Information overload 5–13
Answer expected questions
Before relaying information, foresee what questions you think your listener might have.
Remember these questions and try to answer them in your explanation before your
listener needs to ask. Answering expected questions makes your explanation more clear
and saves time.
Warn against common mistakes
Before communicating information to your listener, think of common mistakes that
might be made with the information you are relaying, warning your listener against
them. Part of effective communication is preventing mistakes from being made. You
might want to provide your listener with a list of common pitfalls to avoid so that he or
she can refer to it as he or she puts the information to use.
Do it! C-1: Avoiding miscommunication
Exercises
1 Choose one of the most common misconceptions about communication, which
hinders productivity.
A You do a good job of listening to people when they speak to you
B Letters, memos, and reports are not clear to those who read them
C You don’t have all the communication skills you need
D People don’t understand everything you say
2 In the following dialog, Shawna isn’t communicating clearly with Chris.
Shawna: Hey, Chris. I stopped by to tell you that we need to start working on the
GFA a week earlier than we’d originally planned to meet the ES plan.
Chris: What project? To meet the what?
Shawna: I’m sorry, Chris. This company uses so many acronyms that I forget
who knows them and who doesn’t. I should remember to explain what I’m talking
about. We need to start working on the Good Fortune Account to meet the
Expected Sales plan.
Chris: Oh, okay. I understand now. I’ll get started on that ASAP.
Shawna: Thanks, Chris.
Does Chris immediately understand what Shawna is saying?
What’s the assumption that Shawna is making?
How can Shawna be more clear?
Think about your workplace and tell whether you use such acronyms. Do these
terms help you save time?
5–14 Time Management
Explanation Listening improves productivity
Learning to listen effectively is one of the most powerful ways to succeed personally,
and it also helps you work as productively as you can. When listening, you should focus
all of your attention on what the speaker is saying. Many people believe that they are
able to do two or three things at the same time. This might be true, but, as a listener, you
should be aware that focusing on one thing at a time ensures that you’ll more effectively
internalize the information being given to you. You should take the time to focus on
what people say to you or be prepared to suffer the consequences of miscommunication.
Part of listening to improve productivity is effectively interpreting what you hear.
Watch for nonverbal signals, ask questions, and restate your understanding of what has
been said to you. Nonverbal signals might indicate the difficulty level of the information
being relayed to you. Asking questions enhances your understanding of information,
and restating your understanding of information helps the speaker gauge how well you
are receiving it.
Concentration
The higher the level of concentration, the more productive you’ll be. Concentrating on
tasks enables you to finish more of them, as well as finish them better and more quickly
than if you are distracted. When you try to work on multiple tasks at once, you waste
time. When working on two or more projects at once, you do not do any of the projects
as well as you would if you focused on each project individually. Multitasking also
drains your physical and mental energy, reducing your efficiency as well as sapping the
energy you could apply to working on one task more productively.
Developing focus
Part of learning to concentrate on one task at a time is learning to deal with the
distractions you face every day. Following these steps will help you deal with
distractions and help you develop focus:
1 Acknowledge your distraction.
2 Use your “to do” list.
3 Schedule your distraction.
Acknowledge your distraction
Because ignoring mental clutter can make your distractions more persistent, you should
acknowledge your thoughts as distractions from what you are doing. To clear your
mind, either take a moment to record your idea or remind yourself of the action you had
already predetermined yourself to take concerning a thought, and forget about it. For
example, you might be worried about an upcoming project that is going to be
particularly challenging. You might be nervous about taking on the project by yourself
and would like to ask your boss for some help. However, you have already made an
appointment with your boss to discuss your worries next week. Instead of worrying
about the project while you should be concentrating on the task at hand, you should
remind yourself of the future meeting with your boss and concentrate on your current
project.
Information overload 5–15
Use your “to-do” list
One of the best uses of your “to-do” list is as an aid to concentration. At the beginning
of the day, when you find yourself thinking about a task that is scheduled at the bottom
of your “to-do” list, let your “to-do” list put you back on track. Because you know your
“to-do” list will not let you forget about the task, you’ll be more comfortable clearing it
from your mind so you can concentrate on your current task.
Schedule your distraction
Remember to schedule timely breaks for yourself throughout the day. During those
breaks, indulge in your daydreams or thoughts. Knowing that you’ll have time to
indulge in distracting thoughts later will help you clear them from your mind for the
moment and let you fully focus on the task at hand.
