Lanc chamber sep 2013 2 time management

Time Management:
The Art of Getting
Things Done
Coach Thom Finn
Friday September 13th, 2013

Time
Management:
The Art of Getting
Things Done
Coach Thom Finn

To Make Sure You Get the Most
Out of Your Learning ...
I KNOW

Take What You Need….
•Leave the rest
behind…

Who is here…..
• How many supervise others?
• How many in full time/near full time sales?
• How many are in full time near full time
customer service/customer support
• How many are self employed (S-E)
• How many have a very clear specific goal
in their organization like this:

Who is here…
• how many of you have been or read or
attempted to improve your TM before…
• how many keep many details up in your
head?
• How many have a job where they have to
REACT to phones, customers. the boss,
other team members, where there job is to
react to the whirlwind around them 75% or
more of the time….

Expert by necessity
• Planning is easy. Executing is hard
• How it usually starts out for me…
– Sales Client
• No sales steps/Need Sales steps
• Not Direct enough for 2013/need to learn how
• No Selection/Start De Selection
– Plan GoalTasksExecute
• Understand, Buy In, Whirlwind

Expert by necessity
• 90% of time
• Time Management
• My Choices
– A) Beat them
– B) Scream at them
– C) Start Coaching on TM
– THEN results

Why didn’t you get it done?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P785j1
5Tzk

Expert by necessity
• No Blame, No fault, Nothing “Bad“
• Bigger Whirlwinds in 2013

You
• Are Not:
• Stupid, lazy, unorganized
• Hopeless
• Incapable of getting it
• Are:
• Facing a whirlwind
• Too many demands
• Not suited for traditional
TM
• maybe a little ADHD

Tools not Short Cuts
• Tools
• Principles/Disciplines
• Rules
• Address the ROOT
problem
• Tricks
• Promise fast results
• Band Aids
• Treat symptoms not
root cause

4 Tools Help Leverage
• Inter-dependent
• Master them one tool at
time
• 17-30 days….
• Try, Try Try again
• At end, decide which tool
you want to start with
Execute
stuff

Paper vs. Technology
• Best for communication with yourself
• In 15 seconds, I can write……but
• Faster, easier, more creative
• Defeats the purpose if technically
challenged
• Loose the BIG idea

Loops Cause Stress
• Looping, repeating, round and round
• 5 loops and you are “stressed”

The 4 Tools Of Execution
1. The Coach Thom style TASK LIST
2. The Default Schedule
3. Office Hours
4. Simplified Project Management

Multi-Tasking is Evil
• Prove I can save you half the time
• Exercise part 1: write down the sentence I
gave you AND the numbers I give you.
Note your time
• “Multi-Tasking is the Biggest Lie
you have ever been taught.”
• 1 2 3 4 5…..27
• What was your time?

Multi-Tasking is Evil
• Exercise part 2: write down the sentence I
gave you ONE LETTER AT A TIME
Immediately Followed by ONE NUMBER at a
time.
• “M
• 1
• U
• 2
• What was your time?

The Coach Thom Style
Task List
• Loops stink
• Priority systems don’t work in 2013
• Ignore your CAPACITY
• Capture the details right away
• How long will this take
• WHEN will you do it
• More than a to do list…or multi-tasking…..

Task List
• CAPACITY or INVENTORY management
• Use your inventory/resources wisely
• Forced quick prioritization
• Saying NO
• Saying NOT NOW
• Focus on only a few smart things

Task List
• 3 columns
• #1 SPECIFIC Task
–Grab those ideas ASAP and record them
–Underestimate how fast brain processes
–Ancillary thoughts wont be lost
–Natural sequential nature of your brain

Task List
• 3 columns
• #2 HOW LONG in minutes
– FORCES you to address capacity and consider
inventory
• #3 WHEN will you do it
– FORCES you to address capacity and consider
inventory
– Prevents biting off too much

Task List
• Warehouse or Parking Lot
• As big as you want
• Good idea but not now
• Store in your warehouse
• Next 4th of July…
• Next time I hire a receptionist….

