All posts by Howie Jones

How to Handle Time Management When They Don’t Work

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Time Management

The internet is full of “time management tips.” Everything from personal blogs to peer-reviewed papers provides tips on how to save stress and increase productivity.

Even though some of these techniques sound great, others aren’t. As a result, the right approach will depend on the type of people, preferences, tasks, and teams involved.

What’s more, the process of learning how to manage your time can be complex and different for every individual. But what if you have tried every time management method under the sun and they have not worked for you? Well, you might want to give these eight time management alternatives a try.

1. Stop trying to actually manage time.

“While this may sound counterproductive, if not unconventional — you can’t actually manage time itself,” says productivity and time management expert John Rampton, co-founder and CEO of Calendar. “As such, it’s futile to even try. Instead, you should be focusing on addressing what you have control over. The only thing you have control over is yourself, so how will you make the most of it?”

So, instead of homing in on time management, work on these items instead:

  • Energy. “Instead of bulldogging through tasks, take a break if you’re drained,” John suggests. It might be necessary for you to do this now and then. It will, however, sap all of your energy reserves if you do it continuously.
  • Priorities. Put your priorities on your calendar before anything else. Make sure they come first. After all, it’s not worth it to waste time on tasks you could have delegated, rescheduled, or deleted.
  • Brain. “Neuroplasticity is the concept that the brain (even the adult brain) can build new pathways,” clarifies Ted Deshane over at the Enterprisers Project. “Each time you train your brain to eat the frog, it gets easier to do next time. That’s because you’re building a pathway and retraining your brain to do something that’s challenging.”
  • Focus. The author of Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction, Chris Bailey, believes it is much more important to manage your focus than managing your time. “You can show up to meetings when you’re supposed to and are fully capable of keeping your calendar on track. Most of us are good at managing our time,” he writes. “What we’re not good at is managing our attention.” Monique Valcour, an executive coach, recommends taking time to reflect on your performance every day. By doing so, you can identify what is working and what isn’t, as well as how to tackle the next day at a more efficient level
  • Emotions. The effects of negative emotions can be both exhausting and distracting. Schedule time for self-care or fun, as both are essential for your health.

2. Not all urgent tasks need to be accomplished first.

It feels good to accomplish simpler, more urgent tasks first because it builds momentum before focusing on what matters most. However, you may miss out on strategic planning and creative thinking opportunities if you succumb to what researchers call the “mere urgency effect.”

Time management requires that you filter and order tasks critically, avoid prioritizing based on what causes the most stress, and set long-term goals.

“If you haven’t clarified your A-item priorities, or if you are trying to take on too much, it’s hard to avoid getting sucked into the black hole,” writes Michael D. Watkins, author of The First 90 Days. Keeping a few clear outcomes in mind will help you stay on top of your game. “Devote some time to clarifying and getting buy-in for them. Write them down. Put them up on the wall. Look at them every day and ask yourself, ‘How does what I’m doing help to advance these?’”

For minimizing stress-based prioritization, rounding up time estimates is one of the best time management tips. “Assuming a project will take between 10% and 25% longer than you expect is typically a good place to start,” notes the University of Texas at Austin professor Art Markman. “It’s basically just a way …to make room for your mental blind spots in the time-management department.”

3. Write a stop-doing list.

There are psychological (and productivity) benefits to keeping a to-do list, and it can help you manage your time better. However, it might not be right for everyone. If you find the structure of a to-do list stifling or uninspiring, or if you can’t stop yourself from writing 20 items, you might want to give it up.

“Some activities benefit from not being reduced to tasks, says communication expert Judith Humphrey. For example, writing down “take a walk.” Now, “that activity would instantly lose its appeal. When the idea of going for a stroll remains in my head, I can look forward to it expectantly–because it’s a choice, not a duty.”

The best thing you can do, however, is to remind yourself to stop buying things that don’t bring you joy or add little to your long-term goals. As a result, you’re less likely to spend a lot of time doing time-sucking, non-rewarding tasks, freeing up your time to focus on the work that has long-term benefits. And you can accomplish this by writing a stop-doing list.

4. Replace decisions with principles.

“Continually facing decisions with important consequences and imperfect information can lead to what scientists call cognitive overload, in which the demands from the mental work we need to do outstrip our abilities to cope,” explains Dane Jensen, CEO of Third Factor. “Cognitive overload both increases the likelihood that you will make errors and contributes significantly to feeling overwhelmed.”

