KEY SKILL 2:
TIME MANAGEMENT

Key Skill 2: Welcome

"Everyone gets the same amount of hours in a day. It's how you use them that counts".

One of the most rewarding skills that I have picked up over my career is time management. The benefits of time management has transcended into my every day, personal life as well as my professional career and it's something I want to share with you.

I’ve always been a hard worker, but I’ve certainly not always managed my time effectively. I think most of us would agree that time is such a critical aspect of life and deserves to be handled correctly. Once you can master just a few key time management skills you'll soon realise what a positive change it can have on your life too.

Some of the benefits I’ve personally noticed are:

Better task management
Higher productivity
Lower stress levels
Better work-life balance
Better ability to manage multiple tasks
Provides clarity of work to be done and timescales
Allows for effective delegation of tasks to team members
Supports a proactive approach to work
Provides a sense of achievement when key tasks are completed
Fewer missed deadlines
Better work quality

What is time management? Well, it's being able to organise tasks and activities to maximise the effectiveness of your efforts. Essentially, time management enables you to get more, and better, work done in less time. Having used time management techniques successfully, I can wholeheartedly agree with this.

Key Skill 2: Bio

HOW TO ADD TIME MANAGEMENT AS ONE OF YOUR KEY SKILLS:

It's quick and easy. In less than an hour you can complete a simple, certified course in Time Management and add this to you list of key skills (AND don't forget your CV too!). Click the 'View More' link below:

Key Skill 2: Text

Key Skill 2: Image

One of the time management techniques that I regularly recommend to others is the '4Ds of time management'. This tool is so important to me and I use it every single day. It keeps me focussed and on track, especially when planning and managing multiple tasks. It also helps me to:

Quickly review current work demands and priorities
List what needs to be done and when
Avoid procrastination – e.g. Starting a job, doing a bit, and then putting it back on the pile
Avoid starting lots of jobs at the same time
Batch similar tasks together to save time – e.g. Setting aside half an hour to make all telephone calls

This tools enhances my time management and decision making simply and quickly. It is so simple to do too. Just write down everything that needs doing in a list and then add each item into one of 4 sections on a sheet under the titles - do, delay, drop or delegate.

Delay: These are less immediate deadlines. Ones that can be put off. However, they should have a set completion date or time or they won't get done.

Delegate: If it is not completely necessary for you to do this task then delegate or ask for help from someone else i.e. certain meetings, project work.

Delete: These are tasks that you can cut off your to do list and no longer require your attention.

Do: This should be the last section you complete, after filtering through Delay, Delegate and Delete. These are tasks that are most urgent to you (today, now!)? Think about whether this task will add value to your day? Think about critical actions, deadlines or immediate problems.

NB: Tasks should not be repeated throughout any of the 4 sections.

Remember to make time add new tasks to the appropriate section as they come in throughout the day, based on urgency to you.

I have many actions to handle each day across multiple projects, so it is vitally important to identify, remove or delay those that are draining my time, without losing sight of the tasks I really need to do myself or delegate to someone else.

Key Skill 2: Text

4DS OF TIME MANAGEMENT

As can be seen below, the 4Ds can be scribbled on a piece of paper (for ease, I recommend getting it down in an electronic format like Microsoft Word or OneNote). It doesn't matter how you record it, having it in front of you will really help in managing the tasks that are important to you.

Key Skill 2: Image

Other examples of time and schedule management are:

Setting SMART goals
Writing activity logs
Using the Pareto principle
Using a diary or planner
Accepting e-mails and telephones don’t need to be answered immediately
Factoring time for interruptions
Being prepared to say "no"
Planning what needs to be achieved in meetings
Delegating effectively
Being firm about times for meetings
Removing distractions

I tend to use a combination of the following time management techniques which really keep me organised and focussed:

Using a diary or planner
I review my e-mails in a morning, prioritise what needs to be responded to and what requires immediate attention.
Factoring time for interruptions. Interruptions are part and parcel of life. I tend to find that if I factor in around 30-45 minutes a day for them they seldom affect my scheduled work.
Saying "no". Knowing that I can turn down tasks or meetings, not essential to me is important. It means that I can carry on with the higher priority work I had set time aside to do.
Delegating effectively. When delegating tasks effectively it is essential to: identify the work that needs to be delegated, identify the team member’s ability and availability to take on the task, as well as identifying any skills gaps before delegating and address them first
Removing distractions – One day a week I work from home. This time is precious to me and allows me uninterrupted time to catch up with myself.
Setting SMART goals

Key Skill 2: Text

Managing multiple tasks requires forward thinking in order to make decisions. These decisions need to be based on information gathered about current and forthcoming work. Below are the different sources of information available to me at work and enable me to support effective workload planning:

Microsoft Outlook calendar/Outlook reminders.
Project plans.
Action plans.
Electronic HR system with annual leave planner.
Financial forecasts.
Year Planner poster in office.
GANTT charts.
Microsoft OneNote
Staff whereabouts white board.

