I recently delivered this training course to an organisation to address Time management and Worklife Balance. It was well received and met with some interesting results.

1. Time Management
&
Work Life Balance
Presented by
Wulston Alderman

2. What does it all mean?
A couple of definitions
Time Management
The act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on
specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. (1)
The act of taking conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities. (2)
Prioritization of tasks in order to maximize personal efficiency in the workplace. (3)
Work Life Balance
Working practices that acknowledge and aim to support the needs of staff in achieving a balance
between their home and working lives. (4)
The amount of time you spend doing your job compared with the amount of time you spend with
your family and doing things you enjoy. (5)
1. Wikipedia
2. http://www.fluent-time-management.com/meaning-of-time-management
3. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/time-management
4. http://www.healthatwork.org.uk/pdf.pl?file=haw/files/Work-lifeBalance
5. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/work-life-balance

3. What does it all mean?
Time Management
• You cannot change or flex time
• It is more the act of “self management”
Work Life Balance
• Work-Life Balance does not mean an equal balance
• Will vary over time
• No perfect, one-size fits all

4. The Web of Life explained
• Often referred to as the “Wheel of life”
– Web represents that a shift in one area may impact on another
• Method of self assessment
• Measures your level of satisfaction in key areas
• Rank your level of satisfaction from “0” Low to “10” High
• Join the markers to create a line
• Represents your Web of Life
• Low scoring areas are where you might want to improve your level of satisfaction

5. The Web of Life (blank)

6. The Web of Life (completed)

7. The Web of Life exercise
Your results
• What did you notice?
• How well balanced was your web?
• What could you do to improve your satisfaction in some areas?
• What trade-offs are necessary?
• How could you include this in your action plan?

8. The Web of Life applications
• Job Performance
– Get along with colleagues & clients
– Team participation
– Staying organised
• Management Competencies
– Decision making
– Customer Service
– Team development
• Management & Leadership
– Promoting Change
– Aligning People
– Planning & Budgeting
• Custom

9. Concern
Circle of Concern
• We have no real control
• We can do something about

10. C
Circle of
Influence
Circle of Influence
Where do we spend most of our time & energy?
• Proactive: operate in Circle of Influence
• Reactive: operate in Circle of Concern
Concern

11. What Type are you?
Proactive: Operate in Circle of Influence
• Focus their efforts on what they can influence
• Display positive energy
• Enlarge Circle of Influence
Reactive: Operate in Circle of Concern
• Focus on weaknesses of other people
• Blaming & accusing attitudes
• Reactive language
• Causes Circle of Influence to shrink

12. Urgent Not Urgent
Important I
Activities:
Crises
Pressing problems
Deadline driven projects
II
Activities:
Prevention
Relationship building
Recognising new opportunities
Planning, recreation
Not
Important
III
Activities:
Interruptions, some calls
Some mail, some reports
Some meetings
Proximate, pressing matters
Popular activities
IV
Activities:
Trivia, busy work
Some mail
Some phone calls
Time wasters
Pleasant activities
Time Management Matrix

13. Urgent Not Urgent
Important I
Results:
Stress
Burnout
Crises management
Fire fighting
II
Not
Important
III IV
Time Management Matrix (1)

14. Urgent Not Urgent
Important I II
Not
Important
III
Results:
Short term focus
Crisis management
Reputation – chameleon character
See goals and plans as worthless
Feel victimised, out of control
IV
Time Management Matrix (2)

15. Urgent Not Urgent
Important I II
Results:
Vision
Balance
Discipline
Control
Few Crises
Not
Important
III IV
Time Management Matrix (3)

16. Time Management Matrix
Reflection
• What quadrant (s) are you currently working in?
• Which would you like to work in?
• What is stopping you?
• Who is stopping you?

17. Some Tools & Techniques
Books
1,686 Time management tool listings Amazon.co.uk
EMA
• Eliminate – stop doing it!
• Automate – technology is an enabler
• Delegate – do make sure it gets done
Learn how to say NO
• No to the task, not the person
• No, not now
• By saying Yes to something, I am saying No to…
• By saying No to something, I am saying Yes to …
“If I can’t learn to say no, then what is my yes worth?” (anon)

18. Some Tools & Techniques
Structures
• Planner
• To do list
• Email/ Voicemail
• A future appointment with…
• Visual – post it notes, pictures
Daily Habits
• Constructive actions on a daily routine basis
• Sense of accomplishment
• Professional or personal life
– Process all mail daily
– Exercise 3 times a week
– Spend time with a different person (friend/ colleague)
There is no right or wrong. Success is whatever works for you

19. Sabotage
• Inner voice
• Awakens when people initiate change in their lives
• Internal protection system
• Prevents you from taking action – procrastination
• Avoids taking risks/ fear of failure, overwhelm
• Limiting beliefs
– “I can’t do that/ this” (based on experience, knowledge but no evidence)
– “I know if will fail” (therefore I won’t do it)
– “I don’t have the experience” (therefore I will avoid it)
Notice when you say these things, or take these actions

20. Beware of the Time Thief!
Some tell-tale signs
• Request details and figures for reports they do not use
• Calling pre-meetings with no outcome or purpose
• Including you on irrelevant email threads
• Constant interruptions

21. Does this look familiar?

22. Taking Action – Your Plan
• If you do nothing, nothing will change
• If you continue to do the same things, you will get the same results
• Write down 3 actions that you will commit to
– Frame them in the positive
– Realistic
– Time bound
– Will improve your Work Life balance/ Time Management
I will send these to you in 6 weeks, to remind you of your commitment

23. www.lifeandcorporatecoaching.co.uk
Thank you for your attention

24. www.lifeandcorporatecoaching.co.uk
The Web of Life Exercise
What did you notice?
What could you do to improve some areas?
How well balanced is your web?
What trade-offs are necessary?
How could you include this in your action plan?

25. www.lifeandcorporatecoaching.co.uk
Daily Habits Tracking Log
New daily habits for the month of_____________________
Reflection
• How well did you do?
• How did completing these habits make you feel?
• What prevented you from maintaining these habits?
Habit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

26. www.lifeandcorporatecoaching.co.uk
Taking Action
Remember actions should:
• Be framed in the positive
• Realistic/ Time bound
• Will improve your Work Life balance/ Time Management
Name:
Date:
Action What will it give me?
1.
2.
3.

27. Urgent Not Urgent
Important I
Activities:
Crises
Pressing problems
Deadline driven projects
II
Activities:
Prevention
Relationship building
Recognising new opportunities
Planning, recreation
Not
Important
III
Activities:
Interruptions, some calls
Some mail, some reports
Some meetings
Proximate, pressing matters
Popular activities
IV
Activities:
Trivia, busy work
Some mail
Some phone calls
Time wasters
Pleasant activities
Time Management Matrix
www.lifeandcorporatecoaching.co.uk