​Introduction

Time Management

​± Personal time management skills are essential skills for effective people.

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± People who use these techniques routinely are the highest achievers in life.

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± If you use these skills well, you will function exceptionally well, even under intense pressure.

• The process of putting off doing something until the last minute

• E.g., not working on a project at all until the day before it is due.

​Procrastination

Watch this video

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P785j15Tzk

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Why do you procrastinate?

​Waiting for the “right” mood or the “right” time to tackle the important task at hand

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A fear of failure

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Underdeveloped decision making skills & poor organisational skills (some people do not prioritise)

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Perfectionism ("I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it yet or at all")

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Unpleasant jobs (avoiding doing jobs that are boring)

Is there a way to beat procrastination?

​The key to controlling and ultimately combating this destructive habit is to:

1. recognise when you start procrastinating;

2. understand why it happens (even to the best of us);

3. take active steps to better manage your time and outcomes;

4. sometimes this is simply because they don't understand the difference between urgent tasks and important tasks, and jump straight into getting on with urgent tasks that aren't actually important;

5. make up your own rewards;

6. ask someone else to check up on you. Peer pressure works!

7. identify the unpleasant consequences of NOT doing the task.

1. ACTIVITY LOG

​Your analysis should help you to free up extra time in your day by applying one of the following actions to most activities:

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± Eliminate activities which are not really productive

± Schedule your most challenging tasks for the times of day when your energy is highest.

± Try to minimise the number of times a day you switch between types of task.

2. ACTION PLAN

​± A simple list of all the tasks that you need to carry out to achieve an objective

± Useful, because it gives you a framework for thinking about how you'll complete a project efficiently

± Helps you finish activities in a sensible order, and ensures that you don't miss any key steps

± This helps you think about what you need to do to achieve that thing, so that you can get help where you need it and monitor your progress.

± Very useful for group work

ACTION PLAN: How to go about it...

​Step 1: Identify Tasks

Start by brainstorming all of the tasks that you need to complete to accomplish your objective.

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Step 2: Analyse and Delegate Tasks

Now that you can see the entire project from beginning to end, look at each task in greater detail.

Which tasks could you delegate to someone else on your team?

What are the deadlines for specific steps? Do you need to arrange additional resources?

3. TO-DO LISTS

List everything that you have to do.

°Most important tasks at the top of the list

°Least important tasks at the bottom

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Essential if you're going to beat work overload. Or else, you'll appear unfocused and unreliable to the people around you.

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When you do use them effectively, you'll be much better organised, and you'll be much more reliable.

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You'll experience less stress, safe in the knowledge that you haven't forgotten anything important.

​To-do Lists are prioritised lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out.

TO-DO LISTS: How do I create a To-do List?

Firstly

± Write down the tasks and break them down into their component elements.

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Secondly

± Allocate priorities

± “1 or A”  for very important

± “6 or F” least important

± Rewrite the list in a priority order

Personal Goal Setting + Time Management

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your future, and motivates yourself to realise the goal.

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The process of setting goals gives you a direction.

How do I set Personal Goals?

Goals are set on a number of different levels.

± Firstly, create a “Big Picture" of what you want to do with your life.

± Secondly, break these down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must hit so that you reach your lifetime goals.

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± Once you have set your lifetime goals, set a 25-year plan of smaller goals that you should complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan.

± Then set a 5-year plan, 1-year plan, 6-month plan and 1-month plan of progressively smaller goals that you should reach to achieve your lifetime goals.

Are you now ready to create your very own To-do list?

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For this task, you will work with the partner you have chosen for Project.​

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Now go to TEAM TASK and post your responses.​

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