Alan r davey aims management training gift 1 of 10

2011
th
Aims 10 Anniversary

Gift One

Ten Minute
Time Management
Tune Up

Aims Training & Development Ltd G1 Page 2 of 12
Time Management Tune Up 2011

Something ‘Old ‘– Something New

This is our personal gift to you – something intended to help you add value
both to your own life and to the Organisation for which you work.
We offer it to say a personal ‘Thank You’ for the support you have given us
and the interest you have shown in Aims Training & Development’s
services.
This is one of a collection of 10 gifts we will give throug hout 2011/2 to
mark both our 10 t h year in business.(something ‘old’)and the introduction
of a New Concept in Personal Development and Management & Leadership
Training planned for later this year (something new) .
We will be very happy to extend these Gifts to any of your Colleagues or
anyone you know if you feel they will be useful to them . We only ask that
they help uscomply with the anti -spam requirements by visiting our website
www.aimstraining.com and joining the free Aims Business Club by
completing and submitting the form on our Home Page.
Finally, I would like to thank you once again for your time, support and
interest, and as always, make it a Great Day!

Alan Davey
PS
I thought you might like to know what other subjects the gifts will cover
1. Time Management (attached)
2. Goal Setting
3. Communicating clearly & with Influence
4. Enhancing Personal Assertiveness
5. Overcoming the Worry Habit
6. Managing Stress
7. Self Motivation
8. Building Great Relationships
9. Problem Solving
10. Adding Value to every Action

Aims Training & Development Ltd email info@aims-training.com
Sign up for Free Downloads via www.aimstraining.com


Copyright

© Copyright Alan Roy Davey– All Rights Reserved
Published by Aims Training & Development Ltd
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means mechanical, visual or electronic to
include photocopying, digital reproduction, and video or voice recording, or by any information and retrieval system, without
prior written permission from the copyright owner.
The purchaser is authorised to use the information in this publication for the purchaser’s use only.
Requests for permission or for further information concerning copyright should be forwarded to

Aims Training & Development Ltd.
The Coaching House
17 Chatsworth Drive,
Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire,
NN8 5FD,
England,

Tel: 01933 401561
Email alan.davey@aims-training.com

Legal Notices

Aims Training & Development Ltd is registered in the UK at
The Coaching House
17 Chatsworth Drive,
Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire,
England, UK.
NN8 5FD
Company Registration no. 4646954 England.
Usage

Users/Purchasers should be aware that whilst all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication,
neither the Author nor the Publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the contents
or subject matter included in this product.
The Publishers wishes to stress that the information contained in this product may be subject to varying country and
professional organisations laws, regulations or customs.
The purchaser must accept full responsibility for determining the legality and/or ethical and/or cultural character of any and all
business transactions and/or practices they adopt and/or enact in their particular field and geographic location, whether or not
those transactions and/or practices are suggested either directly or indirectly in or by the content of this product.



Aims Ten Minute Time Management Tune Up

Why ten minutes?
1. Because ten minutes is long enough to review/improve time management skills
2. Because it can be done whilst taking a typical length tea/coffee break

What is Time Management?
The process by which we decide what activities to do, what activities to postpone, what
activities to ignore and how much time to allocate to the activities we choose to action.
It is possibly more relevant to call the process Activity Management.

What benefits does more Effective Time Management deliver?
Increased Job Satisfaction, enhanced Prestige, and reduced Negative Stress because
 We complete more activities on time, actually do more and increase quality
 We reduce the negative stress caused when we are always pressed for time
 We have more free time in which to do other things
 We create opportunities to take on more challenging tasks
 We have more time to consider how we do what we do and what else we might do

Suggested Ten Minute Tune Up Process
Read the text from start to finish without pausing or considering any element – but mark
what seems particularly relevant or interesting to you so you can return to this when you
have more time to reread it and decide how you will use the insight or information.
The fastest way to absorb information is to see the context first and concentrate on
detail later.

Why is excellent Time Management important?
Because what we do now influences our future situation.
Knowledge and skills have no tangible value until they are put into action. We are
assessed (and value ourselves) according to the Value we contribute to each activity we
complete successfully. The more Activities we complete fully the more Value we add.



Background

There are 168 hours in every week but many people feel they do not have enough Time
to do what they need or want to do in their working and leisure time.
However, there are some incredibly busy and productive people for whom Time does
not present any problems at all.

So, what does that group of people have or do that makes them different?
Is it a sophisticated digitalised Diary System? A leather covered Time Management
System? Numerous people to whom they can Delegate work?

