do in each of the improvement areas covered on the course, so that the ideas can be carried forward into their real lives.

Action plans: putting the new ideas into action

Each person declares to the group one of their plans for the future. This will be supported by a copy of the Time Management handbook, pocket card, and a monthly tip sent to their e-mail (for ever, and it will never repeat. Of course unsubscription is possible if required).

5.00     Finish