By replacing decisions with absolute principles, you can reduce the cognitive load you are under, he adds. As an example, weight loss science has found that it is much more effective to say, “I will not eat after 7 PM” than “I will limit my snacking after 7 PM.” The latter decision creates an infinite number of further decisions: “Can I have this cup of yogurt?” How about some fruit? By saying no food after 7 PM, the door will be shut permanently. Suddenly, the decisions are gone.

In the words of Tim Ferriss, a successful author and podcaster, this means “finding the one decision that removes 100 decisions.” In his case, this meant not reading any new publications in 2020. With this blanket principle, he was able to free himself from hundreds of book-by-book decisions after being deluged by eager authors and their publicists for years.

“Steve Jobs famously decided to wear the same thing every day to remove the decision fatigue of choosing an outfit every morning,” states Jensen. It was Jon Mackey, the managing director of Heidrick & Struggles’ Canadian operations, who established the rule of no meetings on Fridays. “After failing to protect time for deep work through individual decisions on which meetings to accept or reject, he created a day a week in which he can focus.”

5. Go with the flowtime technique.

You can use the Pomodoro Technique to get through chores that you do not enjoy or require little thought. It can also enhance your sense of value, improve your planning, and break your multitasking habit. Additionally, it can assist you in dealing with distractions, maintaining motivation, and overcoming fatigue.

There is a problem with the times because they are far too brief.

In order to get into our deep work zone, where our best work occurs, we need to spend 23 minutes on average. Just as you enter deep work mode, you take a break with the Pomodoro Technique. Additionally, your brain is not allowed to recover from the microbreaks of the allotted time.

Moreover, some find the Pomodoro Technique to be too rigid.

With that said, you might find the Flowtime Technique to be a more effective alternative.

This technique “measures your productivity habits and your focus with a timed system,” explains Albert Costill in a previous Calendar article. “As a result, multitasking is discouraged in favor of solo work, where you stay focused on one task until it’s complete.”

“This method has become popular as an alternative to the Pomodoro Method, which consists of a fixed amount of work followed by breaks,” he adds. “However, although many have found the Pomodoro Technique highly effective, the time intervals can feel restrictive and stressful.”

The Flowtime Technique eliminates these time constraints. Therefore, a timer will not distract you from your focus.

6. Rather than crossing off tasks, think about outcomes.

Making a to-do list before you start your day is a tried-and-true time management trick. Although some find the act of keeping a list of to-do’s soothing and useful, others may find the rigidity of routines overwhelming.

A to-do list helps us stay on top of things and feels satisfying when we check things off. It is possible, though, that focusing on accomplishments and prioritizing productivity could limit our creativity. Often, to-do lists are effective because they provide a clear path to a certain outcome — do A, then B, then C -– but Wisconsin School of Business research shows that giving people clear problems with clear solutions can restrict their creativity.

For me — I say, “Who cares about creativity when I just want to quickly get a list done. And when someone has spent their valuable time finding a solution, I’m thrilled not to waste my valuable time trying to find a different way. I don’t invent the wheel — I just hurry and accomplish the task!”

Rather than focusing on tasks, try focusing on outcomes for a more flexible approach to time management. “This approach focuses people and teams on a concrete result, not the process required to achieve it,” says Jennifer Robison, a senior editor at the Gallup Business Journal. “Employees, then, have a high degree of autonomy to use their own unique talents to reach goals their own way.”

Innovation and engagement in an organization can be increased when leaders adopt an outcome-based company culture. Consider an alternative to individualized task management if focusing solely on outcomes is not feasible for you and your team. Identify priorities every day, ask your team to check in asynchronously online, or work with a project manager to create a task management system.

7. Be pessimistic.

Time management consultant Laura Vanderkam says that “good time management means planning a resilient schedule, not a perfect one.”

In her experience, even those who plan ahead often forget to specify the time for unforeseen circumstances. When everything goes according to plan, they are successful at time management. The downside is that they may have to give up hobbies, self-growth, or family time if something unexpected happens.

As a backup approach, Laura suggests an approach that is more “pessimistic.”

In this situation, you don’t plan on keeping the schedule minute by minute. Rather, you set aside extra time in the week for work tasks. Although it can be challenging with a busy schedule, it allows you to stay on top of everything.

