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Uploaded byCarly Searcy, MIS, PMP
Business or busyness
This document provides tips for managing workload by taking control of your time, attention, and energy. It outlines a 6 step process to manage workload: 1) touch each task once, 2) make lists, 3) estimate time for important tasks, 4) plan when to do them, 5) prioritize important tasks first, and 6) discard unnecessary tasks. Not managing workload can lead to exhaustion, poor work quality, and neglect of other areas of life. Prioritization and saying no to extra tasks are emphasized.
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Business or busyness
- 1.
- 2. HOW TO … ▪takecontrol of your workload ▪using practical tips and techniques ▪for managing the multiple priorities ▪that compete for your time, attention and energy
- 3. INTRODUCTIONS ▪ Your name ▪Your district/ISD/RESA ▪ Your role ▪ Your current grade for Managing Your Workload (A, B, C, D, F)
- 4. WHY TAKE CONTROL? Ifwe don’t manage the workload, what happens? ▪ Exhaustion ▪ Poor quality of work ▪ Neglect other areas of life
- 6. YOUR TIME, ATTENTION& ENERGY Time Attention Energy
- 7.
- 8. TAKE CONTROL: 6STEPS 1.Touch it once
- 9. TAKE CONTROL: 6STEPS 1.Touch it once 2.Make lists
- 10. TAKE CONTROL: 6STEPS 1.Touch it once 2.Make lists 3.Estimate Time to Complete Your Most Important Things
- 11. TAKE CONTROL: 6STEPS 1.Touch it once 2.Make lists 3.Estimate Time to Complete Your 6 Most Important Things 4.Plan When
- 12. TAKE CONTROL: 6STEPS 1.Touch it once 2.Make lists 3.Estimate Time to Complete Your 6 Most Important Things 4.Plan When 5.Prioritize: Do the Most Important Things First
- 13.
- 14. TAKE CONTROL: 6STEPS 1.Touch it once 2.Make lists 3.Estimate Time to Complete Your 6 Most Important Things 4.Plan When 5.Prioritize: Do the Most Important Things First 6.Throw Things Away
- 15. AND … • Don’tprocrastinate • Learn to say no
- 17. LAST MINUTE REQUESTSFOR ASSISTANCE “Could you give me some quick help with this report? It’s due at 5pm.”
- 19.
- 20. TOOLS ▪ OneNote (Outlookusers) ▪ Google Keep
- 21.
Editor's Notes
- #3 Wow, they really sold this session. The truth is, there’s no magic, but there are some things you can do consistently to get more in control of your workload.
- #4 Write these on the big paper What’s our GPA? Not an expert – We all have expertise in this room that I want to tap into this am.
- #5 …and your stress goes through the roof Our roles may be open ended, we may be the first one in the position, or there simply may be more work than people. If you don’t manage the workload, nobody else will do it for you.
- #6 …another thing that happens to me when Im not in control of my workload. Anyone else?
- #7 Limited quantities of all Like the Project Mgmt Quality, Time, Cost – You can make 2 of the three bigger, but at the cost of the last one.
- #8 Not just the workload – this applies to the rest of your life. Who here checks and answers email outside the work day? Is it necessary?
- #9 21 days to form a new habit 1 month/year spent re-reading info? Spend 28% of our time at work reading & answering email. Only more: Role specific tasks at 39%. (*otherwise known as doing our actual jobs) If you touch it, take action. Don’t open email until I can deal with it. Same with papers. Take Action: write a memo/email, pass it on, schedule it, delete it. If you can get it done in 2 minutes, do it then. If it takes more than 2 minutes, schedule it. If you get auto notified on email, you’re in reactive mode all day long
- #10 ASK: Anyone here have a list? How many items? Keeping a list is a good thing – Double your productivity by keeping a to do list. Stick to the 6 most important things. There is a tremendous psychological boost if you get to the 6th thing and cross it off your list. DO: Write down the 6 most important things you have to do when you go to the office tomorrow (Friday). Start with a clean sheet of paper. --It’s okay to have a big thing on your list (a 15 hour project like revising a manual that will benefit the district; but you must break it down) You can have a side list of things that HAVE to be done that aren’t the 6 most important things.
- #11 ASK: What is the total time you need to do your 6 things?
- #12 Plan in to your day check email and miscellaneous meetings Plan when – eating the crust first (so the rest is pie) – Get it done early Batch similar tasks
- #13 Heart, lungs and kidneys – All my work is essential. Well, when push comes to shove, even with those, heart goes first (you die in one minute without it), then your lungs because you’ve got 3 minutes to live, then kidneys (you could go on dialysis) Because your role is open ended, no matter how much you do, there will always be more that could be done, the trick of mind to survive is to accept that and set priorities. Prioritize your work – Flip chart.
- #14 Quick wins are low hanging fruit – start here.
- #15 “Will it hurt me to throw things away?” You throw away practically everything. “If I really needed this again, would I be able to get it?” Learn to say no. Drop the fill in quadrant items. Priority matrix (I suggest using your existing tools – paper or calendar or task list)
- #16 Don’t procrastinate: Why do people procrastinate? Why do you procrastinate? Too big? Break it down into actions – pomodoro technique (25 minute sprints – lots of apps to help with this) Break down the task & give yourself breaks. New and don’t know where to start? Ask for help.
- #17 Say no Be brief Be honest Be respectful Be ready to repeat Example of a task you were asked to do in the last week that you could have said no to?
- #18 If you have a well-kept schedule, when things “pop up” like last minute requests, you can refer to your calendar. When you are good at your job, you’re a miracle worker in the minds of supervisors/coworkers. You have to tell them how long a task will take. “Last time I worked on this, it an hour. This time it might only take 45 minutes. If you can wait until tomorrow, I can schedule it in. Or if you need help today, you can ask Sally if I can bump her and put you in her place.” It hands it back to the requestor.
- #19 If you are overwhelmed, it may reflect a lack of preparation You need a very clear outline of what you need to do and by when. Work backward from there – backwards planning. Map out what do I need to do, by when, what do I need to have available. Shut away. Complete & total isolation – Make a list of the competing priorities. Top priority must get done Others – I am unable to attend to this at this time. We must reschedule. Think of yourself as being in control, rather than circumstances being in control of you. Elect not to do some things at all. Policy: Never do anything unless asked 3 times. Sometimes things get done while you are worrying about it, but if it’s really important and only you can do it, it will keep coming back.
- #20 Which of these techniques seems most difficult/fuzzy? Priority matrix, saying no, throwing things away … Think, pair, Share with your neighbor – both of you share (couple of minutes) Think, share - Now neighbor can share an idea for solving with you. Report out
- #21 I’m purposely not sharing a lot of apps, though they are out there. There isn’t an app or a calendar or a notebook that’s magic. I stick to my email because I’m “already there.” Example – client who called because “too complicated” to put into email. I did the intellectual work with them of sifting through their request. That’s a mistake – Ticketing system. What do you use?
- #22 Rescuetime Lite is free. this app will send you weekly reports to indicate your time thieves.
- #23 Next steps – Action Plan