L2

• TIME MANAGEMENT & REMINDER SYSTEMS

  • Major factor in productivity & effectiveness as an EM.

  • Managing your time=a process of choosing the most effective way to work.
• Reminder systems

  • Helps schedule acts for efficient use of resources & time
• TIME MANAGEMENT

  • Process of planning your activities to gain better control on how time is spent.

  • Critical to a successful job.

  • Eliminate time-wasters & handle tasks efficiently.

  • Analyzing how time is spent=increase your effectiveness in managing your work.
• TIME MANAGEMENT

  • One of the first steps in learning how to use your time is to recognize how it can be wasted.
• COMMON TIME-WASTERS

  • Unnecessary Telephone Conversations

  • Frequent Interruptions

  • Excessive Socializing

  • Ineffective Communication

  • Disorganization
• TIME ANALYSIS PROCEDURES

  • Aids in determining how time is effectively used.
  • Keeping a written account of what you do -> you can determine whether time is used effectively.
  • With this info, one can develop a plan of action to correct/redirect time use.
• TIME

  • A valuable resource

  • Should be used wisely for it can’t be replaced
• Methods

  • Keep a Time Log

  • Analyze How You Spend Your Time

  • Develop a Plan of Action
• Calendars & Time-Management Systems can:

  • Help you identify busy and slow work periods.

  • Then plan your work to allow for more productive time use and amore even workload.
• MANAGE YOUR WORK

  • During busy/peak period, think ahead to determine what jobs could be completed in advance.
  • Thinking ahead=less pressure during peak periods.
  • During slow periods
  • Catch up on tasks that do not have deadlines
• MANAGE YOUR WORK: Methods

  • Plan Your Work Activities

  • Set Priorities

  • Control Large Projects

  • Simplify Your Work
• REMINDER SYSTEMS

  • Office workers need to track appointments, meetings, travel dates, deadlines, etc
  • • • Perhaps the most widely used device for keeping track of such items is a calendar.
  • A chronologically arranged file is a convenient place to keep notes about tasks to be performed on specific dates.
• REMINDER SYSTEMS: Personal Digital Assistants

  • A handheld computer.

  • Programs can be loaded onto a PDA to do a variety of tasks.

  • PDAs usually come with programs for storing contact data, scheduling appts, & creating task lists.
• REMINDER SYSTEMS: Methods

  • Manual Systems

  • Electronic Systems

  • Scheduling Appointments
• TICKLER FILES

  • Contains notes/records arranged by date

  • Done to keep track of future actions

  • Can be set up with index cards/file folders
• Paper-based Tickler File

  • Often divided into 12 monthly sections with 31 daily parts for each day of the month.
• Reminders

  • Helps ensure that tasks are completed on time.
• ENTERING RECURRING ITEMS

  • Some meetings are repeated throughout the year

  • Enter these meetings immediately when setting up calendar in the start of the year

  • If times are blocked out for recurring events, everyone will know what time is available for scheduling other appts.
• RESPONDING TO APPOINTMENTS REQUESTS

  • Received a req for appts -> check calendar if available.
  • If not, suggest other time
  • Knowing the purpose of the meeting->determine & provide all supporting mats needed.
• Follow these guidelines when making appointments: Don’t schedule overlapping appointments.

  • Try to determine the amount of time needed for each one.

  • Leave some time unscheduled between appts to allow for meetings that run longer than planned, to return telephone calls, /to prep for the next appts.
• Follow these guidelines when making appointments: Keep a complete calendar.

  • Record names, tel nos, e-mail addresses, & other related info.
• Follow these guidelines when making appointments: Use clear handwriting to record entries on handwritten calendars.

  • Avoid crossing out & rescheduling over scratched-off entries.

  • To make changes easily, write appts info in pencil.
• Follow these guidelines when making appointments: Keep the previous year‘s appointment data.

  • You may find it necessary to refer back to the data to find needed information.

  • Using an e-calendar, print a copy of the calendar before deleting the data,/save the info in an e-file.
• Follow these guidelines when making appointments: If responsible for keeping calendar for others, provide a daily listing of appts & reminders at the beginning of the workday.

  • Show the appts for the day in chronological order.
• Follow these guidelines when making appointments: If you make appointments for a manager or coworker, you may need to set a time for the appointments and then confirm that time with the individual.

  • Use some symbol to indicate confirmed appointments.

  • As appts are confirmed, record the symbol.

  • Commonly used symbols include a check mark, an asterisk, or an underscore of the individ‘s name.
• COORDINATING CALENDARS

  • Sched changes are made at beginning or end of workday
• COORDINATING CALENDARS: Tentative appointments

  • Should be confirmed.
• COORDINATING CALENDARS: Canceled appointments

  • Should be deleted.
• COORDINATING CALENDARS

  • Important if you & coworker schedules appts using desk calendars.
• COORDINATING CALENDARS: E-calendar

  • Can be updated by everyone using the calendar.
  • Changes made are shown instantly & may be viewed by anyone using the calendar.