'Time is a versatile performer. It flies, marches on,
heals all wounds, runs out, and will tell.'
--Franklin P. Jones 

• Time Wasters
• Articles/Tips
• Website Resource Links
• Time management links for College Students

Other pages of interest on LibrarySupportStaff.com

• To>>Stress Management Resource Links
• To>>Paper Management Tips & Recource Links
• To>> Take Personality & Career Interest Tests Online
• To>> Find Time Saving Help for doing your taxes
• To>> Helpful resources for Retirement Planning

Not enough time 

How many things do you fail to start because you don't think you have enough time to finish them? 
How many 20-minute projects do you never attempt because you only have 10 minutes? 
One of the most insidious ways to waste time is to think that you don't have enough time.   Is that crazy or what? 
Think about it. You're pressed for time, you're running short of time. 
So how do you spend the time you do have? 
You fritter it away, thinking that there's not enough time to do 
what you really need to do. 
Just get started on it.   If you don't finish, it will wait. 
At least you've started.
At least you've made some effective use of your time.
Better to start and not finish than not to start at all. 
If you don't have enough time, that's all the more reason to get started now. 
It is certainly not a reason to procrastinate. 
Short on time? We all are. So use the time you have.
Wishing for more time is simply a waste of time. 
Get busy. Get started. You may not finish today, but so what?
You're moving forward, and that's the best direction to go". 
-- Ralph Marston (March 27, 1999   - The Daily Motivator)

Game for staff to play:
TIME WASTERS
Copyright © 1997, Sivasailam Thiagarajan. All rights reserved.
Many of us go through life in a mindless fashion, wasting valuable time.
This game encourages you to discover the factors that contribute to wasted
time in the workplace. It also helps you to figure out which time wasters
you share with the others and which ones are unique to you.
Purpose
To identify major time wasters in the workplace and arrange them in order of their impact.
http://www.thiagi.com/game-timewasters.html

The key to having more time for yourself-and everything
and everyone you care about-is effective time management. 
Here are the five biggest time gobblers and the best ways to control them: 

1.TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE. Set priorities. Decide on the single most
important task to do at any one moment. Create clear, specific goals for
each day or even each hour-writing them down, if necessary, on a "to do"
list with the most important at the top and going down from there. Do not go
on to the second job (or goal) until you have completed the first.

2. TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF. Learn to delegate. If necessary, hire
additional help at work: full-time, part-time, freelancers, even an unpaid
intern. At home, ask for help from your spouse or children. If you can
afford it, hire weekly or one-time help. Delegating caution: You still have
to make sure a task is completed to your standards even if you are not doing
the actual work.

3. BEING RELUCTANT TO SAY "NO." Decide what you want to do and realistically
can do and then say "no" to everything else. (It is often accepted much more
easily than you think.) To make it easier, write "No" in big letters and put
it near the phone or on your desk. Suggest someone else who could do the job
or a time down the road when you might want to say "yes".

4. LETTING THE TELEPHONE INTERRUPT YOU. Instead of being at the whim of
callers, make the phone work for you.
* Use an answering machine to screen incoming calls. Return calls at
your convenience. 
* Use a cordless phone, or, as long as others do not mind, a
speakerphone, so you can do other tasks while you are talking on the phone. 
* Let your friends and business associates know that you have a
"telephone hour" when you prefer to receive calls. 
* Learn to say, "I can't talk right now. Can I call you back?" Set
aside time (an hour in the morning for work calls or in the evening for
personal calls) to return calls all at once. 
* Limit waiting "on hold" to three minutes-unless the call is really
important. 
* Use your time on the phone, especially if you are placed on hold, to
do other things: open your mail, pay bills, prepare a meal, even exercise
--keep a small arm weight next to the phone to do arm or leg lifts on the
floor. 
* When you leave a message, try to give a specific time for someone to
call you back so you avoid telephone tag as much as possible. 

5. PUTTING THINGS OFF. Use the energy you spend putting off an unpleasant
task to get it done and off your mind. Make it the day's priority or the
first thing you tackle. Divide large tasks into smaller, more manageable
ones. Use the reward system and reward yourself as you complete each
narrower task. Decide in advance how you will reward yourself when you
complete the entire necessary task.

This article is edited and reprinted from Redbook, where it originally
appeared in August 1990, by permission of its 
author and copyright owner Dr. Jan Yager.

