Taking Control of your Workday Dustin B. Oslick, Associate with special thanks to Miriam P. McHenry Permian Basin Paralegal’s Association April 15, 2015
Aug 15, 2015
Taking Control of your Workday
Dustin B. Oslick, Associatewith special thanks to Miriam P. McHenry
Permian Basin Paralegal’s AssociationApril 15, 2015
2
Today’s Agenda
• Prioritizing Tasks• Achieving Excellence• Allotting Time• Other Time Gremlins
Central to Good Time Management…
• Doing the Right Task • At the Right Time • In the Right Way • For the Right Amount of Time
What to do first?
• Structure Your Day – Before you check any
e-mails or voicemails, make a “To Do” list
– Lay out everything you need to get done today
– Approximate how much time each task will take
Wild Cards
• Check your voicemails • Check your e-mail
(bet that “to do” list just got a little bit longer)
Adjust & Prioritize
• Number your “To Do” list
Time Matrix: What is the Right Task?
• I: Urgent and Important
• II: Important, but not Urgent
• III: Urgent, but not Important
• IV: Not Urgent, and Not Important
Level One Priorities
• Important AND Urgent – Hard deadlines – Immediate crises and emergencies– Last minute preparations – Coffee
Level Two Priorities
• Important…but Not Urgent– Soft deadlines– General day-to-day tasks– Future crises and emergencies – That second cup of coffee
Level Three Priorities
• Urgent…but Not Important– Emails and phone calls
requiring a reply – Incoming calls– Meetings– Those pesky clients dropping
in unannounced
Level Four Priorities
• Not Urgent and Not Important– Surfing the Internet – Office gossip– Facebook updates – Your Trivia Crack game– Decaf Coffee
We have the right task, we are doing it at the right time….now what?
The Right Way
• Time management is all about maximizing your results
Excellence vs. Perfection
• Excellence– When you aim for
excellence you will achieve an excellent result
• Perfection– When you aim for
perfection you may never quite get there
But Doesn’t It Need To Be Perfect?
• Perfection is not:– Proofreading – Spell checking – Providing an excellent work product
Define Perfection
• Perfection is: – The inability to stay within the time you budgeted because
of: • Over-editing• Over-analyzing every word choice• Inability to ever finalize your work product
Perfection is the Enemy of Good
Which Leads Us To…
The Right Length of Time
• We have our “To Do” list, now we have to apportion our day
Organize & Prioritize
• Assign every task on your “To Do” list a time – Be realistic– Be flexible– Be positive
Be Realistic
• Do not randomly assign an amount of time • Use past projects as guidelines• If it’s completely new to you, it will take longer• Factor in time to ask questions or review templates
Be Flexible
Set Boundaries….
• Stuff will pop up– Phone calls– E-mails– Drop-in clients– New crises
but Remain Flexible
Be Positive
• As your day progresses, it will be easy to get anxious and feel overwhelmed if you get off schedule
• Take a deep breath• Remember the “To Do” list is our roadmap to where
we are going • Re-assess priorities, re-apportion time, and relax• You’ve got this
• Doing the Right Task • At the Right Time • In the Right Way • For the Right Amount of Time
How Else Can We Improve Our Time Management?
So Now That We Are
Define the Task At Hand
• Clarify instructions and standards so you know exactly what your task is
• Do not be afraid to ask questions if something is unclear
• Alternatively, if you are assigning or delegating a task, do not assume people can read your mind. Be clear on what you want and how you want it
Do Not Re-Invent the Wheel
• Ask if there are form templates you can use so you do not have to waste time with trial and error
Eliminate Procrastination, Distractions, and Interruptions
• The 3 most common barriers to managing time well– Procrastination– Distractions– Interruptions
Procrastination
• If procrastination is your problem, then find the source. Find out what triggers you to procrastinate.
• What is your trigger?– Confused?
• Do you not fully understand the task?
– Overwhelmed? • Do you not know where to begin?
– Fear of Failure? • Are you afraid you will not succeed?
– Attitude? • Do you just not feel like doing it?
Eliminate Distractions
Distractions Clyde Dog Squirrel
What Are Your Squirrels?
Distractions:• Phone calls?• E-mails?• Chatty co-workers?• Text Messaging • Social Media/Internet?
Solutions:• Utilize Caller ID• Turn off alerts• Be assertive with drop-in
visitors • Put your phone on silent• Keep the browser closed
Interruptions
• Interruptions happen all day, they are tough to control
• Take time to consider how you are controlling this time zapper
Eliminating Interruptions
• Practice not answering the phone and e-mail just because it is ringing (Tough, I know!)
• Schedule a block of time to return e-mails and phone calls
• Disconnect instant messaging • Put the iPhone on silent
– Tell the kids and/or spouse to call the office ONLY if it is an emergency
Delegate
• Do not be afraid to assign tasks or ask others for help when necessary
• Remember your time is valuable, are you REALLY the only person qualified for this task?
• Avoid the “it will take too long to explain” mentality – Think long-term and invest in the development of your
team members.
ALMOST OVER
Meetings
• Establish an agenda with time frames
• Invite the smallest number of people required
• Keep presentations to a minimum
Clear the Clutter
• Organize your workspace, especially your desk
• Clutter breeds confusion, so give yourself room to work
• Items in your peripheral vision compete for you attention
Lifestyle
• Be well-rested• Exercise regularly • Stay positive• Know your body
– 8 a.m. - 64% are most productive– 12 p.m. - 13.4% are most productive– 4 p.m. - 10.9% are most productive – 8 p.m. - 6.2% are most productive– 12 a.m. to 8 a.m – 5.5% are most
productive – Lesson: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE
Most importantly, remember…
Structure Your Day - Without Structure, There is Chaos
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Dustin B. Oslick223 West Wall Street, Suite 400Midland, TX 79701 Phone: 432-253-8607Email: [email protected]