From the course: Time Management Fundamentals

Using your time budgeter

From the course: Time Management Fundamentals

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Using your time budgeter

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- Let's explore a few examples of how to use your time budget to aid your scheduling. First, let's imagine I opened a note I took about an important sales lead who asked for a proposal. What's the next step? Well, I'll open the template I use, and create a sales proposal. When will it be done? I think it'll probably take me approximately 90 minutes, which is definitely more than 15. So I know it must go to the calendar. I then refer to my time budget, which shows me the best time for my most valuable activities, and overlay that with my actual calendar. I find I budgeted time each weekday around lunch. So I schedule around 90 minute on Wednesday for this proposal in my actual calendar. What if I'm processing an item that's a least valuable activity, an LVA? Perhaps I'm processing an email my accountant sent me. He says, "We need to review my finances for last year." It's important, but not one of my MVAs." He asks to schedule the meeting on Friday at 10 during the time I budgeted for content creation. You'll often be tempted to schedule LVAs on top of time budgeted for MVAs. Try not to do that. It's okay to suggest an alternate meeting time. So I politely respond with a couple of options that don't conflict with my time budget. Remember, sometimes saying no is about saying not now but later. Refer to your budget before responding to a meeting request or creating more work for yourself. One last comment about the time budget. As you put it into practice, you'll to notice what works, and what doesn't. It's okay for it to evolve over time. Perhaps revisit your budget every three months or so. Protect your most valuable activities, and you'll increase the value of your time.

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