Maybe they do have one or more of those, but main difference is that they have
developed a particular Attitude born of a Result Focused Philosophy. They have

1. A Realistic Time Aware Perspective
2. A Systemised Approach and a Workable Activity Programme
3. An Effective ‘Time Defence’ Strategy

They are constantly aware of
 What they are doing now
 What contribution this is making and how it is moving them closer to their Goal
 What they must do next
 What contribution that will make and how it will move them closer to their Goal
 When they must complete each Activity.
They use a system to decide What to do, When and How to do it.
They discipline themselves and those around them to Stay on Track.



1. Developing a Realistic Time Aware Perspective
If we generally see lack of Time as a problem we need to reprogramme the way we
think about Time. There is no point in focusing our attention on the lack of Time
because we cannot change or influence Time
 We cannot stretch Time, widen it, slow it or get more of it.
 Our current supply of Time is what it is – we cannot change it.
 Time is extremely predictable – it does not deliver any surprises.
We would not expect to put a litre of water into a half litre jug because we know the
water will not fit, and we would not expect a two metre extension lead to stretch to five
meters. We would not try to complete a hundred mile car journey through heavy traffic
in one hour – or would we?
Many people do exactly that; because we concentrate on completing other less urgent
tasks rather than start our journey – so it is inevitable that we will ARRIVE LATE.
Many people do this habitually because they know they have control over the process of
‘driving to the appointment’ – taking action – and expect to have the same control over
the outcome even though it is obvious they cannot comply with the deadline.
True - they CAN control the route they take, the speed at which they drive, and whether
or not they stop on the way, (how they action a task) but they CANNOT control the
passing of Time – so if they do not start early enough they WILL be late arriving.
In the above example the journey is too big to fit into the Time available. No one would
expect a container to hold more than it is capable of holding, and we cannot expect to
complete a task in less time than we know it will take – or do a number of consecutive
tasks in less than the time required – but many people do exactly this every day.
The Driving analogy used can be applied to any activity – just change journey for task.
Because Time is a known and fixed entity Time is never the challenge – the way we
think about completing the task is the challenge.
When the Task will not ‘fit’ into the time available we must
 Make additional time available OR
 Find ways to make the task smaller (perhaps be sharing it) OR
 Make it disappear.
This requires Process Improvement.
However, we must always remember that All Process Improvement is finite. There is a
limit to what can do to reduce the amount of Time required to complete any Activity –
and when we do not allow sufficient Time we will always overrun the deadline.
TIME is a tyrant that will not change its ways for anyone.
TIME does not care what inconvenience it causes.
TIME is rigid.
TIME does not take instruction from anyone.
TIME does not listen to pleas for help.
TIME is not the challenge - something else is. Find this to solve the problem.



2. Developing a Systemised Approach and a Workable Activity Programme
We all need a System to help us
 Identify all the things we have to do within any given period
 Decide what to do first
 What to leave until later
 What to ignore
 Maintain accessible records of all the above, and to tell us what is in progress
and what has been completed.

8 Step Time/Activity Management System

Results
Effective Actions
Commitment to take Action
Planning of all known Activities
Making decisions about known options
Assessing Priorities – Urgent and/or Important
Relevant Information gathering & effective validation
Accurate & Timely identification of needs to be satisfied

Clearly, once we have identified everything we have to do we must complete the most
Urgent Activities first and also ensure we make time to complete the most Important
Activities before we undertake any less important Activities.
We need a system to establish the Level of Urgency and the Level of Importance.

Definitions
An Urgent Activity is defined as one that is subject to an approaching deadline which
will be impossible to meet if Action is not taken immediately or very soon.
The Level of Urgency is decided by how soon the Activity must be commenced in order
to complete it before the deadline expires
An Important Activity is one that will result in a measurable immediate or consequential
effect on the Company or Organisation.
The Level of Importance is decided by the measurement of the effect – the greater the
effect the more important the activity.



The following table could be used as a guide to the above system.
Achievement List
Very Urgent - Do NOW

A

Less Urgent - Begin the Activities in time to complete them before the Deadline

B

Very Important - Begin the Activities after completing the Less Urgent Activities

C

Less Important - Begin the Activities after completing the Very Important Activities

D

Inconsequential - Begin these Activities when there is nothing else to do
E

The preceding document is a useful ‘Core Planner’ which can be used to list all we have
to achieve and which can be shown to colleagues – either to ask for their co-operation
or to show why we cannot accept further work and still remain effective. It can also be
used to create information needed to maintain an electronic diary and set reminders.
Clearly this represents our ‘To Do list’ and this, together with a diary (paper or
electronic) delivers a system that is adequate for most people. It is easy to keep this
current by adding new Activities as they arise and deleting each Activity when it is
finished.
However, as priorities may have changed whilst completing the last activity we may
need to re-prioritise our list before starting the next activity. Doing this also keeps us
focused on our key activities and objectives.
It is also important to keep the system simple so it can be actioned quickly. The
problem with some systems is that just maintaining the system takes up too much time
that could have been used to complete essential activities.



