Time ManagementFor

Medical Professionals

Where Does The Time Go?

• Busy Schedules

• Too Many “Hats”

• Infrastructure Problems

• Conflicting Priorities

Objectives

• Review and describe common impediments to time efficiency

• Describe helpful time management principles and adjunctive tools

• Finish on time!!!

Time Wasters• Phones and Pagers

• Visitors

• Meetings

• “Open Door Policy”

• Miscommunication

• Fatigue

Time Wasters, cont...• Can’t say “No”

• Indecision

• Procrastination

• Clutter

• Lack of Direction

• Uncertain Priorities

Time Wasting Personalities

• The Bureaucrat– “Guardian of the System” (not the Mission)

• The Dead Wood– “Retired on Active Duty”

• The Crisis Maker– Not to be confused w/ crisis manager

• The Loner

Personal Time Management Myths

• “I’m always busy, therefore, I must be very productive.”

• “The more time I spend on this task, the better the product will be.”

• “I’ll have (or make) more time for other things later.”

The Truth Is…

• The “Law of Diminishing Returns” applies.

• You already have all the time you’re going to get.

• Getting the most out of your day, week, year, and life means managing

TIME.

To Manage Time is to:

• Set goals and objectives

• Prioritize tasks

• Plan regularly for steps toward objectives

• Actively work to overcome your obstacles

Goal Setting

• Short and Long Term

• Personal and Professional

• Achievable

• Measurable Milestones– Baby Steps– Reachable in a day, a week…

Prioritization

Urgent Non-urgent

Important

NotImportant

Crises Preventions

Distractions Pleasure

Short Term Planning

• Start of Each Day– list today's objectives

• Mid-day Adjustment– How are you doing?

• End of Day Milestones– How do you know you are finished?

Long Term Planning

• Weekly, Monthly, Yearly Milestones

• Personal Mission Statement– www.covey.com

• Celebrate Milestones

Overcoming Obstacles

• Anticipate them– plan ways to overcome or

circumvent them

• Learn from mistakes

• Learn (when) to say: “NO”.

Day Planners, Etc.• Help organize, prioritize tasks

• Set milestones

• Reminder of short and long term goals

• Alternative “planners”– computers– bulletin board, post-its, etc.– memory (for the gamblers among you)

When You Fall Behind...Consider:

– closing your door– tactical delays– strategies for delegation or team efforts– letting the voice mail answer your calls– turning off your pager– It’s never too late to plan ahead!

Summary

• Where does YOUR time go?

• Do you have long and short term goals?

• Do you plan progress toward them?– Do you know when you’re there?

• Have you organized SOMETHING?– your planner, your desk, your mind?

A Pop Quiz!!!

• Who makes demands on YOUR time?

• Who can create MORE time?

• Who can reallocate the time you have?

• Who is in charge of MANAGING your time? Your goals? Your life?

Times Up!!!

• Back to you, COL Yetter….