Dr. Jan Yager is a consultant, speaker,
and author on time management and business protocol. 
On the web http://www.janyager.com
Address: 1127 High Ridge Road, #110, Stamford, CT 06905
ph. (203) 968-8098
E-mail: jyager@aol.com 
For additional tips on time management, consult Dr. Yager's book, 
Creative Time Management for the New Millennium, 2nd edition, revised and updated
(Hannacroix Creek Books, 1999) $14.95 trade paperback, 160 pages, ISBN
1-889262-20-X. For credit card orders, call, toll-free, 1-800-431-1579.
Speaker · Consultant · Author · Trainer 
Jan Yager, Ph.D. 1127 High Ridge Road, #110, Stamford, CT 06905 
http://www.janyager.com/fivetop_article.htm
 

More on this Topic of Time wasters:

The Top Ten Time Wasters
According to a Priority Management Systems survey 
http://www.get-organized.com/topten.html

Eliminate Time-Wasters From Your Day
http://www.applesforhealth.com/timewaste1.html

At home: 
Chart-Toppping Time Wasters
http://www.spirasolaris.com/hshp/timewasters.html
And what to do about them:

* Television -- turn it off. 

* Whining about how little time you have -- 
stop whining and use that time more productively

* Nagging your husband and children -- Don't nag. 
If they don't do what you ask, take action. 

* Dwelling on stuff you can do nothing about -- Move on, life is short! 

* Perfectionism -- Accept that adequate equals good, and that perfect doesn't exist. 

* Answering the phone when you don't want to -- Use an answering
machine or voice mail.
Return calls during the time period you have assigned for it. 

* Nervous snacking -- This wastes time, money, and your figure.
Eat 6 small meals a day and you'll always be energetic. 

* Procrastination -- Don't think about doing something. 
Get up and do it now. 

* Not having a plan -- Going along as the mood strikes may be
artistic, but it's not going to get your home organized.
Create a plan of action and follow it. 

* Not delegating -- You can't do everything yourself. 
Your family can and should do more. Make sure they do. 
Reprinted from:
http://www.spirasolaris.com/hshp/timewasters.html

**Also from SpiraSolaris, Send free greeting cards**
http://www.spirasolaris.com/postcards/

What is your definition of success?  At the very least, you probably desire a certain amount of free time and money.  Getting organized will help you be successful, however you define it.

1.  Control your time instead of letting it control you.  Have a plan every day.  Make a to-do list.  You'll accomplish more.

2.  Delegate repetitive tasks to employees and family members.  Outsource.  Pay or barter to have others do what you don't do well (or don't want to do).

3.  Set goals and priorities.  Write them down.  Post them.  Focus on them daily.  Continually ask yourself, "Is this the best use of my time right now?"

4.  Batch activities.  Spending a specific amount of time on like activities is more of a time saver than flitting back and forth between unrelated tasks.

5.  Overcome paper overload.  Set up a simple filing system.  Process your paper daily.

6.  Have a place for everything.  Keep like things together.  De-clutter.  Move excess stuff out of your life.

7.  Live with a budget.  Spend both time and money wisely so you'll have plenty of each.

Many people mistakenly believe that time management is about squeezing more tasks and activities into a day.

Time management is actually about getting the important things done.  It's also about learning to do things efficiently so you can ultimately accomplish more.  Here how:

1.  Focus.  On a sticky note, write the important things in your life you need to focus on today.  At home, attach it to your refrigerator.  At work, stick it on your computer monitor.  As projects come ad go, you'll need to modify the list.

2.  Write it down.  If your head is full of clutter, you won't get as much done.  "Scatterbrain Syndrome" is caused by too much data floating around in your head.  Cure it by writing in a spiral notebook everything you need to do.  If you're working on a task and something else pops into your head, write it down in the notebook.

3.  Keep a daily to-do list.  Write down the 12 most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow.

4.  Make a daily schedule.  You'll be more efficient.  Look at tomorrow's appointments and meetings.  Mark those beginning to end times in your calendar.  Then review your to-do list and schedule time for your to-do's.  Remember, only schedule 70% of your day.  The other 30% will be filled with interruptions and emergencies.

5.  Delegate.  This is the most underused time management tool today.  Look at your to-do list after you write it and ask yourself what you can delegate.  Consider hiring college students for small tasks.  Barter activities with neighbors and co-workers.  Teach your kids life skills and enlist their help on a daily basis.

6.  Multi-task the details.  While it's important to focus on projects, it's also efficient to take care of simple tasks simultaneously.  Cook dinner while returning phone calls.  File while watching TV.  Check your e-mail while listening to voice mail messages.
7.  Group like activities.  Keep a running list of errands and take care of all of them once a week.  Return phone calls during a certain time period.  Do all your computer work within a certain time period.  It takes time to switch tasks so you'll save time by doing like activities together.

