Follow up 6 – Smart planning

This is it. The last thing you need to apply your newly learned insights. So that your workflow works. To really use all what our Time Management course can offer you. To work smarter, with more overview. (In 3 easy steps)

What the course taught you – 5 insights

You have attended our 1-day Time Management training course. Perhaps even read our guided articles. Well done! You are well on your way to radically transform your workflow. From chaos, to overview. To get to that point, the training has taught you some key insights. 

You can now…

1. Create a realistic to-do list instead of a wish list
   You already knew that in an 8-hour working day, you cannot get 10 hours of work done. That was already clear. Now, however, your to-do list also reflects this insight. It no longer contains a laundry list of tasks, but is realistic. Tailored to you, your schedule and your available time.
   
2. Distinguishing tasks from projects
   You no longer put off chores. Because you don’t know where to start, or because they are intimidating or too big. No, you make projects specific and actionable. You know what a completed project looks like, what actions you need to take and how much time you need to do them. Why? Because you chop big jobs into manageable smaller pieces.
3. Plan realistically and take your available time into account
   Time is like money; you cannot spend more than you have. With this attitude, you will plan your work from now on. You faithfully put recurring tasks in your diary and task manager. Unexpected matters? You saw them coming and kept space for them. As a result, you can spend your remaining available time with a peace of mind.
4. Use a simple and foolproof time management system
   You no longer use your head to remind you of appointments or tasks. You can rely on an external memory – a control tower that is simple, clear and watertight. A diary contains everything time-related, your task manager all your projects and next actions. Your head? Empty. So you can think about your work, instead of about work.
5. Reflecting daily and weekly on what needs to be done
   You are up to date – because you know what is coming. In fact, you daily check what is on your planning. What is left over? What requires your attention to today? You are on top of things. And because you briefly go through your time management system every week, you already know what awaits you next week.

In short:

You have come a long way. Where chaos might have reigned before, now overview reigns. No longer do you have to deal with that restless feeling about all the things that still need to be done. No, you now have a firm grip on your work. As a result, you work with more focus, less stress and – not unimportantly – more fun.

How to reach this point? – putting insights from the training into practice

To turn the above insights into an actual workflow, follow 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Setting up your system

After participating our training, you will have received an e-mail from our trainer. In it you will find a number of useful tips that will help you continue the elements from the training. To get the most out of your participation, we therefore ask you to carry out these things – a one-off step that requires a maximum of half an hour of your time.

Among other things, organise your Outlook smartly, do the gathering points exercise and possibly use the Mini scrum to chop up your projects. 

Using something other than Outlook? At least make sure you set up a calendar and task manager so you can get started with the next steps.

Step 2: Setting up your system

You give your tasks and projects a place – within Outlook or a time management system of your choice. As long as you do it in the following way (using this metaphor): 

Once you see your time as money, you can plan much more easily. Take it from Warren Buffett:

“Don’t save what is left after spending. Spend what is left after saving.”

Do the same with your tasks and appointments:

• Determine your fixed expenses
  In terms of money, these are the expenses you know are coming. The rent, for example, or groceries. The latter may vary slightly from month to month in terms of cost. Sometimes it’s more, sometimes less.This also applies to your activities:For example, you have a regular weekly meeting with a team member. You can already take this into account in your planning – it’s an expected expense.In addition, you process your mail daily. Also an expected expense but: the amount varies from day to day. You therefore keep enough space, when you schedule this activity – for example, an hour daily.Fixed expenses (in other words: tasks you know are coming) you plan. In your diary or task manager. You keep enough space for any run-outs.

  So this time you can no longer spend on other things – ad hoc chores or requests. It is reserved for the things that need to be done. This way, you avoid getting into a mess or facing time constraints.

• Allow for unexpected expenses
  On the financial front, you will also have to deal with unexpected expenses. A spontaneous day out or a dishwasher that calls it a day. That costs money. But as soon as you take this into account in advance, it won’t cause any problems.Again, this translates to your work. As soon as you take unexpected things into account when planning, you avoid a lot of unnecessary stress.Suddenly you do have time to help your colleague out (without running out of time yourself). Suddenly you don’t find yourself in a stressful situation because a task went overdue (you charged extra time for it)In short:Planning smartly in advance prevents a lot of headaches afterwards. Therefore, always keep extra space free as soon as you plan. For unforeseen cases, ad hoc jobs or extra lead time.

Step 3: Maintain your system

If you really want to reap the benefits of your new workflow, be consistent: keep it up to date. If you don’t, your system will no longer be watertight and you will overlook things.

• Therefore, check your planning daily

What is planned for tomorrow? Can you manage it? Is there anything else you need to prepare? Will cost you five minutes at most.

• Have a weekly moment of reflection

What did you do last week? Did you get everything done or are things slipping through? What will you do in the coming weeks? Can you pick up certain items in advance? Have any new projects been added? Half an hour to an hour, max.

In short

That’s all you need. To make your workflow – nay, your whole life – run more efficiently. By planning smartly, estimating and recording your time realistically. For more overview and peace of mind. With a bit of our 1-day Time Management training, and a lot of yourself!