LinkedIn Time + Attention Management

Time + Attention ManagementKIK Custom Products Leadership Training

What you will learn today… You will learn Time + Attention

Management skills to apply and be more efficient + effective

every day

Time + Attention ManagementLearning Objectives…

Learn why Time + Attention Management can be easy or difficult

Learn the Time Management Matrix to better understand and improve our Time + Attention Management skills

Learn steps to overcome procrastination – Eat that Frog

Time + Attention Management

“Time management” is really a misnomer – the challenge is not to manage time, but manage ourselves. The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

Stephen Covey

So, what does Time + Attention Management mean to you?

Time can’t be managed…It just is. So, time management is really about managing our attention.


Staying focused on the task at hand is more difficult than ever. There are…• Open Workspaces• Tons of Media Sources vying for our

attention• Individuals acting in crisis mode all the

time


What do you think is the #1 enemy of Attention Management?

Distractions

What are some categories of Distractions?• Self• People• Organizational


Some distractions are ok/good, but need to be managedAll distractions should fall into Q2/Q1 of the matrix; and if not, re-evaluate

Groups of 3: a distractor an employee trying to work or have a

conversation an observer/other conversationalist

Role PlayDistractions

The employee’s goal is to try and tactfully diffuse the distraction

Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, provide us with the Time Management Matrix. It will help us prioritize and determine which activities best warrant our attention and resources…

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

It provides the judgment as to whether activities are URGENT, IMPORTANT, BOTH or NEITHER.

This is crucial for good time management.

UrgentNot

Urgent

Important

NotImportant

Q-1 Q-2

Q-3 Q-4

Time Management Matrix


Urgent + Important: These are real major emergencies and crisis issues, significant demands for information from superiors or customers, project work with imminent deadlines, meetings and appointments, reports and other submissions, staff issues or needs, problem resolution, fire-fighting fixes, and serious urgent complaints.


Urgent + Important: DO NOW

(Vying for immediate attention and critical to your success and/or of the organization.)What to do:• Subject to confirming the importance of these tasks, do

this task now… • Prioritize tasks according to their relative urgency• If 2 or more tasks are equally urgent, ask what the

needed requirements are from the person requesting the task

• Look for ways to break the task down to simplify • Plan this task in quadrant 2 for next time


Not Urgent, but Important:Activities that fall into this quadrant include: planning an preparation; project planning and scheduling; research and investigation; networking, relationship building, thinking and creating; modelling, designing, and testing; systems and process development; anticipative, preventative activities or communication.


Not Urgent, but Important: PLAN TO DO

These tasks are most important yet neglected:• Plan time-slots for doing these • Break big tasks down to separate logical stages• Use project management tools and methods• Inform other people of your planned time-slots

and schedules: Having a visual schedule is key.

(not “in your face” but critical to your success and/or that of your organization)


Urgent, but not ImportantThis quadrant houses trivial and “off-loaded” requests from others, apparent emergencies, ad-hoc interruptions, misunderstandings appearing as complaints, irrelevant distractions, pointless routines or activities, dealing with accumulated unresolved trivia, duplicated effort, unnecessary double-checking, and the boss’s whims or tantrums. Scrutinize these demands and help originators, even your boss, to re-assess the real importance of these tasks.


Urgent, but not Important: REJECT (Diplomatically)

These tasks are tricky:• Practice and develop your ability to explain why you

can’t• Where possible, reject and avoid these tasks

immediately• Look for causes of repeating demands, so you can

stop it• Educate and train others to manage their own time

and priorities, so you don’t end up getting involved• Question old policies and assumptions to see if they

still are valid

(“in your face” – but not important to your success and/or that of the organization.)


Neither Urgent nor Important:Finally, Q4 contains the many unnecessary and

unchallenged routines, “comfort” activities; computer games, net surfing, excessive breaks, chatting and gossip (face to face and phone); social and domestic communications; silly emails and text messages; daydreaming and doodling; interrupting others; tidying, changing screen savers, internet and YouTube surfing; drink and drug abuse; aimless travel and driving.


Neither Urgent nor Important: RESIST + CEASE

These tasks are unnecessary + are usually unchallenged:• These activities have no positive outcomes• Often they may be stress related, so find the root

cause• Have a clear structure or schedule of tasks for each

day in quadrant 2 to remove the temptation• These activities are not tasks and provide a refuge

from the effort of discipline

(the real time wasters – not vying for immediate attention and not important to success)

UrgentNot

Urgent

Important

NotImportant

Q-1 Q-2

Q-3 Q-4


Q-1 Q-2Q-3 Q-4


Now it’s time to build your own Time Management Matrix based on an average work day here at KIK. Take the tasks and prioritize them in the correct quadrants:

Daily Tasks… Typical fire-fighting… Typical interruptions… Unexpected items… Leadership needs… Direct Boss needs…

Do Now. Plan to Do.