8. Practice anti-time management.

Richie Norton, author of Anti-Time Management: Reclaim Your Time and Revolutionize Your Results with the Power of Time Tipping, explains how traditional time management tools measure every single drop of sweat, blood, and tears from workers.

“[They were] never designed for freedom,” he says. “The question is, ‘Who manages my time under time management?’ Traditionally, it is about control. Your employer controls your time. They create your schedule. They tell you what to do, when, and where. And, if you want to get crazy, they determine that you only have two weeks out of the year for vacation and when you get to retire.”

Rather than being the opposite of time management or the opposite of time management, Norton proposes embracing “anti-time management.” “You control your time,” Norton asserts. “You decide what you want to do, when and where. You decide if you want to create space or not.”

If you want to practice anti-time management, start by identifying what Norton calls “final causes.” “It’s a term from Aristotle,” says Norton. “The idea is [that] an acorn becomes an oak tree. But in real life, a lot of us are planting seeds thinking they’re going to be an oak when they never will. Why not just plant an oak tree from the start?”

A “final cause” is the reason why something is done. Rather than the goal itself, it’s the success that follows. “Once you realize the final cause, you can change the decision tree around who you want to be and what you really want to do and set up from the dream instead of working endlessly toward it,” says Norton.

How to Handle Time Management When They Don’t Work was originally published on Calendar.com on Oct. 19, 2022, by Howie Jones. Featured Image: Eugene Shelestov; Pexels.com. Thank you!

How to Efficiently Onboard and Train Your New Hires

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Train New Hires

Quality employee onboarding is one of the most important things you can do for your business. You want your new hires to feel welcome and wanted as soon as they walk in. You need to give them an excellent first impression of your business and show that they matter. For many new employees, it’s essential to feel that there is a well-defined role and a clear career path.

Not only that, but a good onboarding process can make a massive difference to your retention rates and your revenue. Onboarding can also improve employee productivity and morale. And you save time and money when you don’t have to keep replacing employees.

Great onboarding starts with excellent planning. You really can’t wing it when it comes to training your new hires. Having planned training and processes for dealing with new employees is important.

Before hiring any new employees, plan out what they need to know and how you deliver it. This will also make it easier for you. For example, you’re not having to scramble to find something for them to do while trying to balance your own work.

You could also create an onboarding checklist for you and one for your new hires. This allows you to quickly know what to teach next and see clear progress and tick off what they’ve learned. It’s motivating for both parties. Even better if you have training software that allows for gamification. New hires can tick off modules as they finish them, see what’s next, achieve rewards, and more.

Once you have your onboarding training prepared, you can then use your calendar to plan it out and ensure success.

1. Set up a dedicated onboarding calendar

Many calendar apps will allow you to set up multiple calendars. So, for example, you can set up a calendar just for onboarding training, showing the full schedule.

This allows you and your new hires to look at your full calendar view with all your tasks and appointments and to look at just the training schedule on its own calendar when you need to.

It’s helpful to have both views. With the main calendar view, you can ensure no clashes and time to get to training sessions. And with the onboarding calendar, you clearly know the training and what comes next.

2. Share your calendars

You can coordinate together more efficiently by sharing your calendars. Your new employee will have other items on their calendar in addition to their onboarding training. For example, they may have previously booked medical appointments scheduled or a holiday that was already booked before they got the job. And there’s the work that they need to be involved in.

If you both share your calendars, you can easily be more flexible, if needed, and quickly rearrange sessions if something else comes up. In addition, your new hire will be able to see when you’re free, so they can book time if they need more help.

Encouraging your new employees to start, regularly use, and share their calendars is good practice for the future.

3. Set up your to-do list

Unless your only job is employee onboarding, you will have other work to fill your time. With your time split between onboarding your new hires and your everyday work, staying organized is essential. You can add a task/to-do list and make notes on many calendars to easily keep track.

This helps you balance your work with your onboarding duties. It also gives you a heads up if you’re going to have a busy week that may need extra organization and planning.

Another benefit of adding your to-do list to your calendar is seeing how much you’ve achieved. Ticking off completed tasks gives a nice hit of dopamine and is highly motivating.

4. Use time blocking to ensure you get everything done

When trying to learn something new, it can be easier to spend a solid block of time on it, rather than jump around over several sessions. Time blocking can be helpful to facilitate that.