Task List
Any time you have a Task -a to do- it goes
here
It DOES not go anywhere else
It does NOT go on a
PDA, IPHONE, Blackberry….
Loss of control of your time and tasks
causes stress

Exercise to Lock in the Learning
• Brain Dump as much as you can
• Even if recorded somewhere else
• SPECIFICS of the task
• HOW LONG in minutes
• WHEN will you do it
• The winner is she/he who get the biggest
dump

Task List
Never Ever Ever Lose
When you are done with a page or even a
page of TO DO's…get a great big giant
magic marker and CROSS IT OFF!
This is NOT a calendar nor does it replace
one…..keep using your paper
calendar, your Franklin Planner, your
PDA…..for appointments only.

Before we move on….
• Learnings?
• Is this clear?
• Can I clarify?
• Tell me how I can help increase buy in?
• What will keep you from using it?

Optional Tool: A Journal
ANYTHING in your life where you want to
record notes should go in the front with the
date and a title
For faster reference, you can add these
items to your table of contents
Ideas for staff meeting
Stuff you want to torture your assistant with

Use it for anything and everything
Me? Coaching clients-listening and note
taking in addition to their plan
So I'll put my notes in the front part of the
book
Label the top of the page with the details-
like client, date

Or maybe I'm in a workshop and want to
take notes…..date and seminar name at
top
Or maybe I'm packing for a Conference and
I want to make a note of what I need….
Or maybe I'm writing out my menu plan to
keep under 1000 calories a day…..

Tool: Default Schedule
• Default - “fall back on”
• Done in advance
• The Story of Wise
Thom and Simple
Thom
• Wise Thom leaves
notes for simple
Thom

Default Schedule.. more..
• The Wise you: un-
rushed, calm, thinking
PRO Actively, working
Smart, quiet…
• Leaves instructions so
the Simple you can just
show up and see what
needs to be done..
• Default-
typical, regular, but
not carved in stone-
flexible, starting point

Interruptions in your professional life….
BIG High Schools…
Did you sit in Math Class all day or all week? Then
move onto Gym?
Try to set up your week like a High School Class
Schedule.
Flip chart- what are some examples of the classes
you SHOULD be taking?
….gym class/planning class/Prospecting class/Meetings
class…

Reactive
How you spend it is up
to OTHERS
BIG whirlwind
Catching balls
Hotel Owner/Manager
Only a few classes on
the schedule
• Proactive
• How you spend it is
up to YOU
• Small whirlwind
• Throwing Balls
• Business Coach
• Lots of classes on the
schedule

The MOST IMPORTANT CLASS YOU CAN TAKE:
PLANNING
Even if you work the Complaint Department at US
AIRWAYS, you must find time for Planning
Every day - 10 minutes
Ideally the last class of the day
Or first thing in the morning
Review your appointments, go through your
notes, update your Task List

Creating YOUR Default
Schedule
• Step 1: Start with a blank week
Fill in the days you work, the times you work
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
700
900
1100
100
300
500

Schedule
• Step 2: Going back, and using “blocks of
time”, put in when you must react (MUST) ….
700 Staff Meeting Staff Meeting Staff Meeting Staff Meeting Staff Meeting
Departures
900
Answer
Phones Answer Phones Departures
Answer
Phones Answer Phones Departures
1100
100
300 Check ins Check ins Check ins
Check ins Check ins Check ins

• Because – in reality - we have these
“musts”
• You saw some of mine, what are yours?
• Rule - The Musts Cannot take up your
whole schedule
• For our goals and our exercise shoot for
no more than 50% of your total Default
Schedule
• Need time to EXECUTE

Schedule
• Step 3: Using only 25% of what is left over, fill in
your Important Reaction Items ….
FUP/Admin FUP/Admin FUP/Admin FUP/ADMIN Departures FUP/ADMIN
900
Answer
Phones Answer Phones Payroll Departures FUP/Admin
Answer
Phones Answer Phones Payroll Departures
1100 Training Payroll SalesCalls
FUP/Admin Training SalesCalls
100 Training SalesCalls FUP/Admin
SalesCalls
300 Check ins Check ins SalesCalls Check ins Check ins
Check ins Check ins SalesCalls Check ins Check ins

