IBM e-learning : The Priority Matrix – Gain More Time

  

 

Typical interruptions take away most of your time and break the flow of your work.

 

On average, you are interrupted every six to nine minutes. And for every interruption, you need four to five minutes to get back what you were working on. Combine this number. You will realize you spend a significant amount of time each day just trying to get back on track. No wonder you going back home feeling frustrated and non-productive.

 

Jill makes a daily schedule of the task she wants to accomplish. But everyday at work she was interrupted by phone call and colleagues. As a result, she was unable to complete the task within her working hours. She stay after work hours to complete the task, and then doesn’t get the adequate time for her personal lift. Jill feels that these frequent interruptions make the time management ineffective. Do you agree with this view?

 

In this topic you will learn to reduce the total number, frequency and duration of interruptions.

 

A simple two-step process will help you reduce interruptions. Maintaining a Priority Matrix and “save up” notebook will discipline your communication process.

 

A common form of interruptions is blurting. Blurting means speaking out anything that comes into your mind without realize it may or may not be of interest of anyone around you. It results the wastage of time for the person who blurts as well as for people at whom it is directed. This insidious process of blurting is one of the destroyers of productivity in the United States today.

 

You tend to be blurting to associates, bosses, colleagues and peers. Regardless of the value what you are blurting, other people respond because they don’t want to be rude. However, your blurting affects their productivity.

 

Blurting not only interrupts the flow of work. But people also waste time recovering from the interruption.

 

What are the advantages of not blurting?

• Gain more time for yourself
• Avoid interruption
• Save other people’s time
• Talk less is good for your health

 

Here is two-step method to discipline your communication process.

• Place a Priority Matrix permanently on you desk.
• Maintain a “save up” notebooks at your desk.

 

The first step is to take the Priority Matrix and put it on a 3X5 card. Place it in the top center of your desk or work area, and live it here. Don’t move it, don’t cover it up. This physical mechanism lets you consciously know the priority value of what you are doing or about to do.

 

The second step is to keep a “save up” list or notebook at your desk. Whenever you are tempted to blurt, look at the Priority Matrix and assign a code. If it is a Quadrant 1 priority, that means it is important and urgent. So you may blurt. If not, enter the thought in the notebook along with the name of the person to whom it pertains.

 

Choose time saving methods you can use to discipline your communication process.

• Place a Priority Matrix at your desk permanently
• Maintain a “save up” notebook
• Improve your vocabulary and grammar
• Stop talking

 

See how Jack effectively uses the two-step process to save time. Jack wants to blurt to his colleague Carol at work. But that would be an interruption for Carol. So he jots down the “blurt” on the Priority Matrix right in front of him. He assigns a priority code and determines the quadrant into which the blurt falls.

 

If the blurt falls into Quadrant 1, it means that it is important and urgent. So Jack goes ahead and blurts to Carol.

 

But if the blurt falls into Quadrant 2, 3, or 4, he makes not in the “save up” notebook. Click on the pictures below to learn more about what Jack does to discipline his communication process.

• He also notes down the nature of what would have blurted about and the person’s name to whom it pertained. In his case it is Carol.
• Then he gets together with Carol once or twice a day by agreement to discuss all the save ups. In this way, he saves his time as well as Carol’s time

 

What did Jack do to save his as well as Carol’s time? Select all that apply.

• Noted this thoughts in a “save up” notebook along with the person’s name to whom pertained
• Got together with Carol once or twice a day to discuss all the “save ups”
• Immediately blurted everything to Carol
• Assigned a priority code to whatever the wanted to blurt to Carol.

 

Use of Priority Matrix and “save up” notebook to discipline your communication process and you will save a minimum of three weeks’ time per year. Get other people to use the same system, and you will save even more time.