However, time blocking involves splitting your day and week into blocks for specific tasks. This is a great way to combine your to-do list with your calendar. This can be a beneficial technique for ensuring you can fit in onboarding training and your regular tasks and meetings.

You can choose what works best for you with so many options and techniques. For example, time blocking could be one more helpful tool in your organizing arsenal.

5. Set up reminders

One of the best things about using a calendar and task lists is that you can add reminders to keep yourself on track.

When you are setting up your onboarding calendar, ensure you add in reminders where it’s helpful. This ensures that you don’t miss any meetings or tasks or your trainees.

When you’re busy, it can be easy to miss breaks and lunches. Adding reminders for these can ensure you take a breather when you should. It also provides that you don’t set yourself up for burnout.

6. Integrate with Trello

Some calendars integrate with Trello, a simple but effective project management app.

You can add tasks, checklists, and processes to Trello. It’s helpful to break down more significant tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. It’s possible to tick them off when you’re done, which can help to motivate you and your trainees.

One other great thing about Trello is that you can set up boards and processes as a template. Then when you need it again, copy the template, rename it, and you’re ready to go.

Integrating this option with your calendar could help you manage your training better. You can also add team members and work on tasks together, aiding your trainees.

7. Bear in mind remote working

So many companies now allow remote working since the pandemic that you need to consider it. In addition, you may be training both in-office workers and remote workers to onboard them.

It’s important that your onboarding training includes your company culture and expectations, but it’s particularly important that remote workers feel part of your company.

Of course, you need to organize your time and calendar to ensure you can onboard everyone, remote or not. In addition to planning tasks and meetings, you’ll need to consider what technology you need, including cameras, Zoom, and more. Then, organize your tech in plenty of time for each meeting for success.

8. Start with a welcome pack

Once you know the start date of your next hire, add a task and a reminder on your calendar. Then send them a welcome email a few days before they start. You could even save time by writing a template for this email if you’re going to need it more than once. Then, you could set it up, keep it, and just hit send on the day.

If they’re based in-house, include practical information your new employee needs to know. Include directions, parking information, and a building map marked by their office or area. Add in where they can find vending machines or a kitchen for snacks and drinks. Include any local shops, such as bakeries or sandwich shops for food.

You’re starting them on the right foot before they’ve even walked through the door. And they will appreciate it.

Don’t forget your remote workers here. They will also appreciate a friendly, welcoming email with helpful information on start times and what to expect.

9. Use your analytics

Many calendars have excellent analytics. Office 365, for example, includes MyAnalytics, which provides information on various tasks and events. For example, you can see how many meetings you’ve had and how you spend your time.

This is helpful because you can see an overview of your onboarding training. You can check if you’re offering balanced training or leaning too heavily toward one subject. You can see whether you have covered everything or if there are any gaps.

Calendar analytics are equally helpful for improving your general productivity. You can ensure you still have the time to work on your own tasks as well as fit in onboarding.

10. Assess your onboarding regularly

Use your calendar to schedule follow-up meetings with new employees to get feedback on your onboarding processes.

Diarize time every year, at least once, to review your onboarding, look at feedback, and see how you can improve.

With quality onboarding so crucial for every business, it is vital to stay organized and on top of it. The right calendar apps can help you deliver onboarding well and keep improving.

Image Credit: Edmond Dantès; Pexels; Thank you!

How to Efficiently Onboard and Train Your New Hires was originally published on Calendar by Howie Jones.

Thinking of a Career Change? Take it From Possibility to Reality

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career change

Deciding to change careers is a huge one. There are a lot of different opportunities out there for many people. There is no reason to stay in a career that is not right for you. You may not like your job. You could be looking for a brand new start in a completely different field. In other cases, you may want to advance.

As you think about your future, consider how you could get there. Often, giant leaps in careers take some time to plan. You need to consider many variables to know when to make your move and how. That is especially true for older people who may have obligations to meet. In all cases, your first objective is to create a plan.

To take your goal from a dream to reality, work to focus on a few simple tools that can help you to get there. Of course, every situation is a bit different, but most career changes can happen with some planning and organization. Here’s what to consider.

Document Your Goals

The first step to take is to document what your goals are. That’s a big one. You don’t have to be specific just yet. Write down what you want to do. Make it your dream job or career path. Then, write down other things you would like to do.

