Time Management Systems
Time Management
Systems
 Describe
the system you
use to keep up with
appointments, notes,
tasks that need to be
done, phone numbers
and addresses
What is the best system
for me?
 Depends
upon:
Type of work you do (work with
people vs. work with things)
– Amount of discretionary time you
you (how much time is under
your control)
–
Nature of Work
0%
Work
with
Things
100%
100%
Work
with
People
0%
Your work falls someplace on the diagonal
line. The higher up the line you go, the more
sophisticated your time management
system needs to be.
Discretionary Time
100%
Amount of
control you
have over
your time
0%
The higher up the line you go, the more
sophisticated your time management
system needs to be.
Time Management System
 Below
the mid-point on both
graphs?
–
Use simple time management
tools
 Above
graph?
–
the mid-point on either
Use a more sophisticated system
Time Management
Systems
 Primitive
 Simple
 Paper-based Planners or
Organizers
 Hand-held Electronic Organizers
 Personal Information Managers
- Computer Software
Primitive
 Crisis
–
Management
Running around
putting out fires
C RTN_A-H
Primitive
 Priority
Meandering
Start on task a
– get distracted
– resume on task b
– get distracted
– jump to task c
–
Primitive
 Jump
–
to Others
Wait for others
to tell me what
to do
Primitive
 First
–
Come - First Served
Handle tasks in the order in
which they arrive
Primitive
 Grouping
–
Do all the same types of tasks at
the same time (phone calls,
writing letters, etc.)
Primitive
 Whimsical
–
Do whatever you
feel like doing
Simple
 Floating
Pieces of Paper
(including post-its, business
cards, napkins)
Write notes on
assorted pieces of paper
– Sooner or later the
paper floats
–
Simple
 Yellow
color)
–
Note Pad (or some other
Soon bottom left desk
drawer is full of
used note pads
Simple
 “To
–
Do” List
A “to do list is
written on a notepad,
business card,
envelope, etc.
Simple
 Pocket
–
Calendar
A variety of small
calendars are used
to record
appointments
Simple
 Desk
–
Calendar
Calendar stays on
desk, typically four
days behind
Simple
 Address
–
book
A variety of devices are used to
record addresses and phone
numbers
Simple
 Combination
- typically a
combination of simple devices
are used
Paper Based Planners
Day Runner
• Day-Timer
• Franklin Day Planner
• Day at a Glance
• Seven Habits Planner
• Priority Manager
• Rolodex
•
Things to Look for in a
Time Management System
 1-2
pages for each day
 Space for appointments, tasks,
and notes
 Storage system for pages not
currently in use
 System for retrieving
information & prioritizing
Things to Look for in a
Time Management System
 System
for planning into the
future
 Goals/Value based
 Place for addresses/phone
 Flexible/customizable
 Requires little maintenance
The Big Three
Time Management
Systems
 Loose
leaf binder style
 More of a do-it-yourself system
(at one time you had to write
the date on the pages)
 Dozens and dozens of add-in
sheets so system can be highly
customized
 Sold
in K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Office
Max, Office Depot, etc.
 Three sizes
Entrepreneur, Pro 8 (8 1/2 x 11)
– Classic, Pro 5 (5 1/2 x 8 1/2)
– Running Mate, Pro 4 (3 3/4 x 6
3/4)
–







Memo-ry®
Monthly Dated
Calendar
Today Planning
Pages
A-Z Telephone/
Address Directory
Expenses
Receipt Envelope
Check Register










Sources Pages
Notes
Objectives
Projects
Contacts
Finances
Credit Card Holder
Zip Pouch
Today Pagemark
Note Pad
 No
storage binder
 No plan or scheme for using the
system
 Tend to rely on gimmicks
–
Dilbert Planner, Mickey Planner
 Goals
pages are considered
an”Add-In”
 More of a product of a printing
company than a personal
productivity company
Day-Timer
 First
commercial time
management system
–
Roots trace to 1947 (printer
produced a time management
booklet designed by a lawyer)
•
Lawyers Day was quickly followed
by Accountants Day, Engineers Day,
etc.
Day-Timer
In 1970 Day-Timer name
registered
– Charles Hobbs, early time
management consultant,
promoted Day-Timers
– Beatrice Food buys Day-Timers in
1972
–
Day-Timer
Current owner is American
Brands
– Decision to sell in retails stores
made in 1994
–
Day-Timer
 Original
product was spiral bound
 Introduced a loose-leaf product in
mid 1980s to keep up with
Franklin
Day-Timer
 Four
sizes of loose-leaf
planners/spiral planners
– Folio/Notebook - 8 1/2 x 11
– Desk/Journal - 5 1/2 x 8 1/2
– Portable/Pocket - 3 3/4 x 6 3/4
– Jotter/Compact - 3 x 5
Day-Timer ...
 Basic
Loose Leaf Set has:
2 pages per day (appointments,
notes, to-do)
– Full year supply of dated pages
– 12 monthly tabbed calendar
dividers
– Address and phone directory
–
Day-Timer ...
 Basic
Loose Leaf Set has:
Advance planning pages
– Monthly auto mileage/expense
forms
– Reference sheets
– Vinyl page marker/ruler
–
Day-Timer...
 Storage
binder concept was
added after Franklin
implemented this concept
(originally you were told to toss
the monthly booklets after they
were used)
Day-Timer...
 Goals
planning sheets are
considered an “Add In”
 There is no system for
forwarding tasks, retrieving
information, etc.
 Company
formed in 1983 by
Hyrum Smith
–
Hyrum had some experience with
either Hobbs or Day-Timers and
thought he could develop a
better product
 In
company’s early years, the
only way to get a Franklin
Planner was by attending a
seminar because Hyrum wanted
people to learn how to
“effectively” use the system
 The
foundation of the Franklin
Day Planner system is to first
identify governing values.
 Franklin uses a sophisticated
but simple system for retrieving
data and not letting information
fall through the cracks.
 Covey
Institute merged with
Franklin in mid 1990s
 Franklin stores started in the
mid 1990s
 The
Franklin Day Timer is a
loose leaf binder and has:
two pages per day for twelve
months
– Address/Telephone section
– Values and Goals
– Ready Reference
–
 The
Franklin Day Timer is a
loose leaf binder and has:
Future Planning Calendars
– Pagefinder/Ruler
– 5 custom tab sections
–
 The
Franklin Day Planner comes
in 4 sizes:
Monarch (8 1/2 x 11)
– Classic (5 1/2 x 8 1/2)
– Compact (4 1/2 x 6 3/4)
– Pocket (3 1/2 x 6)
–
 If
you purchase a Franklin
System:
–
You can buy a kit or individual
components
 As
a minimum, the following
should be purchased:
Binder
– Storage Binder
– Master Filler
–
 May
also want zipper pouch
Hand Held Systems (PDAs)
 Palm
Pilot
 Sharp
 Casio
Personal
Digital
Assistants
Palm Pilot
 Most
Popular
PDA
 Highly Portable
 Many add-on
programs
 Connects to
computer
 Expensive
($369+)
 If batteries go
dead….
 Writing notes is
not real easy
Computer Software (PIMs)
- Personal Information Managers
 Over
100 on the market
Franklin Planner Software
– Lotus Organizer
– Day-Timer
– Time & Chaos
–
Computer Software
 Some
very powerful programs
 Must have computer with you
to be of real value
 Some planner companies now
have accompanying integrated
software