2 — is getting out of whack and stops to make adjustments.
To reiterate (hint: I’m brainwashing you at this moment), we need to have structured systems, routines, and time blocks for completing work; yet we need to be able to adjust those systems, routines, and time blocks, and morph — move them around as needed — and still get everything done that we need to.
In order to be an agent of change in our Time Management Revolution, we must Implement Structure and Flow. We must be able to control, yet also modify, these five key components of our workday:
Assignment and Task Completion
Go-Bag and Work-Space Layout
Electronic Communication
Notes, Document, and File Management
Time Protection
By understanding that everything you must do during a workday corresponds to one of these five components, your brain is able to zero in on the areas that are not currently under your control. By implementing the strategies and tactics in part 2, you’ll be able to build the infrastructure you need each day to manage these five different components. By being in control of these areas and understanding how they need to operate, you’ll also be able to apply flexibility when technology or your fellow humans throw a wrench into your plans.
We’re not robots, but we do need enough structure and systems so that there is time for spontaneity, putting out fires, and…fun!
When you achieve the first part of the mission, Create Clarity (part 1), it makes completing this portion of your Time Management Revolution that much easier.
Ready? It’s time to head out on Operation: Implement Structure and Flow!
Assignment and Task Completion
8 Manage Long-Term Projects with Mega-efficiency
Susan is a top-notch consultant in her field. She is sought after by companies and agencies all over the world to bring in her expertise. She is always calm and collected, and her feathers never appear to be ruffled. Her advice is spot-on, whether she delivers it through individual consulting or trainings or workshops.
Behind the scenes, however, she is a hot mess. She struggles to balance work tasks with personal time. She is constantly working. She says yes to every project and every proposed date that is put in front of her. She’ll book anywhere from one week to one year out, yet she’ll work until 2 AM the night before a presentation or client meeting to prepare.
She says there’s not enough time to do everything she needs to get done.
GOAL
Schedule time for every step of a project into your calendar as soon as you know this project has become yours to complete.
TACTICS
1. Get out a piece of paper and pencil or open up a fresh digital document.
2. At the bottom of the page, list the due date and the finished task for an upcoming project you have. Example:
June 25 Presentation
3. Working your way backward, list out the steps it will take to complete the request.
4. Next to each step, note how much time each step will take.
5. Pad in extra hours or days for each step to allow for people who don’t hit their deadlines, as well as Murphy’s Law hitting you with mishaps.
6. Starting at the bottom and working your way backward, assign due dates to each of these steps, based on the time you need.
7. Use this timeline to schedule time for these tasks in your calendar. Now.
8. Communicate this timeline to everyone involved.
STRATEGY
Do you know when Christmas is?
Even if you don’t celebrate the holiday, you know that Christmas is on December 25. Every year. Since about the fourth century. So why do people exclaim the week before Christmas, “Holy cow! Christmas is next week! I’ve got so much left to do!”?
It’s because they know in the back of their minds that Christmas is rolling around, but they haven’t taken the time to map out what all needs to get done and by when. So their holiday cheer turns into mad, mad steamrolling, and they end up in disillusionment and nonjoy to the world.
A lot of folks just dive into a big project in the same manner — without giving it much thought — so they soon find themselves a bit lost. After they’ve spun a little while longer and felt like they weren’t getting anywhere, overwhelm sets in. Once good ol’ overwhelm starts infiltrating, the brain begins to shut down, decisions can’t be made, and soon the towel is thrown in.
Instead of just diving in blindly, it’s important to take the time to plan what you’re doing.
• What are your goals for the project?
• What steps will you need to take to get there?
• What materials and resources will you need for each step?
• Who all will need to be involved with each step?
• How much time will each of these steps take?
When a big project is broken down into smaller pieces, it becomes much more manageable. For example, let’s look at what the San Antonio Sports Foundation did with their “ING Kids Rock” program back in 2012. A marathon is 26.2 miles. That’s a heck of a long distance to run. If you’re only five years old, it will seem like forrrrrrrrever, and you may not want to do it. Instead of having little kids — kindergartners through second-graders — attempt to run a marathon in one day, they broke down the task into manageable chunks. The kiddos ran a little each day at school until they hit 25.2 miles. The grand hurrah of their last mile took place during the San Antonio Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon weekend events.
The children were able to say they’d run 26.2 miles. It wasn’t all at once, but they still got the job done. And that’s what mattered.
You might be saying to yourself, “That’s all fine and dandy for little kids, but what about for adults like me?” Okey-dokey. Let’s use an adult project, a presentation, as an example:
Your presentation will be given June 25. You’ll write that at the bottom of your page.
Will you have to submit your presentation slides or handouts ahead of time for distribution? If so, when are those due?
Whether or not you have to submit early, make your due date the day before the work is due to allow for technical difficulties.
In order for you to submit your presentation and/or handouts, you will have needed to rehearse to make sure that this is what you want to present.
Before that, you need to finish the PowerPoint (or Prezi or Keynote or whatever software you use) slides.
Before you can finish the slides, you need to have graphics and a format/layout/design chosen.
Before you can pretty things up, you need to have content.
Before you have content, you need to decide what you want to teach or what point you want to get across.
Before you can decide that, you need to know the objective.
Before you can pinpoint the objective, you need to communicate with a representative from the group you’re presenting to in order