Plan for Success

The new-year is here and the stores are bursting with great new ways to plan your life. And how many day timer options can there really be? Trust me when I say that whether you choose a PDA or a hard copy day planner, the important thing is that you use it.

You can't blame the day timer when January rolls around and you are still behind the eight ball on organizing your time.

Here are some things for you to think about when prepping to plan.

If you prefer a day planner that you can write in, then consider getting a week at a glance - you can see your whole week at one turn of the page and by the years end you will have turned the pages a few hundred times less than if you had a day at a glance. Whether you choose a day planner or a PDA you will save time and avoid missed commitments by putting all of your professional and personal commitments into the same planner: dinners, vacations, family activities, school events, personal time, etc. Using your day planner will help you spend your time more effectively.

Follow these valuable time management tips from "Getting Organized" and "The Organized Executive" and "Kaos Group"

1. Set Goals: write down your goal. Goals must be useful, measurable and attainable. Evaluate your goals daily and visualize your goals.
2. Avoid procrastination: this is the one time waster of which you have control. Keep it under control by:
   • Slicing the task into manageable pieces
   • Getting a clear picture of the task by discussing it with others
   • Designating interim completion points
   • Setting a deadline for completing the project
3. Learn to handle interruptions:
   • If it's necessary, handle immediately
   • If it's unnecessary, stop it or avoid it
   • If it's untimely, reschedule it
4. Manage your telephone time:
   • Screen your calls
   • Leave precise messages
   • Use automatic dialling to save time
   • Return calls before lunch or the end of the day
   • Keep a phone log in your planner to record decisions and discussions
5. Conquer paperwork: Use the Kaos Group Core Fore (TM) system:
   • To Do
   • To Pay
   • To File
   • To Read/Review
   This system will allow you to organize your paper work until you have scheduled time to complete the necessary tasks.
6. Plan shorter, more effective meetings:
   • Allocate the appropriate amount of time necessary
   • Distribute a meeting agenda at least one day in advance - don't overload the agenda
• Start meetings on time even if participants are not present
• Keep meetings under two hours, beyond that concentration suffers
• Issue minutes promptly
• Only attend meetings if necessary
• Conduct phone meetings when possible to save on travel time

Deanne Kelleher, principal of Kaos Group and the originator of the Core Four© system, helps clients streamline their business and personal lives so that they have more time for what they love.

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