Schedule
• Step 4: Take what is left and create your
PLANNING time, or your OFFICE HOURS (OH)
….
FUP/Admin FUP/Admin FUP/Admin FUP/ADMIN Departures FUP/ADMIN
900
Answer
Phones Answer Phones Payroll Departures FUP/Admin
Answer
Phones Answer Phones Payroll Departures
1100 Training Payroll SalesCalls
FUP/Admin Training SalesCalls
100 Training SalesCalls FUP/Admin
SalesCalls
300 Check ins Check ins SalesCalls Check ins Check ins
Check ins Check ins SalesCalls Check ins Check ins

The Importance of the Buzzer….Class
Dismissed…
From Lunch to Home Ec.
The CLOCK!

I Guarantee you'll find minutes in a
day, hours in a week and DAYS IN A
MONTH by running by the clock.
"I don't want to be a slave to the clock".
You won't…you'll have more time to do the
things you REALLY want to do.
Students-What are some things you want to
do but don't seem to have time for?

These tools will keep you focused!
ADHD expert
Bright shiny objects
You will be more plan-full and get the
important stuff done.
AND…you'll save a lot of emotional energy
AND…you'll get the wonderful feeling of
accomplishment by looking at the stuff
crossed off.

Default Schedule
• Use it over and over..
• Starting point, a pattern, a jig,
• Some can use the same pattern
EXACTLY from one week to the next….
• Others (Sales?) will have to alter it
slightly…
• Minority may have to adjust it more..

Calendar vs. Default
Schedule
• Calendar
• Appointments -
meetings, sales calls
• Personal dates
• Vacations, etc
• Default Schedule
• INCLUDES the items
from your calendar
• But also includes the
Reaction, the
Important and the
Office Hours
• To start with - use
both, ideally - you are
just going off your
D.S.

Quick Check
• Color codes for %
• 65% for billable
• 15% for admin
• 10% for ______

Exercise to Lock in the Learning
• 7 minutes
• Create Draft #1 of your Default
Schedule
• Start with MUSTS
• Add Reaction Times
• Include PLANNING classes
• Only 75% filled

Before we move on….
• Is this clear?
• Can I clarify?
• Tell me how I can help increase buy in?
• What will keep you from using it?

Tool: Office Hours
The SECOND MOST IMPORTANT CLASS
YOU CAN TAKE: OFFICE HOURS
An appointment with yourself
60-120 minutes
Once or twice a week
This is when you work on your Task TO-DO
list…

Tool: Office Hours
This is where you can get stuff done!
When you have Office Hours, use your Task
TO-DO list like a menu…
What is a priority….
What is due….
What can I get done in the time allowed….
What do I feel like doing….

Tool: Office Hours
3 Mojo Traps
1. Burned out or Lazy
2. Multi-tasking
3. Interruptions
CLOSE YOUR DOOR and Unplug
Sprint-rest, Sprint-rest, its not a marathon
yet
Start small

Tool: Office Hours
A) For Projects-tasks with multi steps
B) Banging out smaller tasks
Use this rare uninterrupted time wisely

Tool : Simple Project Planning
Many connected tasks make up a project
>30 Minutes
>3 steps
There are more projects in your life than you
realize
To get a project accomplished, break it into
bite size pieces

Tool : Simple Project Planning
Master the other tools first
GANTT Charts, MS Project, Spreadsheets
Not Paper- easiest is Excel

Tool: Simple Project Management
• 100’s : Details about setting it up
– Size of the room
– The time
– Coordinating with Melissa and Will
• 200’s: Introduction, Welcome
• 300’s: Overview
• 400’s: Default Schedule

• 500’s: Task List
• 600’s Office Hours
• 700’s Project Planning
• 800’s Wrap Up
• 900’s My Admin

This Stuff Works!
• Bob was able to launch his 2nd business
• Henry was finally able to roll out his new
product line
• Teresa had much more effective staff
meetings
• Gary was able to be at home by dinner

Now what….
• Pick one tool to focus on for 30 days
• Master that then add to it
• Try, try, try again
• Down and out homeless alcoholic who
tried getting sober 71 times……

Lanc chamber sep 2013 2 time management

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Featured

Featured (20)

Lanc chamber sep 2013 2 time management