Do it! C-2: Being an effective listener
Exercises
1 Select the steps to develop focus on a particular task.
A Schedule a “quiet” hour
B Do not answer your phone
C Use your “ to do” list
D Schedule your distraction
E Close the door
F Acknowledge your distraction
2 Watch the movie clip and then answer the following:
Did Candace really listen to the new sales calling plan?
How do you know?
3 Listen as your instructor reads a story.
On the Path handout, trace the route in the story.
Compare your map to the one shown in the slide. The correct path is marked in
gold.
How well did you listen?
5–16 Time Management
Unit summary: Information overload
Topic A In this topic, you identified the causes of information overload. You also learned how
to distinguish between important and unimportant information. You discussed the
Topic B ways to screen information to eliminate unnecessary papers and documents.
Topic C
Next, you organized your office by using filing systems. You discussed reminder and
record-keeping systems to help you keep track of important papers and notes.
Finally, you learned that clear, concise communication increases productivity. You
identified some common assumptions that lead to misunderstanding and
miscommunication. You also discussed the characteristics of effective listeners.
Independent practice activity
1 Determine the secondary cause of information overload.
A The inability to distinguish important information from unimportant information
B The inability to control and overcome the information
C The inability to process the information
D The inability to sort and file the information
2 Choose the option that best identifies a crucial step in learning to manage your time.
A Control the amount of paperwork on your desk
B Compile the paperwork on your desk
C Refer paperwork on your desk to other co-workers
D Eliminate the amount of paperwork on your desk
3 Choose the answer that best identifies the time when you should respond to
paperwork that requires a quick response.
A Each day after lunch
B At the end of each day
C At the beginning of each day
D Immediately
Information overload 5–17
4 Select the method of processing information in which you read and comprehend
information at high speed.
A Scanning
B Reading
C Studying
D Skimming
5 Choose the answer that correctly identifies which documents you should study once
the paperwork reaches your desk.
A Only documents you are required to know thoroughly
B Only documents you think you need to know thoroughly
C Any document that cannot be thrown away
D All documents to which you cannot quickly refer or respond
6 Identify a major step towards improving office productivity.
A Creating a filing system
B Knowing what to recycle and what to trash
C Keeping your desk clean
D Organizing your office supplies
7 Choose the answer that denotes the self-explanatory content out of what you say.
A Forty percent
B Nothing
C Twenty-five percent
D Sixty percent
8 Determine the key component of listening that helps improve productivity.
A Not asking questions or causing interruptions
B Effectively transforming what you hear
C Effectively interpreting what you hear
D Not restating what you hear or causing interruptions
5–18 Time Management
S–1
Course summary
This summary contains information to help
you bring the course to a successful
conclusion. Using this information, you will
be able to:
A Use the summary text to reinforce what
you’ve learned in class.
B Determine other resources that might help
you continue to learn.
S–2 Time Management
Topic A: Course summary
Use the following summary text to reinforce what you’ve learned in class.
Unit summaries
Unit 1
In this unit, you learned about the benefits of time management. You also identified
the five personality types and discussed the relationship between personality types and
how you manage time. Next, you learned how to evaluate the productivity cycle and
calculated the cost of your time. You created a time audit to evaluate how you spend
your time. You also discussed the Pareto principle or 80-20 rule. Finally, you
identified the characteristics of effective goals. To help achieve your goals, you
organized yourself by creating a to-do list and set priorities.
Unit 2
In this unit, you learned how to develop a time management plan. You also learned
how to handle the obstacles while creating a time management plan. Next, you created
a daily plan and discussed obstacles that can interfere with your plans. Finally, you
identified the guidelines to develop daily plans.
Unit 3
In this unit, you discussed how computers and telephone technologies save time and
also waste time. You examined ways to use your Internet time wisely, organize your
e-mail, and minimize time spent on the telephone. You also discussed how taking on
too much responsibility can keep prevent you from completing the important tasks. The
key to avoid overloading your work schedule is to know how to say no. You examined
the reasons why people don’t say no more often.
Unit 4
In this unit, you learned about how interruptions and meetings affect productivity.
You discussed ways to minimize interruptions by visitors and co-workers. You also
examined techniques for running productive meetings as well as being a productive
meeting participant. You learned about personality factors that affect productivity and
how you can control them. You discussed procrastination, perfectionism, the
inability to say no, and indecisiveness.
