Riverstone Associates Notes on Best Practices for Time Management. Examples from the field!

1. 1
2010
Time Management
Ideas compiled from the Teams on East Coast

2. 2
Time Management- Prioritizing Tasks
One Single Notebook with a list of tasks that can be marked off once
completed.
~Keeping tasks in one location.
No Post-it notes!
– Priority assigned based on due dates.
– Priority assigned also based on importance.
Upon arriving to work- organize your list and place a star next to top
priorities that must get done that day.

3. 3
Time Management- Prioritizing Tasks
• Upon arrival, set aside 5-10 minutes to put together a list of
tasks- put an “*” next to priorities that must be done that day.
• The Leasing Staff uses a Daily Marketing Checklist.
• Complete a task as often as they come in, rather than letting
them pile up!
• Keep one task at hand- until finished- then move on!
• MA tip: Organize your Marketing Calendar by month and
review in staff meetings. Delegate to team members based on
their interests and strengths. What percent of your week is
being dedicated to internet/outside marketing, review this as a
Team.

4. 4
Time Management- Prioritizing Tasks
• The key element to completing tasks is knowing, that day,
what needs to be completed
• If a new task comes up add it to the calendar, at that time,
based on when it would need to be done
• Leasing Tip: Along with Calendar/List for tasks, write down
your Leasing Goal for the day and week
• Plan for the hardest tasks first, while you are fresh, and then
as you tire, the tasks get easier and faster.
• Do not use your inbox as an organizational list.
• Not an organization tool

5. 5
Time Management- Prioritizing
• Make a calendar 2 weeks prior to month starting
• Make up due days before the actual due date!
• Use your Outlook Calendar. Set-up your calendar so that the
rest of the folks on your team can view. Outlook Reminders
are good too.
• Utilize Google Calendars.
• Set a good pace for yourself.

6. 6
Time Management- Prioritizing Tasks
• Mindtools.com will give tips for personal organization, time
savers, and time management in day to day work. There is a
self-test on their site.
• Learn to plan tasks as a Group/Team to help with workflow.
• Get a decorative notebook for each person on the Team.

7. 7
Time Management- Prioritizing Tasks
• Try to finish everything by 1-2pm; that way, you have allowed
for time in the afternoon to handle unpredictable tasks.
• If task #1 cannot be completed, move on to task #2-finish,
and go back to task #1.
• Use a timer!
• Have a clear direction and a clear goal. Have an individual
goal, but also a Team goal for the week!

8. 8
Organization
• Put stuff away! Do not let it pile up in front of you!

9. 9
Organization
• Tip From the Manager’s Desk: If a pile forms, STOP. Stand
up and put things away. You will find that there is a lot less
than you thought, once things are put in perspective.
• Have a “to-do” bin on your desk and that’s it. Things that are
pending or still need attention go in this bin.
• Use foldermarker.com to color coordinate folders on your
desktop.

10. 10
Organization
• Have a Daily checklist of the typical morning routine:
Lead2Lease~VM~Emails~Craigslist~Walk Property
• Set aside a certain day for organized duties. I.E. Hootsuit set-
up on Monday; Realtor email blast Tuesday; HR follow up on
Wednesday; etc.
• Organization must be something you and the Team work on
Every single day.

11. 11
Utilizing Downtime
• Have a folder on desktop for downtime. Store websites,
Marketing Minutes, Ambassadors notes, etc. that may be
something that could be implemented.
• Keep a white-board in the back where you can keep your
Team’s Wish List of things that you would do if/when you have
time.
• Use downtime to have a Team Brainstorming session, usually
5-10 min team huddles, can have great results and are
motivating!
• Browse Yammer and look for shared ideas from your sister
sites!

12. 12
From the Pros
Taken from Making Ideas happen by Scott Belsky
• Capture and Highlight your Action Steps
• Each person needs to “own” their Action Steps- notes
should be taken in your own handwriting so they remain
familiar and are more likely to be executed
• Extensive notes are not worth the effort- Capture and
then tend to the action items required for a project
• Use color, texture, style and design to display Action
Steps- people are visual; People claim that making
Action Steps more appealing leads to more productivity
• Organize in the context of projects, not location