Reject (nicely).

Resist + Cease.

Proactive vs ReactiveAttention Management

Being Proactive means thinking ahead and planning how to head off or deal with problems before they ariseBeing Reactive means that you respond to problems after they occurReactive items live inQ-1Proactive items live in

You should spend more time in Q2 instead of Q1…

Attention ManagementWhat does Attention Management to

you?Attention management increases the ability to focus attention.

Four areas of Attention Intentional: plan strategically and prioritize Responsive: responds and puts out fires Interrupted: too much time answering messages and

doing non-valued added work Unproductive: waste time at work…Facebook,

chatting a lot…

Attention Management

So, how can we manage our attention better?

Eat the Frog! (Take Action!)


“Eat that Frog*” is a metaphor for tackling the most challenging task of your day – the one you are most likely to procrastinate on, but also probably the one that can have the greatest positive impact*Adapted from the book, Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get more Done in Less Time – Brian Tracy



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…1.Set the table: Write out your goals and objectives2.Plan every day in advance: every minute

planning can save you 5 or 10 minutes in execution3.Apply the 80/20 rule: 20% of your activities will

account for 80% of your results4.Consider the consequences: most important

tasks and priorities can have the most serious consequences – focus on these above all else



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…cont.5. Practice creative procrastination: learn to

deliberately put off tasks that are low value6. Use the A B C D E Method: take a few

moments to prioritize on your most important activities

This is the best method for setting priorities on your list once you have determined your major goals or objectives - You place one of those letters in the margin before each of the tasks on your list before you begin



The A B C D E Method…“A” = “very important;” something you must do“B” = “important;” something you should do

“C” = “nice to do;” but which are not as important as ‘A’ or ‘B,’ tasks

“D” = “delegate”

“E” = “eliminate, whenever possible”When you use the A B C D E method, you can very easily sort out what is important and unimportant - then focus your time and attention on those items on your list that are most essential for you to do



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…cont.7. Focus on key results: Identify and determine the

results necessary to get your job done well8. The Law of 3: Identify 3 things that account for

90% of your contribution and get them done first9. Prepare thoroughly before you begin: have

everything you need at hand before you start



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…cont.10.Eat the frog one bite at a time: you can

accomplish the biggest task one bite at a time11.Upgrade your key skills: the more skilled you

are the faster you start and the sooner you get them done

12.Leverage your special talents: Know your strengths and throw your whole heart into what you do well



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…cont.13.Identify your key constraints: determine the

bottlenecks, internal and external - focus on alleviating them

14.Put pressure on yourself: think you’re going on vacation and you have to get your tasks completed before

15.Maximize your personal power: get lots of rest so you can perform your best

16.Motivate yourself into action: look for the good in every situation – always be optimistic and constructive



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…cont.17.Technology time sinks: use technology to

improve the quality of your communication, but not a slave to it

18.Slice and dice the task: break complex tasks down into bite-sized pieces and do one at a time

19.Create large chunks of time: Organize your day around large blocks of time to concentrate and focus

20.Develop a sense of urgency: Move fast on your key tasks – be known to do things quickly and well



Here are 21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get things done faster…cont.

21.Single handle every task: set clear priorities, start immediately on your most important task, and then work without stopping until the job is 100% complete…

This is the real key to high performance and maximum personal productivity

Lastly…

Time + Attention Management Manager/Supervisor Individual Contributor

Manage Yourself Schedule Priorities Focus and Don’t get distracted Use the Time Management

Matrix to prioritize and determine what warrants your attention and resources

Look for ways to break down the task and simplify

Align your priorities with your leader

Plan your day in advance Prepare thoroughly before you

begin a task Have a sense of Urgency Manage prioritized tasks and

follow through on your commitments

Accept only necessary distractions – Q1/Q2

Manage Yourself and provide guidelines for your team

Set clear priorities for you and your team

Work with your team to respond and put out fires immediately

Help your team live in Q2 as much as possible

Always be open, honest and be provide clear direction regarding priorities

Plan your day in advance and know what your team’s day looks like

Help prioritize and ensure follow through of completion through to the end for your team

Guard your team against organizational distractions – Only change course when necessary


Learn why Time + Attention Management can be easy or difficult

Learn the Time Management Matrix to better understand and improve our Time + Attention Management skills

Learn steps to overcome procrastination – Eat that Frog

So, did we…?


Additional Resources… The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

Powerful Lessons in Personal Change Stephen R. Covey

The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual + Organizational Accountability

Roger Connors, Tom Smith and Craig Hickman Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop

Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less TimeBrian Tracy

Documents

LinkedIn Time + Attention Management