15 Time Management Tips (Rodger Constandse)

1. Write things down

A common time management mistake is to try to use your memory to keep track of too
many details leading to information overload. Using a to-do list to write things down is a
great way to take control of your projects and tasks and keep yourself organized.

2. Prioritize your list

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you focus and spend more of your time on the things that
really matter to you. Rate your tasks into categories using the ABCD prioritization
system described in the time management course.

3. Plan your week

Spend some time at the beginning of each week to plan your schedule. Taking the extra
time to do this will help increase your productivity and balance your important long-term
projects with your more urgent tasks. All you need is fifteen to thirty minutes each week
for your planning session.

4. Carry a notebook

You never know when you are going to have a great idea or brilliant insight. Carry a
small notebook with you wherever you go so you can capture your thoughts. If you wait
too long to write them down you could forget. Another option is to use a digital recorder.

5. Learn to say no

Many people become overloaded with too much work because they over commit; they
say yes when they really should be saying no. Learn to say no to low priority requests and
you will free up time to spend on things that are more important.

6. Think before acting

How many times have you said yes to something you later regretted? Before committing
to a new task, stop to think about it before you give your answer. This will prevent you
from taking on too much work.
7. Continuously improve yourself

Make time in your schedule to learn new things and develop your natural talents and
abilities. For example, you could take a class, attend a training program, or read a book.
Continuously improving your knowledge and skills increases your marketability, can
help boost your career, and is the most reliable path to financial independence.

8. Think about what you are giving up to do your regular activities

It is a good idea to evaluate regularly how you are spending your time. In some cases, the
best thing you can do is to stop doing an activity that is no longer serving you so you can
spend the time doing something more valuable. Consider what you are giving up in order
to maintain your current activities.

9. Use a time management system

Using a time management system can help you keep track of everything that you need to
do, organize and prioritize your work, and develop sound plans to complete it. An
integrated system is like glue that holds all the best time management practices together.

10. Identify bad habits

Make a list of bad habits that are stealing your time, sabotaging your goals, and blocking
your success. After you do, work on them one at a time and systematically eliminate
them from your life. Remember that the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace
it with a better habit.

11. Don’t do other people’s work

Are you in the habit of doing other people’s work because or a ‘hero’ mentality? Doing
this takes up time that you may not have. Instead, focus on your own projects and goals,
learn to delegate effectively, and teach others how to do their own work.

12. Keep a goal journal

Schedule time to set and evaluate your goals. Start a journal and write down your
progress for each goal. Go through your goal journal each week to make sure you are on
the right track.

Keeping a journal on your computer has never been easier!

13. Don’t be a perfectionist

Some tasks don’t require your best effort. Sending a short email to a colleague, for
example, shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes. Learn to distinguish between tasks
that deserve to be done excellently and tasks that just need to be done.

14. Beware of “filler” tasks

When you have a to-do list filled with important tasks, be careful not to get distracted by
“filler” tasks. Things such as organizing your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you
tackle the items that have the highest priority.

15. Avoid “efficiency traps”

Being efficient doesn’t necessarily mean that you are being productive. Avoid taking on
tasks that you can do with efficiency that don’t need to be done at all. Just because you
are busy and getting things done doesn’t mean you are actually accomplishing anything
significant.
Problem Solving
Problem solving is a natural part of life. In any business or industry, the ability of an
employee to solve problems can mean the difference between success and failure.
Lacking the ability to solve problems effectively can be a source of anxiety and stress for
any individual. Problem solving is not an exact science, although there are guidelines that
a person can follow to become a successful problem-solver.
Flexibility and open-mindedness is an essential part of being able to solve problems,
whether it is in your personal life or on-the-job. Possessing advantageous problem
solving skills requires a person to understand the problem, create a plan to solve the
problem, seeing the plan through and reviewing the plan to ensure that the problem is
solved and is not repeated. When a person has difficulty imagining a solution to a
problem, it is because he is overwhelmed with the details of the problem and lacks the
ability to break down the problem or see the big picture.
The problem solving articles in this section will help you alleviate and solve some of the
more common issues related to solving problems. Information on brainstorming, critical
thinking, innovation, lateral thinking, strategies and creativity are all useful techniques
that can assist an individual to become better at solving problems.