8.  Organize your surroundings.  The Wall Street Journal once reported that the average executive loses up to an hour per day looking for misplaced papers.  You'll save time if you don't have to step over and look through clutter.

9.  Analyze everything you do for the next week.  Try to find a quicker, more efficient way to do things.  Briefly work with a friend or co-worker to come up with ideas.

10.  Read it better.  Learn to skim information.  Highlight important text for easier retrieval.  Carry reading material with you wherever you go.  Consider taking a speed reading course.

Related ~ see my Learning online sites page: Practical Learning Sites
and visit my Free Printable resources page, and view the Organizing Your Life printables, topic
on my Teas2Dine4.com site

I Need More Time
http://www.ineedmoretime.com/
FREE  time management tips booklet!
Lots of Helpful articles
Tips of the Week
Monthly Motivators
 

  Mind Tools.com - Essential Skills for an Excellent Career
Tips & Ideas
www.mindtools.com/page5.html
 Costing Your Time - Finding out how much your time costs 
 Deciding Work Priorities - Doing tasks which add the greatest value 
 Activity Logs - Understanding where you lose time 
 Small-Scale Planning - Action Plans 
 Prioritized To Do Lists - Doing the most important things first 
 Personal Goal Setting - Planning to Live Your Life Your Way

BusinessTown.com
Time Management Tips
Quote from site:
http://www.businesstown.com/time/time.asp
"Just as a well-run business follows a budget in spending money, 
an effective businessperson should also follow a budget (or schedule) in spending time."

2It.com-  tips, techniques and resources for busy people. 
  Quick Time Management Tips 
 2it is time management for modern, fast-paced lifestyles 
http://www.2it.com/

Read the articles available from: Harold Taylor Time Consultants
www.taylorontime.com/articles.html
Example :Things Left Undone Cause Stress
But only if we think about them.

Small Business Wizards - Quotes & Tips/Ideas on TIme Management
http://www.smallbusinesswizards.com/time_management_tips_and_tools.htm

Nebraska Cooperative Extension NF94-174
Time Management Suggestions
For Getting Home/Yard/Car Work Done
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/homemgt/nf174.htm

Quoted from site:
http://www.mywebca.com/infolibrary/staffing/staffing8.htm
Effective Time Management Tips 
By Lesley Gunn 
How often have you said, “I don’t have the time”? While we all abide by the same 24-hour clock, many of us feel short on hours to accomplish everything we need to do. The following tips can improve your time management skills by helping you clarify what’s important, create a workable system and banish time wasters.
http://www.mywebca.com/infolibrary/staffing/staffing8.htm

Summary and Resources to Dynamic Time Management Guide
http://www.friendly-ware.com/dtm/sumAndRef.htm

Suite 101 topic
Time Management Made Simple: Five Practical Tips
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/human_resources/88731

TIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
http://www.tsuccess.dircon.co.uk/timemanagementskills.htm

See this topic Time Management   on this page
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/Success/goldenchamber.htm 
(lists other useful topics & information)

Consider taking the FREE course offered Online at
Barnes & Noble University
Check BN site for available times this course is held
"Getting Things Done" (4 wks - average 16 hours to completion)
Instructor: David Allen
Author of "Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity"
(**Note** You will be encouraged to purchase book, "BUT" it is Not a requirement to take class!)
Description
This course offers a leading-edge methodology for getting things done with minimal time and effort, while maintaining control in work and life. Learn a step-by-step method to manage your projects, actions, and whatever else you call the "stacks" that clutter your desk, your kitchen counter, and, most importantly, your mind. Through the course of Getting Things Done, you will identify and implement the best practices for organizing your thinking and compiling those to-do lists. In a world where there's "too much to do," you can experience more relaxed control and a greater ability to focus. As one reader said, "Simply put, Allen's methods taught me how to get out of my own way, and helped me concentrate on where I was trying to go." *Note: it may not be offered each semester - register for free online and receive updates
and news concerning courses.

Search All Course Offerings
at
http://www.barnesandnobleuniversity.com/

Managers, Supervisors, or those who tend to take charge - may be good at "managing others" but not at managing theirs or others "Time"!

