Quality of Life in the Profession:
Strategies for Managing Time and Life in a 24/7
Connected Work Legal Environment
September 2015
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Time Management
WHAT’S THE REAL ISSUE?
You can’t manage time
Time management is really agreement and priority management
Wasting time only means that you think you should have been
doing something other than what you were doing
Most of us consider ourselves trustworthy, but keeping our
agreements (even to ourselves) is foundational to building trust
The degree to which you feel good about what you are doing is
equal to the degree that you know what you’re NOT doing and
have made that OK.
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Priority Management
What are your priorties?
• Are you clear on what they are?
• Do you consistently follow-through on them?
Where you focus your efforts and attention tells
people what is important to you
• What message you are sending?
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Creating a System
You need a way to capture and clarify all of your commitments*
50,000 ft
Mission & Morals
40,000 ft
Long-term vision
30,000 ft
Next 1-2 yr goals
20,000 ft
Areas of focus & responsibilities
10,000 ft
Current Projects
Runway
Current next actions
*Adapted from David Allen: http://gettingthingsdone.com/
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50,000 Foot View: Mission and Morals
1. What Contributions Do You Want to Make?
 Your world
 Your community
 Your profession
 Your organization
2. What do you stand for?
3. What do you want to be known for?
4. What do you value above all else?
Reflection/Notes:
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40,000 Foot View: Long-Term Vision
1. What does “success” look like 3, 5, 10 years from now?
2. What is your strategy for getting there?
3. What changes do you need to make TODAY to make that vision a reality?
Reflection/Notes:
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30,000 Foot View: Short-term goals
1. What are your 1-2 yr personal and professional goals?
2. Are these in alignment towards your 40,000 ft and 50,000 ft goals and purpose?
3. If resources were no object, what would you change in your current work and
personal life so that you achieve those 1-2 yr goals?
 What can you do to make these changes a reality?
Reflection/Notes:
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20,000 Foot View: Key Responsibilities
1. What are the key responsibilities and current areas of focus in your personal and
professional life?
2. What do they communicate to others about what is important to you?
3. How well aligned are these with your 50,000/40,000/30,000 ft views?
4. What do you need to stop doing for better alignment?
5. What do you need to start doing?
Reflection/Notes:
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10,000 Foot View: Current Projects
1. List every single current project you have in progress.
2. How well aligned are these with your other views?
3. What do you need to stop and start doing?
4. What is the single next action you need to take to make progress on each project?
5. What information or resources do you need to take that action?
6. When will you take that action?
Reflection/Notes:
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Runway: Current Next Actions
1. What are all your “next actions” based on the previous exercise?
2. What tool(s) will you use to document them, track them and make progress?
Reflection/Notes:
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Extra Notes
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Extra Notes
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My “System”
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Reading List and Resources
Books:
 Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity by David Allen
 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey
 The 25 best time management tools & techniques: How to get more done without driving
yourself crazy by Pamela Dodd & Doug Sundheim
 If you want it done right, you don’t have to do it yourself! The power of effective delegation by
Donna Genett
Articles:
 12 tips to work more effectively at your desk by Rita Emmett
o http://www.ritaemmett.com/articles/12-tips-desk.htm
 To work better, just get up from your desk by Allison Griswold
o http://www.forbes.com/sites/alisongriswold/2012/06/12/to-work-better-just-get-up-fromyour-desk/
 5 things you should know about sleep health in the workplace by Carolyn Gregoire
o http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-gregoire/sleep-workplace_b_3294409.html
TED talks:
 Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity
o http://ed.ted.com/on/OQFsvelw#watch
 How to make work-life balance work
o http://www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work?language=en
#t-349
 Got a meeting? Take a walk
o https://www.ted.com/talks/nilofer_merchant_got_a_meeting_take_a_walk?language=en
 10 top time-saving tech tips
o http://www.ted.com/talks/david_pogue_10_top_time_saving_tech_tips?language=en
Tools:
 Free time management software
o www.toggl.com
 Steven Covey’s Quadrant System (many online tools available)
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