Introduction to Problem Solving

Introduction To Problem Solving If you are like some people you would love to have the
ability to easily solve problems. Problems are a fact of life. Everyone one has them and it
doesn t matter whether you re rich or poor. All of us have problems that we must deal
with on a daily basis.

Problem Solving Techniques

Problem Solving Techniques We are all faced with problems everyday. Learning how to
effectively deal with them is what will mean the difference between success and failure.
While there are no universally accepted methods that can be used to help you solve
problems there are a number of useful techniques.

How to Properly Approach a Problem

How To Properly Approach a Problem When many people attempt to solve a problem
they make the mistake of placing an emphasis on either the problem or solution. To
properly solve problems it is very important to make sure you take the right approach.
The approach you use for a problem is often connected to the solution....

Wicked Problems
Wicked Problems Many problems in math or puzzles can be solved with a number of
different methods such as trial and error brainstorming and reductionism. Many of these
problems could be called static or well defined.
The Use of Trial and Error to Solve Problems
The Use of Trial and Error to Solve Problems Some complex problems can be solved by
a technique that is called trial and error. Trial and error is typically good for problems
where you have multiple chances to get the correct solution. However this is not a good
technique for problems that don t give you multiple chances to find a solution.

The Importance of Reductionism in the Problem Solving Process

The Importance of Reductionism in the Problem Solving Process Reductionism is a type
of philosophy that can be applied to the problem solving process. It basically states that
complex objects can be simplified in a way that makes them easier to understand.

The Connection between Innovation and Problem Solving

The Connection between Innovation and Problem Solving Innovation can be defined as
the ability to create something new based on knowledge that has been attained. In order
for something to be new it must be radically different from things which are already in
existence. The nature of innovation is important when it comes to problem solving.

How Lateral Thinking Can Be Used to Solve Problems

How Lateral Thinking Can Be Used To Solve Problems Lateral thinking is a problem
solving technique that was developed by Edward de Bono. It can be defined as methods
which are used to alter the perception of a problem. Lateral thinking is a technique that
requires large amounts of reasoning.

Problem Solving Strategies

Problem Solving Strategies The ability to be flexible is one of the most important aspects
of problem solving. All of us have problems that differ from each other. However it is the
strategies that a person uses to solve problems which will lead to either success or failure.

How to Effectively Solve Problems

How To Effectively Solve Problems when you are faced with a difficult problem you
may need the help of someone else. In some situations the problem may require you to
create a plan which can help you solve it. If you are in a situation like this there are a
number of things you can do to effectively solve the problem.

How Role Playing Can Help You Solve Problems

How Role Playing Can Help You Solve Problems The use of role playing to solve
problems is composed of multiple methods. Many of these methods involve using your
mind in order create a different reality. These techniques will allow you to place an
emphasis on what you desire rather than what you already have.

How Problem Solving Can Help You in Math

How Problem Solving Can Help You in Math is a subject which is hated by many people.
This is unfortunate because mathematics lays down the foundation for all of the
technology we have today. Computers cell phones cars and space shuttles would not exist
if it were not for mathematics.
Creative Problem Solving
Creative Problem Solving Creative problem solving is a method used in situations where
knowledge and thinking are not enough. Using creativity to solve a problem can be
extremely challenging and will take large amounts of effort on the part of those who are
trying to solve the problem.

How Brainstorming Can Help You Solve Problems

How Brainstorming Can Help You Solve Problems Brainstorming is one of the most
creative ways of solving problems. However brainstorming may not always be used to
solve a single problem. It is sometimes used to come up with a list of possible solutions
that can be used to solve a problem.

How Critical Thinking Can Help You Solve Problems

How Critical Thinking Can Help You Solve Problems Critical thinking is a process in
which a person will use their mind to analyze or study information. The information that
is studied will typically be offered as something that is absolute. However the person that
is studying will reason on it in order to determine if they are in agreement with it.

(http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/problem-solving.html)
Brainstorming process
Brainstorming technique for problem-solving, team-
building and creative process

Brainstorming with a group of people is a powerful technique.