Within your goals, document objectives as clearly as possible. For example, who do you want to work with and why? What type of work do you hope to do? What are your “whys” for this process? Then, when you put these thoughts and ideas onto paper, you make them a reality. That is, you define what you want. Now, you can start planning for how to get to that point.

Discuss What Your Strengths and Weaknesses Are Next

No matter how big your dream is, you have to be qualified for it. To know where you stand, write down all of the strengths you have. Then, be sure to list things that could help you do well in this new field. Be specific here so that you can see what your opportunities really are.

Outline your weaknesses next. As you work to plan for your goals, you need to know what you need to work on. These could be career skills or technical abilities. It could also be a list of objectives you have for soft skill development. That could be taking a leadership course or two.

Next, make a plan for achieving improvement in all areas that impact your desired career. For example, you may need a certification from a college program. Set a date for achieving these objectives. It may be a few months out or longer. By putting a date on that goal, you further make it real and give yourself something to work towards.

Get Yourself Organized

Now that you have an idea of where you want to go, create some objectives to achieve. That includes working on those weaknesses. The most critical first step is to consider a timeline.

How long will it take you to obtain the education you need to work in the field you want? Use a calendar app to give yourself that amount of time. Set a date for achieving that objective based on the length of time it takes.

Next, consider the process of reading yourself — like, listening to audible books, and reading hard copies, also. Amazon has an incredible selection of business books and audible books. You may need time to network and build relationships. You may need some time to work in the field in a stepped-up position before taking on a significant role. Again, use a Calendar App to put that into place. Give yourself enough time for learning.

No matter what you need to do for the position, place a time goal on it. That makes it a bit easier for you to continue to pursue your education, skill training, and other objectives. You know what you need to do. You have a timeline to do it. Let that motivate you to make it happen.

Consider Your Financial Needs

Money is often one of the most common obstacles stopping people from taking the giant leap. You may be taking a pay cut. You may need to take some time off work to return to school. These things are scary for those who have financial responsibilities.

If you need to save money, determine how much you need to keep. Your need will be based on your current budget and financial need. It may look like a lot of money. Instead of seeing it as one big chunk, break it down into a weekly or monthly number. How much do you need to put into savings to be able to do this every week?

Here’s a trick. Set up an auto draft into your savings account from your paycheck each week for a portion of the amount you’ll need. You can use your calendar app to help you a bit here. It can remind you to move money where it needs to go, for example.

Make Some Plans to Get Things Done

What is going to help you make a move? While you work on training and building skill, don’t forget the small things that really add up. Begin to make appointments with yourself for specific tasks — and also to connect with others who can help you build and widen your career choices.

For many people, a new resume is necessary. Spend some time updating your resume. Be sure it is focused heavily on the specific type of job you plan to have. Adjust all your skills and abilities to match the kind of work you plan to do. Here’s a tip to do this well. Use the job websites to check out the wording and requirements that many employers have in the field you plan to pursue. Make sure your resume has those words and skills in it. Be sure to be honest, but thorough.

Next, take some time to update your LinkedIn profile. Many employers use social media as a way to gain some insight into the person they are hiring. Be sure your LinkedIn profile matches your resume. It needs to help you to shine through this process. You can also write content and some tremendous informational pieces about the industry you are interested in or the work you’ve done. That way, would-be hiring managers can see your passion in the field.

Work to freshen up your soft skills, too. You may want to volunteer in groups that are important to you. Become a member of the professional association associated with your potential future career. What other qualifications do applicants in your field have? Work towards earning those.

Start Networking

Many employers today spend a lot of time networking with would-be employees. They turn to similar platforms, too. For higher leadership positions, it helps to have a few connections. Work to meet people. Punch in a few more events into your calendar app — such as professional events or networking events. Set up some time to meet with someone in the field for lunch. Talk to people already working in the field. How did they get their job?

Consider Your Long-Term Goals

A career change is excellent, and it is what you are planning for now. However, now that you have some goals to work towards, it is time to think about your very long-term objectives. What’s the most significant and boldest goal you have?

Use this as a way to choose where to work. You want to be sure that your next career move is going to support all of your future goals. The right company, people, and opportunities make a big difference.

It takes a lot to plan for your future. But stay organized through it all. Use a calendar app to help you stay on track of your goals and the work you plan to do. Doing so can help make your vision become a reality.

Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio; Pexels; Thank you!

Thinking of a Career Change? Take it From Possibility to Reality was originally published on Calendar by .

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