Getting control of your work dayB A S I C T I M E M A N A G E M E N T

urgency+

-

+ -importance

A1 A2

B1 B2

H I E R A R C H Y O F T A S K S

H I E R A R C H Y O F T A S K S

A1: URGENT & IMPORTANT

A2: NOT URGENT & IMPORTANT

B1: URGENT & NOT IMPORTANT

B2: NOT URGENT & NOT IMPORTANT

Concentrate on A1 & A2 tasks while minimizing time spent on B1 & B2 tasks.

B E W A R E O F B 1 T A S K S !

B1 tasks (urgent & not important) are the great time-wasters of our lives.

They seem important, but they’re not.

Such tasks include:

Answering emailNon-priority telephone callsMost meetings

O P T I M I Z I N G Y O U R D A Y

Which of these computer hard drives is more efficient?

A

B

C O S T O F I N T E R R U P T I O N S

It takes between 6 & 20 minutes for your mind to return to the level of intensity and concentration it had before the interruption.

How much is that time worth to you?

8.30

9.30

10.30

11.30

12.30

1.30

2.30

3.30

4.30

5.30

10.00—12.00Focus period

F O C U S & P R O D U C T I V I T Y

dedicated timewith no interruptions

no telephone calls, email, or talking to friends or colleagues

A1 & A2 tasks

8.30

9.30

10.30

11.30

12.30

1.30

2.30

3.30

4.30

5.30

F O C U S & P R O D U C T I V I T Y

2.00—4.00Focus period

if “something comes up”, shift the focus perioddo not cancel it

8.30

9.30

10.30

11.30

12.30

1.30

2.30

3.30

4.30

5.30

10.00—12.00Focus period

P L A N N I N G

review previous dayplan current day

8.00—8.30

8.30

9.30

10.30

11.30

12.30

1.30

2.30

3.30

4.30

5.30

10.00—12.00Focus period

W R A P - U P

8.00—8.30

review day’s progressplan next day5.00—5.30

8.30

9.30

10.30

11.30

12.30

1.30

2.30

3.30

4.30

5.30

10.00—12.00Focus period

N O N - P R I O R I T Y W O R K

8.00—8.30

return messagesB1 & B2 tasks

1.30—2.30

Planning

return messagesB1 & B2 tasks

9.30—10.00

5.00—5.30 Wrap-up

weeks

1

manage project

research

write interim report

G A N T T C H A R T

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

task

prepare document

prepare presentation

presentation

task dependency

milestoneslack

S T A G E S O F A D E S I G N P R O J E C T

1. Enthusiasm

2. Disillusionment

3. Panic

4. Search for the guilty

5. Punishment of the innocent

6. Awards for the non-participants

Christopher James MooreheadJanuary 2008

B A S I C T I M E M A N A G E M E N T