Brainstorming creates new ideas, solves problems, motivates and
develops teams. Brainstorming motivates because it involves members
of a team in bigger management issues, and it gets a team working
together. However, brainstorming is not simply a random activity.
Brainstorming needs to be structured and it follows brainstorming
rules. The brainstorming process is described below, for which you will
need a flip-chart or alternative. This is crucial as Brainstorming needs
to involve the team, which means that everyone must be able to see
what's happening. Brainstorming places a significant burden on the
facilitator to manage the process, people's involvement and
sensitivities, and then to manage the follow up actions. Use
Brainstorming well and you will see excellent results in improving the
organization, performance, and developing the team.

N.B. There has been some discussion in recent years - much of it

plainly daft - that the term 'brainstorming' might be 'political incorrect'
by virtue of possible perceived reference to brain-related health issues.
It was suggested by some that the alternative, but less than catchy
'thought-showers' should be used instead, which presumably was not
considered to be offensive to raindrops (this is serious…). Happily
recent research among relevant groups has dispelled this non-pc
notion, and we can continue to use the brainstorming expression
without fear of ending up in the law courts…

Brainstorming process
1. Define and agree the objective.
2. Brainstorm ideas and suggestions having agreed a time
limit.
3. Categorize/condense/combine/refine.
4. Assess/analyze effects or results.
5. Prioritize options/rank list as appropriate.
6. Agree action and timescale.
7. Control and monitor follow-up.
In other words:

Plan and agree the brainstorming aim

Ensure everyone participating in the brainstorm session understands
and agrees the aim of the session (e.g., to formulate a new job
description for a customer services clerk; to formulate a series of new
promotional activities for the next trading year; to suggest ways of
improving cooperation between the sales and service departments; to
identify costs saving opportunities that will not reduce performance or
morale, etc). Keep the brainstorming objective simple. Allocate a time
limit. This will enable you to keep the random brainstorming activity
under control and on track.

Manage the actual brainstorming activity

Brainstorming enables people to suggest ideas at random. Your job as
facilitator is to encourage everyone to participate, to dismiss nothing,
and to prevent others from pouring scorn on the wilder suggestions
(some of the best ideas are initially the daftest ones - added to which
people won't participate if their suggestions are criticized). During the
random collection of ideas the facilitator must record every suggestion
on the flip-chart. Use Blu-Tack or sticky tape to hang the sheets around
the walls. At the end of the time limit or when ideas have been
exhausted, use different colored pens to categorize, group, connect
and link the random ideas. Condense and refine the ideas by making
new headings or lists. You can diplomatically combine or include the
weaker ideas within other themes to avoid dismissing or rejecting
contributions (remember brainstorming is about team building and
motivation too - you don't want it to have the reverse effect on some
people). With the group, assess, evaluate and analyze the effects and
validity of the ideas or the list. Develop and prioritize the ideas into a
more finished list or set of actions or options.

Implement the actions agreed from the

brainstorming
Agree what the next actions will be. Agree a timescale, who's
responsible. After the session circulate notes, monitor and give
feedback. It's crucial to develop a clear and positive outcome, so that
people feel their effort and contribution was worthwhile. When people
see that their efforts have resulted in action and change, they will be
motivated and keen to help again.

Personal brainstorming
For creativity, planning, presentations, decision-making,
and organizing your ideas

Personal brainstorming - just by yourself - is very useful for the start of

any new project, especially if you can be prone to put things off until
tomorrow.

Planning a new venture, a presentation, or any new initiative, is

generally much easier if you begin simply by thinking of ideas - in no
particular order or structure - and jotting them down on a sheet of
paper or in a notebook. Basically this is personal brainstorming, and it
can follow the same process as described above for groups, except
that it's just you doing it.

Sometimes it's very difficult to begin planning something new -

because you don't know where and how to start. Brainstorming is a
great way to begin. The method also generates lots of possibilities
which you might otherwise miss by getting into detailed structured
planning too early.

A really useful tool for personal brainstorming -

and note-taking generally - is the wonderful Bic
4-colour ball pen.

The pen enables you quickly to switch colors

between red, blue, black and green, without
having to walk around with a pocket-full of biros.

Using different colors in your creative jottings

and written records helps you to make your
notes and diagrams clearer, and dramatically
increases the ways in which you can develop
and refine your ideas and notes on paper. To
prove the point, review some previous notes in
black or blue ink using a red pen - see how you
can organize/connect the content, still keeping it
all clear and legible.