As an NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner I am very aware of the power of
words, so I prefer to call these Achievement Lists because this transforms what might
be seen as chores into challenges.
Also, each time we cross something off the list it reminds us that we have actually
achieved something worthwhile. Further, I suggest the list is written in your favourite
colour as this also helps you feel more motivated when you review it! Small points but
everything positive helps productivity.
People who are constantly on the move around their work premises sometimes prefer to
keep this list in a central location and transfer the information into a diary they keep at
hand. Post-it Notes are ideal for this as they can be inserted in a diary and transferred
from day to day or even week to week (useful if there are outstanding items because
you have more on your list than can be completed in a single day). This also saves
wasting time rewriting the remains of the list each day, and it avoids possible confusion
and even oversights caused by flicking backwards and forwards through various pages.
It is widely accepted that the process outlined in the last 2 pages - list all necessary
activities, categorise them as Urgent or Important, and action them in order of priority –
is the most effective Time Management Tool and Technique one can use.
This seems so obvious that it is almost insulting to include the technique here, but it
appears relatively few people actually do it routinely. One of my Associates, Peter
Thomson, recently sent me the following simple research carried out by his team.
The tests…
Managers attending Time Management courses were asked the following 4 questions
about ‘To Do Lists’ before the course started.
1. Who knows the idea of using a ‘To do list’ every day?
2. Who creates and uses a ‘To do list’ every day?
3. Who prioritises the activities on the list before starting work on the first one?
4. Who re-prioritises the list between finishing each activity and starting the next?

The responses…
Q1: 95% knew about the concept of using a ‘To do list’ list each day.
Q2: Only 50% routinely use a written ‘To do list’ list every day.
Q3: Only 25% actually prioritise the ‘To do list’ before starting work.
Q4: Only 5% re-prioritise the ‘To do list’ after finishing each activity.

Clearly, although 95% of these extremely busy people knew of a simple system that
would help them become more productive about half of them did not actually follow that
system - but took time to attend a course in the hope they might learn something new.
Whatever system we adopt it is important to follow it routinely – but in most cases we
will still find unplanned or unavoidable intervals arise between planned Activities. It is
often surprising how much time can be wasted if these Time Gaps are not filled with
some productive activity so it is useful to know which alternative Activities can be
completed in very little time so these can be undertaken during such intervals.



3. Develop an Effective ‘Time Defence’ Strategy

Ten Top Time Management Tips

1 Always be fully aware of the current time, your main priorities, what Activity you are
currently engaged in, when you must finish it, and what you will do next.
2 Whenever you are about to commence a new Activity ask yourself ‘How will what I
am about to do move me closer to my current main Objective?’
3 When you are asked to undertake any further Activities, review your Achievement
List and consider how this will impact your overall Performance.
4 If you are pressured to undertake a further unplanned Activity that will disrupt your
Plan, present your notes and discuss the consequences of making changes.
5 If you have to undertake the additional Activities that cause other tasks to over run
their deadlines, try to delegate or obtain an extension to the deadline. If this is not
feasible ensure relevant people are made aware of the slippage and the possible
consequences.
6 If you change your plan ensure relevant people are made aware of the changes.
7 Defend your time from Time Thieves, which come in many guises.
 Fear of taking action causes misdirection or procrastination and can be overcome
by planning and taking small steps if large ones are too frightening.
 Guilt can make us over commit and take on too much or put in too much effort in
order to deliver a result that far exceeds what is really required.
 Clutter and a disorganised work space waste time, as do unclear or poorly defined
objectives.
 Interruptions and unscheduled meetings deflect concentration and effectiveness.
Avoid them when possible, postpone them to a more convenient and planned time
if feasible, and manage them at all times.
8 Before you agree to take responsibility for any Activity ensure you know
 Exactly what is required
 What quality or standard you must achieve
 How long it will take
 What deadline is being imposed
 What impact it will have on your existing workload
9 Be realistic about how long an Activity will take – Time does not stretch
10 Be an Ambassador of Effectiveness; Ruthless with Time but Respectful of People
Summary
 Manage your Activities because you cannot influence or manage Time
 Identify all the things you have to do within any given period
 Decide what to do first, what to leave until later and what to ignore
 Create an Achievement (or Do) List and use it
 Before starting another Activity always ask yourself;
 ‘How will what I am about to do move me closer to my current main Objective?’
 Cross tasks off your Achievement (or Do) List when you complete them
 Defend your time against all thieves