Top Five Time Management Mistakes 
Can't seem to find enough time to do everything? 
Discover how to cut down on wasted time and learn the 
common time management mistakes we often commit.
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol34/time.htm

Successful Time Management
http://www.umich.edu/~fasap/stresstips/1.html

Leadership tools, ideas and tips
http://www.top-education.com/Management/leadershipdefinition.asp
Introduction to Decision Making
http://www.top-education.com/Management/makingeffective.asp

UNDERSTANDING CHANGE:
http://www.top-education.com/Management/ChangeManagement.asp

WHAT IS DELEGATION ?
http://www.top-education.com/Management/Delegation.asp

Meetings - Management 
The Art of Successful Meetings
Points to Ponder
http://www.top-education.com/Management/artpoint.asp
Ask yourself :
 How often do you meet your subordinates in a formal
meeting ? 
 Do you study the material for meeting in advance ?

Do this :
Make a point to meet your staff once in every 15 days. 
 Do not stretch the meetings into untimely hours.

 Listening is two times more important than speaking.

 Decide the type of meeting first. 
 Always have a clear purpose for a meeting. 
 Check the legal requirements and concerns. 
  As a chairperson protect the right of minority. 
Fix up closing time. 
 Work on the decision taken in the meeting promptly.

 

Quoted from site:
BETWEEN FRIENDS.org
http://www.betweenfriends.org/
Time Management, Household Hints, Organizational Tips and Practical Resources for Moms! 
Stop trying to do too much!  Stop feeling overwhelmed!
Welcome to Between Friends.org where you'll find hundreds of tips, techniques and articles designed to help you "do more with less" and save time in the process! Feel more productive, feel more confident and be more in control!  Browse the website, learn a few tricks and put them to work for you today! 

Related: Time saving recipe/meal preparation links

• Open Directory links : Home: Cooking: Quick and Easy  
• http://www.mealsforyou.com
• http://www.bluesuitmom.com/food/
• http://familyis.com/pantry/time.shtml
• http://www.fabulousfoods.com/school/cstips/time.html
• http://www.directoryofgreatdeals.com/food_and_recipes.htm
• http://www.mrfood.com/recipes.htm

Related ~ see my Learning online sites page:
Practical Learning Sites (includes "Organizing" Sites)

Self Help for Her
Time Management
15 Essential Time Management Tips
http://www.selfhelpforher.com/time1.htm

From: Time Management Guide
Prioritizing effectively
http://www.time-management-guide.com/prioritizing.html

Open Directory - Resource Links
Personal Organization
http://dmoz.org/Home/Personal_Organization/

Time Management
http://dmoz.org/Business/Management/Training/Time_Management/

For Students - in College
Time Management topic on:
Campus Blues.com
by Dr. Gregory Hall
Bentley College
http://www.campusblues.com/timeman.html

Also see these tips/articles from Old Dominium University
http://web.odu.edu/webroot/orgs/STU/stuserv.nsf/pages/time_mgmt

From the University of Buffalo, NY - Student Affairs dept.
Overcoming Procrastination 
http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/stressprocrast.shtml

Fastfacts: Making a Task List
http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/learning/fastfax/tasklist.htm

From Cornell University
LEARNING STRATEGIES CENTER
Study Skills Resources 
Time Management
http://www.clt.cornell.edu/campus/learn/SSWorkshops/SKResources.html
(**NOTE: These are PDF Files - you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed to open and read them)

When to Study, Where to Study, and How to Handle the Rest of the World by the
Student Learning Center at University of California at Berkeley. 
Detailed, practical tips on time management. Some examples: 

When to Study: "Plan two hours of study time for every hour spent in class. There are exceptions, but this is a good general rule." 
Where to Study: "Use a regular study area. Your body knows where you are. When you use the same place to study, day after day, your body becomes trained. When you arrive at that particular place, it will automatically sense that it's time to study. You will focus your concentration more quickly." 
How to Handle the Rest of the World: "Notice how others misuse your time. Be aware of repeat offenders. Ask yourself if there are certain friends or relatives who consistently interrupt your study time. If avoiding them is impractical, send a clear (but gentle) message. Sometimes others don't realize they are breaking your concentration."
 

From About.com - (annoying pop-up ads are on all About.com web pages, but information links are usually good)
Time Management for Grad Students
Guide picks 
 Top resources for graduate students who want to get a handle on their use of time 
http://gradschool.about.com/cs/timemanagement/

• Time Wasters
• Articles/Tips
• Website Resource Links
• Time management links for College Students

Other pages of interest on LibrarySupportStaff.com

• To>>Stress Management Resource Links
• To>>Paper Management Tips & Recource Links
• To>> Take Personality & Career Interest Tests Online
• To>> Find Time Saving Help for doing your taxes
• To>> Helpful resources for Retirement Planning