Assignment 2

[NUrban]

1.   Read the article by R.L Adams “15 Time Management Tips for Achieving Your Goals”

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/299336

2.   Also look over the visual that displays the time management quadrants (attached below):   


3.   Post and answer the following questions:   What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?  What are some of your biggest obstacles to you managing your time effectively?  What can you do to remove some of these obstacles? 

4.   Make your initial post on or prior to September 15 by selecting "reply" below .  Reply to two other posts after September 15 and on or before September 30.  To "reply"  select "quote" on the specific post you wish to reply to (top right of the post).  Then write your reply under the quoted post.  **Note as leaders within this organization we are expected to plan and meet deadlines.   

[Ron Bell]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
Do the required tasks early and mentally process the next task while completing the current task. This helps me assess fail points or short falls with the next task prior to acting on them. Triage the daily priorities helps me to accomplish less urgent but time essential goals or tasks.
Be comfortable with low value outcomes to achieve completion, ONLY if it is a low value task. Not all tasks are created equal.

What are some of your biggest obstacles to you managing your time effectively?
Effective use of my time would include more time spent with family and friends. Work/Life balance is an issue for me currently. I struggle with loss of production, capital and diminished future returns. My attendance in "life" balance is limited due to my aggressive future financial preparation. Regrettably I am sacrificing time with my wife, children and friends in an effort to achieve comfort in later years.
 
What can you do to remove some of these obstacles?
I need to schedule "OFF" time to enjoy the what and where I am currently in my life. Missing moments in life will be a big regret. To quote Ferris Buehler "sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses"

[jbuehler]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively? I use my Microsoft calendar to help keep track of events and items I need to accomplish. I also send myself emails as reminders to do things. Often times, I will have a thought enter my head that reminds me "hey don't forget you need to do this thing". I send my self an email reminder to do it or make a plan for it. This allows me to put it out of my mind and get back to time with he family. I also recently learned about an email management system that helps to sort the things I need to do. This allows me to keep track of things that are ongoing projects.

What are some of your biggest obstacles to you managing your time effectively? One obstacle is email. It just comes in all day and constantly reminds me of other things I need to do. Even though, I have found a better way to manage them, it still interrupts my thought process. I think I need to schedule times to deal with email and not worry about them until it is the appropriate time. 

What can you do to remove some of these obstacles? As I stated above, I think I will need to schedule time for emails rather than dealing with them as they are received. I also think that more daily exercise with help to improve my thought process and energy to deal with them.

[kclary21]

I use these strategies to manage my time, both personally and professionally:  I prioritize tasks based on the necessity and how critical they are to operations or people.  I make sure the most important things come before everything else.   I use my calendar to schedule things at work and at home.  I have a separate work and personal calendar.  I make lists.  I have a daily list and a separate list for long term items.  My daily list may include long term items, but I make one list every day.  If something is not complete, I carry that over to the next day, or I reschedule that task.  I look ahead to forecast and plan.  I get help or delegate items that people can assist me with.  I make sure I have time to take on any task that I accept.  I get assignments like everyone else, but I have to watch how much extra stuff I take on. 

Some obstacles I face in time management, and how I remove them:  I let myself get distracted.  I have to focus and decide how much time to spend on a task.  I will also get up and take a break to get refocused.  My mind will wander, and I won’t get work done.  I can get frustrated when multi-tasking.  I will schedule time in the day to do individual things.  I will set self-imposed deadlines.  I will force myself to eliminate time wasting activities, because I use these to avoid doing what I need to do.  Sometimes, I have to close the door and dedicate time to finishing a specific activity and eliminate all distractions.  I also find that sometimes the best solution is to just go ahead and do something right now, to ensure it is completed. 

As simple as many of these things sound, it can be difficult to manage time to accomplish tasks.  Always being prepared for an emergency call, along with the amount of distractions, whether from people, email, electronic devices, phones, or whatever else, it is important to find a way to manage time effectively. 

[ross.moffitt]

What strategies do I use to manage my time? When riding up I like to check my Microsoft calendar and email first thing in the morning. I also like to communicate with the Battalion and find out what he wants done for the day. Once I have a list established I then begin to prioritize the tasks by time sensitivity. After the time sensitive tasks are complete I help manage the crews to complete any other tasks needed and then we can work on individuals tasks.

