The Time Trap: The Classic Book on Time Management

by MacKenzie, Alec

• ISBN13: 9781567315035
• ISBN10: 1567315038
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-03-01
• Publisher: Fine Communications

Summary

You have all the time there is. You have the same twenty-four hours (1,440 minutes, 86,400 seconds) that everyone has. What can be different is how you use them. Whether you work for a huge multi-national corporation, a small start-up, or are self-employed; whether you're a farmer, school principal, lawyer, store owner, or research scientist, chances are you fall into the same time traps we all do. Now, world-renowned time management expert, Dr. Alec Mackenzie, will show you how to climb out. In Part One of The Time Trap, Mackenzie explores the general principles of time management, the "hows and whys." He begins by asking the biggest "why" of all: in the twenty-first century, with all our pocket diaries, personal organizers and hand-held computers with expensive time management software, why is time management still a problem? He finds the answer in the powerful pull of human nature, the difficulty of breaking old habits and learning new ones, and the way habits in one area affect behavior in another. Managing time starts with establishing goals and setting priorities. After setting priorities you can take charge of your time -- and your time is your life -- by using the most effective time management tool: a written plan for the day, supported by an overall planning system. In Part Two, Mackenzie addresses the causes and cures of the top twenty time wasters. For each, he defines the real problem, examines its cause, and describes detailed solution strategies. He shows that many of us fall into time traps because we don't know how to say "No!" to a friend, colleague, family member or boss without being afraid of offending them. Then he presents dozens of real-life scenarios, demonstrating exactly what to say and do in these delicate, difficult situations. You'll learn how to deal with drop-in visitors, maximize meetings, delegate responsibility, improve your communication, and much more. So read this book and reap the rewards of effective, successful time management: more productivity, less stress, faster progress toward your goals, and a better balance between work and the rest of your life. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Alec Mackenzie (Greenwich, NY) is an internationally known writer and speaker on time management, who has conducted hundreds of seminars in forty countries

Table of Contents

Preface to the Third Edition	p. vii
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Time Management in the Year 2000 and Beyond	p. 1
Why Is Time Management Still a Problem?	p. 3
New Perspectives: The Real Purpose of Time Management	p. 14
Planning Puts You in Control	p. 29
Making Changes: Start Where You Are	p. 46
The Twenty Biggest Time Wasters and How to Cure Them	p. 61
Management by Crisis	p. 63
Telephone Interruptions	p. 71
Inadequate Planning	p. 81
Attempting Too Much	p. 96
Drop-In Visitors	p. 103
Ineffective Delegation	p. 114
Personal Disorganization	p. 121
Lack of Self-Discipline	p. 131
Inability to Say No	p. 136
Procrastination	p. 141
Meetings	p. 149
Paperwork	p. 157
Leaving Tasks Unfinished	p. 166
Inadequate Staff	p. 170
Socializing	p. 174
Confused Responsibility or Authority	p. 179
Poor Communication	p. 184
Inadequate Controls and Progress Reports	p. 190
Incomplete Information	p. 197
Travel	p. 201
Using Time to Live and Work Better	p. 209
Successful Top Time Managers Reveal Their Biggest Challenges and Their Biggest Secrets	p. 211
Your Action Plan	p. 233
Escaping the Time Trap: Summary of the Twenty Biggest Time Wasters and Their Causes and Solutions	p. 247
Electronic Time Management	p. 268
Index	p. 275
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