Time Management -- Don’t Let Time Manage You

I was reading an article called “6 Things Really Productive People Do” on Inc. com and I thought it was a great article to give people some ideas how to manage and balance their professional and personal time without feeling burned out. This article also reminds me of a conference I went to two weeks ago. One of the guest speakers also gave a speech on time management. In this blog, I will list all the bullets from the article and the guest speaker, and I will collaborate their ideas and share some my thoughts.

Kevin Daum -- 6 Things Really Productive People Do

1. Pick your priorities
2. Go for efficiency
3. Integrate your activies
4. Actively manage time-wasters
5. Be an active learner
6. Lighten up

Chris Butte (the guest speaker at the conference) -- Time Management

1. Be organized
2. Plan ahead
3. Have a priority system
4. Don't take too much time on your played guys
5. Practice practical technology for your time management
6. Be flexible be available
7. Have a version 

Both of them mentioned “priorities.” I think this is the number one rule comes to time management. People should have a clear idea that what is the most important thing to them and what is the big rock at the moment. It’s like what Mr. Daum said in the article, “With most endeavors, you can either go deep or go wide.” 

I believe a lot of people are just like me have had experience of lost balance between our professional and personal life. We go crazy because we cannot decide if we should spend time with our co-workers or our loved ones on Friday night. We want to be a great team player but we don’t want our family members freak out either. So the article and the guest speaker told us this: Combine activities together. “Build your social life around people in your work environment. Find people in your company who share common interests and develop your career around the people and activities you love. ” For example, if the office decides to go out and have a drink on Friday night, but you don’t want your loved one stay at home alone. Why not ask him / her to join the office? It’s a great opportunity in a casual setting to let your partner know about the people you work with and vice versa. Maybe the end of the night you guys can leave a little bit earlier to still have some private time; however, the whole idea to hang out together makes everyone enjoys the time together. Most importantly, you become a good team player yet you don't disappoint your loved one on Friday night.

Last but not the least, there are always new tools and technologies to help you save time. Just remember this, don’t overload and enjoy the lifestyle you want. Live the life you desire. Don't let time manage you.

A Game When Nobody Cheers

Last Tuesday the office hang out in the bar after work. When we got in the bar, there were some sport games playing on the television screens. I looked up at the screen and one of the screens was playing a college football game. I am an Oregon Ducks fan and be honest all I care is PAC 12 games. But at that time I saw those two teams that I couldn't even recognize which state each of them came from. The teams were not familiar to me at all, but I decided to watch a little bit. Five minutes later, the team with blue jersey had a touch down. The guy got the football then he ran as fast as he could to the end and scored. On the way there were four people trying to block and catch him. It was a beautiful touch down.
I was thinking that if the defense team was from any top 10 teams, that guy might have blocked on his way. But it doesn't matter if you are (your team is) strong or not; it doesn't matter how many people are watching and cheering for you, what does matter is your attitude and dedication towards to the end when you are doing anything. That's where a beautiful touch down comes from.

The Stage of Group Development

I am sitting on the desk next to my friend. She is working on her discussion assignment, which is about the critics of five stages of group development model.  I take her class handouts and start to read. I find some interesting terminology that is related to the business I am at right now.

First of all, there are two types of groups: formal groups and informal groups. Formal group is a group of selected people to accomplish organizational goals and task. Informal group is developed around individuals, who have common interests and friendship. In real business and personal world, most of time people form either formal groups or informal groups. The interesting part about our business is that we start with a formal group and slowly transfer to an informal group. In the beginning people who join this business have various reasons: need a job; gain some work experience; make money; want more advancement opportunities; like to change to a new work environment; etc. Later on people decide to stay and stick around because in a group, everyone is inspired by each other; they start to have vision and group goals that will drive everyone to reach their own business and personal goals.

After understand the types of groups, I start to read the five stages of group development. They are called forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Now let me explain each of them.

Forming is the beginning and also a comfortable stage to be in. Individual doesn’t know other people’s personalities and they don’t really know if everyone is going to be fit in the group. At the stage all the serious problems and feelings are avoided because the individual wants to be accepted by the others. At the same time, everyone is gathering information and learning other people’s behavior. The forming stage is like entry-level time in our business. People are new to the business so they are learning the system, company, and their co-workers including other entry-level people, leaders, assistant managers, and mangers. At this early stage of their career, what they really need is support and courage from other people.

Next stage is called storming. It is a battle stage. Everyone starts to have their own voice and some real conflicts occur. In our business, it can happen between leaders and leaders; between leaders and management team; and between management and management team. For example, when the manager announces a new challenging standard, some leaders agree and support; some leaders think the new standard will not work; whilst some leaders just wish to remain in an old and easy standard. At this stage, some leader will act like a top leader and engage to be solution oriented.

The norming stage becomes more established compares to the storming stage because at this time people are clear about their goals and responsibilities. Everyone understands each other and appreciate other’s skills and contribution. I understand this stage when a leader has a few strong top leaders in his or her team and the whole team has a version and goal. For example, I want the team I am at is the best and coolest team in the office. Everyone is looking up at us as the best team to train and develop people.

Not all the group can reach performing stage. At this stage the group identity is high and all the energy is going toward to one direction. I think this is like a D4 (high competence high commitment) stage in our business. Everyone has interdependent relationship with each other. The whole group is driving to one direction, and as an individual everyone is passionate and 100% committed to contribute to the team and the whole office.

After first four stages, it moves on to the last stage adjourning. When you join an awesome team and experience everything, by the end of the day you are very capable to develop and manage yourself and your own team. Clearly this is the time when an assistant manager gets promoted to a manager. The new manager will apply everything they’ve learned from their passed experience and failures on their own business. Now they start to run their own show.