Some of the obstacle I face is trying to stay on task when unexpected items pop up. Keeping up with emails and daily activities is hard to keep track of some days when there is a lot going on. I need to work on staying focused on the important tasks and then keeping a list of items to be done later. Once their is time in the day I could work on the less important tasks. Another distraction is just finding myself getting involved in conversations for long periods of time that are not important.

When working with time management I need to remember to stay on task and keep organized with time frames by using lists and keeping distractions from people and other devices while at work.

[slong]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively? I use the Microsoft calendar to keep track of training and daily duties that need to be accomplished.  At the beginning of each shift before breakfast I sit down and figure out what are the priorities and what needs done but can wait.  I have found in the last couple years what really helps me manage my time better is figuring out what I need to do and what can be done by other members of the crew with little or no assistance from me.

What are some of your biggest obstacles to managing your time effectively?  For me the biggest obstacle to managing my time is feeling the need to be part of the crew when they are working on projects or an improvised training they have come up with.  I let this distract me from some of my things that I'm working on and end up being up at work late catching up on things that got pushed back. 

What can you do to remove some of these obstacles? Again it goes back to making sure priorities get taken care of first.  Determining what is a priority and who it's a priority for are where the obstacles come in.

[nunz]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
Every morning I find what I need to accomplish and prioritize what most important. Then I get with my crew and find out what they need to get done for the day. I like to write everything down in a notebook I carry with me at all times. I can add to or check them off at anytime and don't have to try to remember if there's something I could have done. This also allows me to check my book when we're out to see if there's something we can complete while we're out and not have to make a special trip.

What are some of your biggest obstacles to managing your time effectively?
One of my biggest obstacles is family, if seems like someone always needs something. So I have to stop what I'm doing and help someone else, then get my train of thought back and go back to my original task. Sometimes I find myself stuck on one project and start a new one, before I know it I have several projects started and nothing finished. So then I have to go back and reset my priorities and what needs to be accomplished first.

What can you do to remove some of these obstacles?
I started letting my crew help with things I'm working on. This often counts the time I need to spend on it in half and allows me to work on other things. I not starting other projects while working on something else. I constantly check my book to see where I'm at and what I still need to do.

[dgerspacher]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
On a daily basis I like to use a hand written list and have it sitting in a place I will see throughout the day. I can mark items off as I complete them and it can be a visual reminder as to what still needs to be done. For long term I keep a master calendar that has both work and personnel items in it.

What are some of the biggest obstacles to managing your time effectively ?
Dealing with things that need to be done but are not necessarily goal related. Both in work and at home.

What can you do to remove some of theses obstacles?
They are not going to go away so you try to prioritize the best you can.   

[Haggard]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
I use a combination of my calendar and a note pad (to do list).  I check the daily requirements for myself and other's calendars and then write on paper any duties needing completed for that day. Once they are completed I can scratch them of my to do list.

What are some of the biggest obstacles to managing your time effectively ?
Having to deal with the unexpected (at work, runs), once a plan in in place.  Flexibility is the key word for time management in the fire service.

What can you do to remove some of theses obstacles?
Delegation is a great tool to use.  This gets the whole team involved and accomplishes the tasks.

[Kevin Stevens]

[b]What strategies do I use to manage my time?[/b]
I like to look at my emails first thing in the morning and also check the calendar to see if there is anything out of the norm for the day. If not, then it’s pretty much spelled out on what needs to be done and when. I also carry a pocket calendar that I write everything down in. Would be lost with out it.
What Obstacles I face with time management?
Are job changes every minute, just as soon as you get everything in the order it needs to be then BAM.. 911 goes crazy, then apparatus repair shows up then a pub-ed someone forgot about, then you have to reprioritize everything again. It will test your sanity.
How can I remove some of these obstacles
You can’t remove some of these, it’s just life. I think that’s why it’s important to stay calm and not stress out. As long as you prioritize at the beginning of the day, it’s easy to take care of unexpected tasks then come back to your list and carry on where you left off.
Kevin Stevens

[Tony]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?   

