Expert: Paul Holbrook, Founder, Diary Detox
Headlines:
- Effective time management strategies and techniques to increase productivity rely on focusing on objectives, planning time consciously, and having open conversations to eliminate wasteful activities
- Tasks should be categorized into leading, managing, doing, and floating (wasteful) activities, planning time for personal development and growth, respecting one's time, and challenging unnecessary meetings or tasks.
- Reflecting on time usage, setting clear objectives and planning time deliberately as well as communicating openly to maximize productivity and work-life balance
Context:
This session involved delegates participating in an interactive workshop through scanning a QR code to connect their devices.
They were then asked the biggest challenges or obstacles in their roles. Attendees anonymously submitted their responses, which were displayed as a word cloud, with 'organization' and 'time' being the most prominent challenges mentioned.
The framework for categorising activities was then illustrated with four colors: red (doing/productivity), amber (managing), green (leading/personal development), and gray (floating/wasteful) which showed how delegates how they allocate their time and identify areas for improvement.
This session then emphasized the importance of focusing on clear objectives and consciously planning time, with techniques including regularly reviewing objectives, ensuring alignment with organisational goals, and proactively scheduling time for important tasks rather than leaving gaps in the calendar.
Delegates were then encouraged to challenge activities that do not add value and communicate their concerns to managers or colleagues. They were also encouraged to reflect on their sleep habits, hours worked beyond contracted time, and the need to prioritize activities that support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Key takeaways:
- Regularly review and ensure alignment with your objectives, challenging any objectives that you do not understand or believe are taking the organization in the right direction
- Consciously plan your time each week, scheduling time for important tasks, meetings, and personal development activities to avoid leaving gaps that may be filled with wasteful activities
- Respect your own time by questioning the value of meetings or tasks you are invited to, and have open conversations with colleagues or managers about any activities that do not seem necessary or valuable
- Prioritize personal time and activities that support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, such as getting adequate sleep, exercise, and time with family and friends
- Implement the time management framework introduced by the speaker, categorizing your activities into leading, managing, doing, and floating, and adjusting your time allocation accordingly
- Consider using the recommended Microsoft Outlook add-in 'Diary Detox' to help categorize your meetings and gain insights into how you are spending your time