Key Skill 2: Text

I hope this section gives you an understanding of the importance of time management and some of the tools available to help in maximising your time.

Click on the link below to add Time Management as one of your key skills today!

Key Skill 2: Text

KEY SKILL 2:TIME MANAGEMENT

"Everyone gets the same amount of hours in a day. It's how you use them that counts".

HOW TO ADD TIME MANAGEMENT AS ONE OF YOUR KEY SKILLS:

One of the time management techniques that I regularly recommend to others is the '4Ds of time management'. This tool is so important to me and I use it every single day. It keeps me focussed and on track, especially when planning and managing multiple tasks. It also helps me to:

Quickly review current work demands and priorities

List what needs to be done and when

Avoid procrastination – e.g. Starting a job, doing a bit, and then putting it back on the pile

Avoid starting lots of jobs at the same time

Batch similar tasks together to save time – e.g. Setting aside half an hour to make all telephone calls

This tools enhances my time management and decision making simply and quickly. It is so simple to do too. Just write down everything that needs doing in a list and then add each item into one of 4 sections on a sheet under the titles - do, delay, drop or delegate.

​

Delay: These are less immediate deadlines. Ones that can be put off. However, they should have a set completion date or time or they won't get done.

​

Delegate: If it is not completely necessary for you to do this task then delegate or ask for help from someone else i.e. certain meetings, project work.

​

Delete: These are tasks that you can cut off your to do list and no longer require your attention.

​

Do: This should be the last section you complete, after filtering through Delay, Delegate and Delete. These are tasks that are most urgent to you (today, now!)? Think about whether this task will add value to your day? Think about critical actions, deadlines or immediate problems.

​

NB: Tasks should not be repeated throughout any of the 4 sections.

Remember to make time add new tasks to the appropriate section as they come in throughout the day, based on urgency to you.

I have many actions to handle each day across multiple projects, so it is vitally important to identify, remove or delay those that are draining my time, without losing sight of the tasks I really need to do myself or delegate to someone else.

4DS OF TIME MANAGEMENT

Other examples of time and schedule management are:

Setting SMART goals

Writing activity logs

Using the Pareto principle

Using a diary or planner

Accepting e-mails and telephones don’t need to be answered immediately

Factoring time for interruptions

Being prepared to say "no"

Planning what needs to be achieved in meetings

Delegating effectively

Being firm about times for meetings

Removing distractions

I tend to use a combination of the following time management techniques which really keep me organised and focussed:

Using a diary or planner

I review my e-mails in a morning, prioritise what needs to be responded to and what requires immediate attention.

Factoring time for interruptions. Interruptions are part and parcel of life. I tend to find that if I factor in around 30-45 minutes a day for them they seldom affect my scheduled work.

Saying "no". Knowing that I can turn down tasks or meetings, not essential to me is important. It means that I can carry on with the higher priority work I had set time aside to do.

Delegating effectively. When delegating tasks effectively it is essential to: identify the work that needs to be delegated, identify the team member’s ability and availability to take on the task, as well as identifying any skills gaps before delegating and address them first

Removing distractions – One day a week I work from home. This time is precious to me and allows me uninterrupted time to catch up with myself.

Setting SMART goals

Managing multiple tasks requires forward thinking in order to make decisions. These decisions need to be based on information gathered about current and forthcoming work. Below are the different sources of information available to me at work and enable me to support effective workload planning:

Microsoft Outlook calendar/Outlook reminders.

Project plans.

Action plans.

Electronic HR system with annual leave planner.

Financial forecasts.

Year Planner poster in office.

GANTT charts.

Microsoft OneNote

Staff whereabouts white board.

I hope this section gives you an understanding of the importance of time management and some of the tools available to help in maximising your time.

​

Click on the link below to add Time Management as one of your key skills today!

KEY SKILL 2:
TIME MANAGEMENT