This simple pen is therefore a brilliant tool for

organizing your thoughts on paper much more
clearly and creatively than by being limited to a
single color - especially if you think in visual
terms and find diagrams helpful.

For example, using different colors enables you

to identify and link common items within a
random list, or to show patterns and categories,
or to over-write notes without making a
confusing mess, and generally to generate far
more value from your thoughts and ideas.
Keeping connected notes and ideas on a single
sheet of paper greatly helps the brain to absorb
and develop them. Try it - you'll be surprised
how much more useful your notes become.

The principle is the same as using different

colors of marker pens on a flip-chart. Other
manufacturers produce similar pens, but the Bic
is reliable, widely available, and very
inexpensive.

The usefulness of different colors in written notes is further illustrated

in a wider organizational sense in the UK health industry. Apparently,
black is the standard color; green is used by pharmacy services, red is
used after death and for allergies, and blue tends to be avoided due to
poorer reprographic qualities any other examples of different colored
inks being used to organize or otherwise clarify written
communications within corporations, institutions or industries.

Additionally (T Kalota, Oct 2008) of a useful brainstorming/organizing

technique using colored pens when reviewing a written specification,
or potentially any set of notes for a design or plan.

Underline or circle the words according to the following:

nouns/people/things black (entities)

verbs ('doing'/functional
red (relationships)
words)
adjectives/adverbs
blue (attributes)
(describing words)
This technique was apparently used for clarifying written specifications
or notes for a database design, and was termed 'extended relational
architecture', advocated by a company of the same name, at one time.

This method of color-coding notes (using underlines or circles or boxes)

to help clarification/prioritization/organization/etc can itself naturally be
extended and adapted, for example:

nouns/people/things black (entities)

verbs ('doing'/functional
red (relationships)
words)
adjectives (describing a
blue (attributes)
noun/thing/etc)
adverbs (describing a
green (degrees/range/etc)
verb/function)
timings/costs/quantities yellow (measures)

The colors and categories are not a fixed industry standard. It's an
entirely flexible technique. You can use any colors you want, and
devise your own coding structures to suit the situation.
Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping is a useful technique that improves the way you take notes, and supports
and enhances your creative problem solving.

By using Mind Maps, you can quickly identify and understand the structure of a subject,
and the way that pieces of information fit together, as well as recording the raw facts
contained in normal notes.

More than this, Mind Maps encourage creative problem solving, and they hold
information in a format that your mind finds easy to remember and quick to review.

Popularized by Tony Buzan, Mind Maps abandon the list format of conventional note
taking. They do this in favor of a two-dimensional structure. As such, a good Mind Map
shows the 'shape' of the subject, the relative importance of individual points, and the way
in which facts relate to one another.

Mind Maps are more compact than conventional notes, often taking up one side of paper.
This helps you to make associations easily. And if you find out more information after
you have drawn the main Mind Map, then you can easily add it in.

Mind Maps are also useful for:

• Summarizing information.
• Consolidating information from different research sources.
• Thinking through complex problems.
• Presenting information in a format that shows the overall structure of your
subject.

What's more, they are very quick to review as you can often refresh information in your
mind just by glancing at one. In the same way, they can be effective mnemonics:
Remembering the shape and structure of a Mind Map can give you the cues you need to
remember the information within it. As such, they engage much more of your brain in the
process of assimilating and connecting facts, compared with conventional notes.

To make notes on a subject using a Mind Map, draw it in the following way:
 1. Write the title of the subject you're exploring in the center of the page, and draw a
circle around it.
2. As you come across major subdivisions or subheadings of the topic (or important
facts that relate to the subject) draw lines out from this circle. Label these lines
with these subdivisions or subheadings.
3. As you "burrow" into the subject and uncover another level of information
(further subheadings, or individual facts) belonging to the subheadings above,
draw these as lines linked to the subheading lines.
4. Finally, for individual facts or ideas, draw lines out from the appropriate heading
line and label them.

As you come across new information, link it in to the Mind Map appropriately.

A complete Mind Map may have main topic lines radiating in all directions from the
center. Sub-topics and facts will branch off these, like branches and twigs from the trunk
of a tree. You do not need to worry about the structure produced, as this will evolve as
you develop your mind map.

