Principles of Supervision MGT 2220 Chapter 13 Managing Time & Stress Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. -Carl Sandburg, U.S. Biographer and poet TIME MANAGEMENT The practice of controlling the way you use your time. Start the day knowing which tasks are essential and always manage to complete them. Supervisors in control of their time find their jobs easier and they get more done. Getting a lot done is a way to impress higher ups. Simple things like putting things away when done or a scheduling calendar are great tools. Organized and focused supervisors are respected by employees and employees tend to accomplish more because they follow your lead. Understanding How You Use Your Time Time log is a record of what activities a person is doing hour by hour throughout the day. It will reveal how much time is spent on important activities. It will tell you how much time you spent on items that did not get done. How much time is spent on activities that some one else could have done. What important jobs did I not get around to finishing? Your review will provide patterns of behavior and whether time is spent in the appropriate areas. The answers will reveal where you need to change. Planning Your Use of Time Making a “To Do” List 1. “A” items need to be accomplished this week. 2. “B” items are important but can be postponed if necessary. 3. Record all activities that must occur at a set time. 4. Find times for your remaining “A” level activities. 5. Schedule the most challenging and important activities for the time of day when you are at your best. 6. Learn to use the calendar or scheduling tools built into your computer/phone operating system. 7. Schedule time for thinking, not solely doing. (Creative Activities Chapter 9) 8. Try not to fill up every hour of the day and week. Leave time to handle unexpected problems and questions from employees.Controlling Time Wasters Meetings. Always more time spent than scheduled. Telephone Calls & E-Mail. It is difficult to plan convenient times to reach people. Paperwork and Reading Material. Set aside specific time to handle these tasks. Eliminate all that are not relevant. Unscheduled Visitors. Make sure the topic is important or urgent otherwise put into the schedule at a better time. Procrastination. Putting off what needs to be done and usually shifting priorities to lesser important tasks; 1. Pick the item or area and set time to attack it. 2. Compartmentalize your work and force yourself to get through one task and then move on to the next. 3. Try getting the biggest job done first. Then it is downhill after that! 4. Give yourself deadlines. Write them down and stick to them. 5. Do not pursue perfectionism! Failure to Delegate. Belief only you can do the job correctly. Then why do we have employees? Inability to Say No. Do not let other people’s demands control how you use your time. 1. Ask the person how the two of you can plan better the next time. 2. Remind that other person that they owe you one. 3. Suggest your own timetable. 4. Put limits on your participation. STRESS MANAGEMENT Stress= The body’s response to coping with environmental demands. Causes of Stress Work Related. Factors are policies, structures, physical conditions, and processes. Employees not understanding what is happening or how well they are doing tend to experience stress. Page 352, Figure 13.4 Personal Factors. Some employees have a greater stress response than others. 1. Type A Personality. A behavior pattern that involves constantly trying to accomplish a lot in a hurry. 2. Type B Personality. A behavior pattern that focuses on a relaxed but active approach to life. Work-Family Conflict. Some people experience conflict between demands of work and home. Studies show that women who believe that having a family interfered with advancement in their careers are at greater risk for heart disease.Consequences of Stress Stress is a fact of life. Some people seek jobs that are likely to be more stressful. Too much stress can bring problems; 1. Burnout. This is the inability to function effectively as a result of ongoing stress. The employee feels emotionally exhausted. The employee’s perceptions of others become calloused. The employee views their effectiveness negatively. See Page 355, Table 13.2 2. Especially high in helping professions such as health care and teaching. Personal Stress Management 1. Time Management. Making reasoned decisions about your time reduces stress. 2. Plan time for rest and recharging your energy. 3. Be realistic about time constraints. 4. Positive Attitude. Negative people are more susceptible to stress. 5. Focus on the areas in which you have control. 6. Maintaining a sense of humor is important to a positive attitude. 7. Exercise. The body is programmed to respond to stress from the “flight or fight syndrome”. 8. A logical way to respond to stress would then be physical activity in a healthy way. 9. Biofeedback. The development of awareness of bodily functions in order to control them. 10. Meditation. A simple practice of focusing one’s thoughts on something other than daily concerns. 11. Well Rounded Life Activities. If you get all your satisfaction and rewards from work, job related stress is more likely to be overwhelming. Well rounded life styles make stress much easier to cope with. Organizational Stress Management 1. Behavior of the Supervisor. You can reduce stress and enhance employee confidence through your behavior. Page 359, Table 13.3. 2. Changes in the Job. Identify job factors that create stress. Unfair policies. Ambiguous procedures. Lack of opportunities for advancement. Poor communication. Boring or over difficult jobs. 3. Environmental Changes. Certain areas cause stress: Severe weather issues. Noise. Poor lighting. Uncomfortable chairs.Extreme of indoor climate whether heat or cold. 4. Wellness Programs. Organizational activities designed to help employees adopt a health life style. Homework Problem Solving Case: Is It OK to be Perfect? Page 367 Answer all three questions in