It's a Matter of Time
Occasionally, our clients schedule a NetSpeed Leadership training session and neglect to order materials for the class. So I wasn't surprised to hear from a favorite, long-term client that he had forgotten to order materials for a class he intends to deliver tomorrow! We hustled into gear to ship him what he needs over night. I chuckled out loud when I heard the title of the module he plans to train tomorrow: Managing Time in Fast Forward.
I want to take this timely opportunity to remind myself of a few time management techniques that help me stay on top of deadlines like this one:
First, take time on Friday afternoon or Monday morning to review your upcoming schedule and monthly goals. Then write down the goals for the week. Post your weekly and monthly goals where you can see them. Second, when you write your daily task list, scan your weekly and monthly goals to identify tasks that need to be completed that day. Focus on the tasks that will help you achieve your goals and schedule them in advance of your deadlines. In this way, you will focus on your Fast Forwards (important tasks that are directly tied to your goals) before they become Fast Fires (crises that require immediate action).
What's your favorite time management technique? Take a moment to share it here.
Comments
One of my tricks to keep me from forgetting things is to calendar appts with myself to follow up on tasks that perhaps don't have to be started right away. I will put all the key info into the calendar appt for some future date and that way, the info is saved and I don't have to think about it until the time I need to take action. The less I have to consciously keep in my head, the better.
Posted by: Tim Jones | February 7, 2006 08:54 PM
A technique I learned recently is to write the goal, along with the task, in our calendars. For example, rather than writing "Rewrite web content," write "Bring the business to a new level of professionalism and success by rewriting the web content." I have found it inspiring to focus on the real outcome.
Cindy, your posts are wonderful--intelligent, insightful, and personal. Thanks so much for sharing them!
Posted by: Lynn Gaertner-Johnston | February 11, 2006 05:10 AM
Managing Time in Fast Forward is important because many people are overwhelmed with action and activity.
This programme to better manage time presents an organisation with the tools to speak a common language and set of tools. My client in Bermuda continues to laugh at the characters used in this module. The module is fun and educational...is "feducational" a word??
Posted by: Pamela Ross | February 13, 2006 05:19 PM