Our ten minutes is up
Good Time/Activity Management is a huge subject and there is a lot more we could
cover if we had enough Time – but this is simply a ‘tune up’ exercise and we have used
the Ten Minutes we allocated.
If you would like to know more about our
comprehensive half day Time Management Workshop
which includes around sixty more tips and techniques
please contact us via info@aims-training.com.
We strongly recommend you complete the following
Review and Action Plan because putting thoughts into
writing improves their clarity and increases the
probability of both remembering them and of actually
taking value adding action.
The Aims Training and Development Concept is based
upon the belief expressed on this calendar page, and
when you have time you may wish to reads the brief
history that follows.

Review and Action Plan
What have I learned or remembered because I read the Time Management Tune Up?

What ACTION will I adopt as a result of this input?

What Benefits will these changes deliver?



A Quick Overview of Basic Research and Aims History (Not part of the 10 Minute Tune up)
Aims (Personal & Management Development) was born in 2001 – but the Action Based concept upon
th
which it is based was actually concieved on 9 July 1986. That day’s entry on Alan Davey’s desk
calender, ‘Many people have a good aim in life, but they don’t pull the trigger’, resonated with him and
caused him to seek answers to the following question
“What prevents people ‘pulling the trigger’ and implementing their ideas when these could improve the
future for themselves and the Company or Organisation in which the work?”

The answers from people working in teams Alan was associated with throughout the UK, Europe and
Scandinavia indicated there were many reasons why people resisted implementing or proposing new
ideas that could change their life or could improve the way they worked.
The following reasons recurred frequently when people were asked why they did not contribute more
ideas that could improve work processes and/or business growth;
 No trusted means by which suggestions for improvement could be made!
 Being uncertain if the idea was valid/ if the implementation was feasible
 Not wishing to appear ‘pushy’
 Fear of upsetting their Manager by thinking ‘outside their prescribed job role’
 Fear of distancing themselves from colleagues
 Fear of feeling stupid if the idea was rejected
 Fear of blame if the idea was adopted but failed to bring benefits
 Not knowing how to make a viable proposal to Senior Management
 Unwillingness to take responsibility for moving the business into new markets or into new countries.
When the same question was extended to more than 100 other contacts with roles in businesses
operating in many different sectors their answers reflected a similar mixture which essentially indicated a
relative lack of self-confidence, insufficient overall business knowledge or skill, and a fear of the
consequences caused by failure - or even by success.
Many people also identified a lack of (or poorly communicated) mid to long term goals as a major reason
for not developing ideas or developing their own abilities.
Clearly, this damaging negativity limited the very innovation that could help Companies prosper, and it
also limited the lives and the prospects of employees and everyone associated with the Company.
Because Alan’s experience indicated that most people want to perform at their best and will do so when
adequately motivated and supported, he believed the right type of training would change this situation.
He began to research and produce practical and participative Goal Driven workshops which combined
 Personal Development Training to increase confidence
 Business Skills Training to improve general skills
 Management & Leadership Training to improve Strategy, Communication and Company Culture
 The Aims Principles to keep everything Goal Focused and Action Oriented
Over the next 13 years the workshops were used only in the various Companies with which Alan was
closely associated, although they were also adapted for use externally in what has now become the ‘Aims
Plan for Profit’ and ‘Plan for Growth’ Business Development tools that form the basis of Aims
(Consultancy).
However, in the New Millenium we decided to make the well proven programmes available to everyone
via Aims (Personal & Management Development). Shortly after this we created Aims Training &
Development Ltd as the vehicle for promotion and delivery, and we also achieved Programme Approval
by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).
Although it is sometimes seen as ‘unorthodox’, our Goal Focused and Action Oriented approach always
adds value in expected and/or unexpected ways. We believe this is because it combines Accelerated
Learning techniques, stringent requirements for implementing measurable improvements that add Value,
and an uncompromising adherence to ‘real world’ practicalities.
Ten years on, in 2011/12, our policy of constantly pushing boundaries will again be endorsed when we
release another new training concept designed to meet most Companies’ Contemporary and Ongoing
needs.


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