In the past, I used my flip phone and a pad of paper to keep track of things, now I have a real phone.  I post thoughts, events, appointments etc. in it.  That keeps me in tune.  I also like to print my important e-mails that need action for the shift.  That allows me to have them available without going back to the computer. Scheduled e-mails is a strategy that I've used for a while.  Phone calls or texts are very helpful rather than stopping tasks or put off tasks to check e-mails.   I can assist with everyday activities and complete tasks more efficiently

 What are some of your biggest obstacles to you managing your time effectively? 

Having projects, on top of projects.  Keeping a goal one at a time then moving on is my toughest plan to keep. 

What can you do to remove some of these obstacles? 

Asking for assistance is always helpful and I am also looking out for others and willing to offer my help too

[steve.cox]

Some of the biggest strategies I use for time management are a bit of a combination of the strategies we read about.  I use pen and paper to organize my day.  Each morning I make a list of all the task that I plan to accomplish for the shift.  These are kind of like goals for the day.  Using a modified quadrant system, I prioritize them.  I don't necessarily do the most important ones first but I do plan a time to have high priority items done by certain times.  Being able to cross off item on a list give a sense of accomplishment and also motivates you to complete more.  I also believe in a work hard play hard mentality.  This give me a reason to push myself.  By enjoying the blessings I have, I create a desire to increase them by working hard and staying focused

Personally, my biggest obstacle is myself.  It seems the more I have to complete the better I do at organizing and prioritizing them.  The less I have the more sense of free time I think I have and start losing my focus.  This is when I tend to get in trouble and not getting things accomplished.

Probably the best way for me to remove these obstacles is to develop good habits.  By creating some daily routines and staying organized, I can force my self to stay busy.  Less down time means less time without focus. 

[astafford]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively? 
I have a calendar book that I use to manage my time. I usually list what is needed to be completed on each day. It is the only way that I can visually see what needs to be done and when it is needed to be completed.

What are some of your biggest obstacles to you managing your time effectively? 
I found that unforeseen event usually disrupt my time management.  I have found that when I plan a day to complete certain goals, something will interrupt my time management. I know in this line of work, which will always play a role in time management while working toward a goal.

What can you do to remove some of these obstacles? 
I have limited the amount of goals to complete in a certain time to overcome these obstacles. I have that this leaves room for the unforeseen events throughout a day and giving more time to complete a goal.

[NUrban]

When I moved in to the administration area, I quickly realized managing time in the office is different than managing time on shift.  On shift, I rarely had long term items to prepare.  In the office, I had to develop other techniques to manage my time.  I found that creating a list of long and short term benchmarks helped.  I set calendar notifications to keep me reminded of items due.  Being organized and not procrastinating are key elements.  I prioritize daily, weekly, and monthly tasks.       

I typically work ahead if I’m going on vacation or will be away from the office for more than a week so that I am not bombarded with a bunch of work we I return.  However, sometimes this process back fires on me due to not having all the information I needed prior to doing the work.  It has caused me to redo work.   

Working ahead, most of the time, is beneficial.  However, making sure that I have all the information needed is critical.  Additionally, knowing things may change without having knowledge and I may have to adapt to those changes.

[NBaldridge]

What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
     I begin the morning by looking at the CCFD Event calendar, Battalion's calendar, my Lieutenant's calendar, and my calendar to see what events and priorities there are for the day.  I then make a list of the items that I need to and want to accomplish for the day.  Another thing that I like to do it take on small but important tasks and get them done first thing in the morning and keep the accomplishment momentum going all day long.  Just like what US Navy Admiral William H. McRaven said, "If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed."

What are some of your biggest obstacles to you managing your time effectively?
     One of the biggest obstacles that I find for myself is the amount of tasks that I take on.  Like Capt. Cox, I do find that the more I have going on the more focused that I am.  One of the other obstacles is the obvious of the pop-up tasks.  It never fails, you get everything set out and ready to get started working and here comes FAR.

What can you do to remove some of these obstacles?
     Instead of taking on task after task, just take on a couple at a time that way as I get them done I can keep the momentum going to get others done.