Does your time management need a boost?

If you need to improve your time management at work you should consider using a TRACK-O-GRAPH™. Don’t confuse the aforementioned with a tachograph, the piece of equipment installed in vehicles that tracks information such as time driving and break periods. A TRACK-O-GRAPH™ Day Planner, is a document created to track priority outcomes at work.

A TRACK-O-GRAPH™ Day Planner is a one-page document that punches way above its weight. If applied consistently it enhances performance, increases motivation and tracks impediments to progress. You can download a copy of the TRACK-O-GRAPH™ day planner from www.michaellukecollins.com/free-resources

The main sections of the TRACK-O-GRAPH™ day planner are: 1. Top three most important outcomes from today 2. Time chart 3. Checklist 4. To do list 5. List of identified barriers to outcome(s) encountered 6. To do list non-work related

STEP 1

Stop before you start. When you arrive at work the tendency can be to immediately start doing work related activities without giving adequate time to establishing your primary goals for the day.

A habit worth forming is to use the TRACK-O-GRAPH™ day planner form to force yourself to set priorities for the day at the beginning of the day and engage a heightened sense of awareness as you execute your tasks.

The key to using the TRACK-O-GRAPH™ day planner is to start the working day with a preview, where you identify and write down the three most important outcomes you need to achieve by the end of the day. The focus is on outcomes, NOT processes. When you have listed your top three priorities you can then list activities required to achieve same on the to-do list.

As part of step 1 you should also note on the space provided non-work related to do items. This allows you to mentally park them. This means they become less of a distraction as you know you have a note of them and they can be dealt with at a later point in the day e.g. during a break.

STEP 2

On the TRACK-O-GRAPH™ day planner review the checklist to keep on track and focus your mindset.

 Morning preview When you have set your top three priorities for the day and noted items on your to do lists you can tick the morning preview box. To ensure your mindset is in the right space consider the following and tick the box if you can engage the items noted below:

 100% responsibility Are you willing to take 100% responsibility for the achievement of your noted goals, instead of blaming others for impeding your progress. This is often difficult to implement as blaming others is an easier route than accepting personal responsibility. If you are willing to take on board 100% responsibility for the day, tick the box!

 Desired outcome focus Are you consciously willing to focus on the outcome(s) you seek and not be distracted by the inevitable obstacles that arise on most days, if yes, tick the box. Remember, if you find yourself distracted or demotivated during the day, redouble your efforts to focus on the end result to get you to the end of the task.

 Plan/Prioritise/Plan B Do you have a plan of written activities to engage in for the day that are categorised and prioritised? Do you have a plan b mindset that enables you to accept that impediments will arise during the day and you can switch your approach to find solutions. If yes, tick the box.

 Evening review – see step 5

STEP 3

On the time chart in the hourly slots write down the big-ticket items you have focused on during these selected intervals. Do not clutter the slots with detail, merely key words that you instantly recognise will suffice.

This visual representation of your time is highly effective in focusing attention and clearly establishing what it is you are doing with your time.

STEP 4

As your day progresses and you find obstacles arising that create impediments to your ability to achieve your goals, note these in the barriers to outcome(s). These should be recorded in the timeslot affected as this can help in analysing how to deal with these issues. A barrier might be you were summoned to an unscheduled meeting, or a client made an unannounced visit to your office.

STEP 5

When you get to the end of the day it is easy to ascertain if it has been a success, did you achieve the three priority tasks you set out at the start of the day? Review what you did, what worked and what didn’t work and learn from the process. After you have concluded your evening review, tick the box on the checklist.