While drawing Mind Maps by hand is appropriate in many cases, software tools like
MindGenius improve the process by helping to you to produce presentation quality
Concept Maps, which can easily be edited, distributed and redrafted.

Improving your Mind Maps

Once you understand how to make notes in the Mind Map format, you can develop your
own conventions to take them further. The following suggestions may help to increase
their effectiveness:

• Use single words or simple phrases for information: Most words in normal
writing are padding: They convey facts in the correct context, and in a format that
is pleasant to read. In your own Mind Maps, single strong words and meaningful
phrases can convey the same meaning more potently. Excess words just clutter
the Mind Map.

• Print words: Joined up or indistinct writing can be more difficult to read.

• Use color to separate different ideas: This will help you to separate ideas where
necessary. It also makes your Mind Map easier to remember. Color also helps to
show the organization of the subject.

• Use symbols and images: Where a symbol or picture means something to you, use
it. Pictures can help you to remember information more effectively than words.

• Using cross-linkages: Information in one part of the Mind Map may relate to
another part. Here you can draw in lines to show the cross-linkages. This helps
you to see how one part of the subject connects with another.
Key points:

Mind Mapping is an extremely effective method of taking notes. Mind Maps show not
only facts, but also the overall structure of a subject and the relative importance of
individual parts of it. They help you to associate ideas and make connections that you
might not otherwise make. (http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm)
Writing your student / graduate CV
This section will teach you how to prepare student / graduate CVs. Generally you will
find the layout described here will work for you.

But, you might also want to try the targeted or functional CV layouts.

Please feel free to add other sections as required or change the ordering of later sections
to suit your skills and abilities.

Profile/Summary
This should be a short summary of your experience, skills and abilities, and be contained
in four to six lines of text. Only list the attributes that will be of interest to an employer;
do not include irrelevancies.

Achievements
A lot of students/graduates won't have an achievements section, because you won't have
anything to write here. If you can think of some achievements please list 3 to 6
achievements which you feel will be in line with your next position. Do not list
achievements which are not in line with what you want to do next. Bullet point your
achievements to make them stand out. Start with the strongest point in your favour and
then work backwards from there.

Education/Qualifications
Only list the most important qualifications. If you are a graduate you do not have to list
all your 'O' Levels/GCSEs, you can just indicate the number of 'O' levels gained.

Experience
This should be in reverse chronological order starting with your most recent job and
working backwards. You only need to include the year you started and the year you
finished each job. You do not need to include the month or day, e.g. put 2002 - 2004
rather than 1.8.2002 - 4.6.2004. If you have had a lot of jobs you may need to group some
of the earlier jobs together, e.g. '1999 - 2000 various engineering positions'.

If your job title does not reflect what you actually did, or it sounds a bit obscure, consider
changing it. For example, if you worked as a Sales Representative and your job title
(given to you by your company) was Customer Home Representative, you would be well
advised to change your title to that of Sales Representative.
When you are describing your experience for each position you should start with the
strongest point in your favor and then work backwards. If you have a lot of points to put
under one specific job you may want to break this description into two or more sections.
You could break up this section into responsibilities and achievements or you could break
it up into specific functions, e.g. management, sales & marketing; the choice is yours.

If you have had a number of positions for a particular employer you may not want to
include every individual job (in which case leave out the year designations for all jobs
titles and just include the start and finish years for this employer), or you may be able to
combine one or more of the jobs. If the jobs are completely unrelated you may be better
off using a Functional or Targeted CV.

Make sure you stress your responsibilities and achievements under each job which will
be useful in your next job, but do not repeat information in your CV as this will just bore
the reader.

Additional Information
Include any additional information, such as whether you have a driving licence - if you
have a clean driving licence, say so. Date of birth, marital status and nationality can
usually be left off your CV.

Interests
Keep this part fairly short, but make sure you list any current positions of responsibility.
If you do not currently have any management responsibility and you are applying for a
management position you may want to include positions of responsibility that you have
held over the last few years, e.g. Captain of a local football team.

Referees
You should include two referees, one of which should be an academic reference, e.g.
your personal tutor, while the second reference could be from an employer you have
worked for. The postcode should normally be included in the address
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