Unit 5
In this unit, you identified the causes of information overload. You also learned how
to distinguish between important and unimportant information. You discussed the
ways to screen information to eliminate unnecessary papers and documents. You
organized your office by using filing systems. You discussed reminder and record-
keeping systems to keep track of important papers and notes. Finally, you learned that
clear, concise communication increases productivity. You identified some common
assumptions that lead to misunderstanding and miscommunication. You also discussed
the characteristics of effective listeners.
Course Summary S–3
Topic B: Continued learning after class
To get the most out of this class, you should begin applying your new skills and
knowledge as soon as possible. Axzo Press also offers resources for continued learning.
For more information, visit www.axzopress.com.
S–4 Time Management
G–1
Glossary
Agenda Perfectionists
A list of topics and the amount of time allotted to cover Individuals who are never satisfied with the work they
them in a meeting. do.
Bookmark Planner
A way to keep track of favorite or useful Web sites on A journal that provides a way to record your activities,
your computer. appointments, holidays and birthdays, and “to-do” lists.
Calendar Priorities
A system to help you keep track of activities on a daily, Objectives ranked in order of importance.
monthly, and yearly basis.
Procrastinators
Daily plan Individuals who put off anything they need or want to
A schedule for your activities according to the day. do until the last minute, when there is no valid reason
for the delay.
Delegate
In reference to time management, the ability to assign Productivity cycles
tasks to others. Periods of time when you are most productive. They
vary from person to person.
Expendable
A feeling of not being worthy of keeping or Scanning
maintaining a position. Quickly looking at a document for key points to
understand the general meaning.
Goal
Predetermined long-range result toward which effort is Screening
directed. Filtering information by categorizing it as important or
not important.
Indecisiveness
The inability to make a decision. Tickler file
A reminder file that becomes part of the daily planning
Indispensable period.
Being absolutely necessary or essential.
Time audit
Logbook Method used to determine how you spend your time.
A journal that acts as a collection site for project notes.
Time management
Objective The theory of controlling your schedule and workload
Intermediate step that helps you accomplish the goal. to be able to accomplish tasks with minimal stress.
Pareto principle Time management plan
Developed by Victor Pareto, this time management A schedule that works best for you and your company.
principle says 80 percent of the value of a group of
activities is concentrated in only 20 percent of those
activities. This is also known as the 80-20 Rule.
G–2 Time Management
Index I–1
C O
Communication, Misconceptions, 5-12 Objective, Definition, 1-16
Computer, Organize, 3-3 Obstacles, Handling, 2-9
Office, organizing, 5-8
D
P
Daily plan, Guidelines for, 2-11
Delegate, Tasks, 3-12 Paperwork, Reducing, 5-6
Pareto principle, Definition, 1-12
E Perfectionism, 4-10
Personality types, Identifying, 1-8
E-mail and fax documents, Organize, 3-3 Priorities, Characteristics of, 1-19
E-mail messages, Handling, 3-4 Priorities, Setting, 1-20
Procrastination, 4-10
F Productivity cycles, Definition, 1-10
Productivity, Factors affecting, 4-10
File, Tickler, 5-8 Productivity, Improving, 5-14
Files, Types of, 5-10
S
G
Saying "no", 3-13
Goals and priorities, Setting, 1-14
Goals, Characteristics of, 1-17 T
I Tasks, Delegate, 3-12
Technology, Making good decisions about, 3-2
Inability to say "no", 4-11 Technology, Using to save time, 3-2
Indecisiveness, 4-11 Telephone, Minimize your time on, 3-9
Information overload, Causes of, 5-1 Telephone, Time using, 3-8
Information overload, Handling, 5-3 Time audit, Definition, 1-11
Internet time, Using wisely, 3-7 Time management, Benefits, 1-2
Interruptions, Minimize co-workers, 4-4 Time management, Daily plan, 2-7
Interruptions, Minimize visitors, 4-2 Time management, Obstacles for creating a, 2-4
Time management, Personality types, 1-4
L Time management, Plan, 2-2
Time management, Principles, 1-2
List, Not to-do, 1-14 Time, Overloading, 3-11
List, To-do, 1-14 Time, Pricing your, 1-10
Listener, Being an effective, 5-15 Time, Prioritize, 3-12
M W
Meetings, Conducting productive, 4-6 Work, Guidelines for making more reasonable, 3-14
Miscommunication, Avoiding, 5-13 Workloads, Creating reasonable, 3-14
I–2 Time Management