8 Summary

• The stages of the decision-making process can be named as:

  K nowledge

  O bjectives

  A lternatives

  L ooking ahead

  A ction

• To get your timing right, you have to base your decisions on the best information you can get.

• Objectives aren't achieved simply by responding to the demands of others.

• Objectives need to be SMART

  • Specific

  • Measurable

  • Achievable

  • Relevant

  • Time bound

• Performance against your objectives should be monitored.

• The cost and effort of monitoring needs to be balanced against the benefits of knowing your objectives have been met.

• Bad habits may result in time that is poorly used; good habits can help people use time well.

• Something is urgent when it demands immediate attention; an urgent matter becomes more urgent as time passes.

• Something is important when it has considerable significance or consequence; the importance of a matter is not affected by the passing of time.

• A job changes in importance if its likely outcome changes.

• Only you can decide how to respond to demands on your time.

• Tasks which are both urgent and important may not get done very well.

• Tasks which are not urgent may never get done.

• Too much time may be spent on jobs which are urgent but not important.

• If a task has no urgency or importance, you may need to question whether you should be doing it at all.

• A time management grid helps...