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David Fairfield
08-02-2008, 12:53 PM
Hey guys its a little off topic, but I've been thinking a lot about the issue of how I make use of that most valuable business asset-- time! At the end of the day, I try to take stock of what I accomplished and it always seems to fall short. The laser is a time saver for sure, but the human operator (me) seems to be a time waster.

So I'm calling on your experience and asking-- do you have any insights or tips or book recommendations on effective time management?

Thanks as always!!! :)

Dave

Mike Null
08-02-2008, 2:08 PM
I have a tried and true method I've used for about 50 years. I work 2 hours to get the same productivity others get in one.

Scott Challoner
08-02-2008, 2:30 PM
I've been reading a book called The Now Habit which deals more with procrastination. I find procrastination to be the biggest waste of my time. It's hard to get anything done when I have to follow the Brett Favre saga minute by minute.

Phyllis Meyer
08-02-2008, 2:59 PM
I hear ya Scott...about Favre!

About Time Management...I find my biggest frustration comes from the amount of time folks stand in my shop and talk! I love customers, but...I am wasting so much time talking. We are slowly moving away from the public for customers, and moving forward with the larger jobs. Procrastination is one of my problems also, but working full time with the laser has definatately changed my attitude towards putting things off! I just keep saying, "if I want the money, I have to do it now";)!!!

We work very hard at everything we do, but also feel it's important to relax. We'll be sitting on the deck very shortly sipping iced tea and a beer or two for my husband as we plan our next business strategy. And who knows...someone might just come along and offer us $20+million to retire:D!!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Phyllis:)

Darren Null
08-02-2008, 3:09 PM
I keep meaning to do something about procrastination.....

Leo Graywacz
08-02-2008, 3:11 PM
I keep meaning to do something about procrastination.....


Maybe tomorrow???:D

Dee Gallo
08-02-2008, 4:38 PM
On a more serious note, I have some experience helping people organize their work load and it mostly has to do with planning. I recommend you spend your "procrastination time" doing whatever you like, but thinking through the steps you will take to do whatever job or jobs you have. If you break it down into single tasks or steps, walking through it in your mind as you do other things or while you fall alseep, you will find things go more smoothly and quickly when you actually do the thing. You will know what the outcome is and what problems might come up before they happen down to the smallest detail. Making decisions on the fly tends to bog things down, backpedaling and then fixing misjudgments takes time too. But not knowing where to start, what the next step is, etc. is what makes people put off doing a job. Distractions are just a "good excuse" to procrastinate.

Another factor: when you make the big job into small steps, you accomplish something faster, rewarding yourself with a good feeling and feel motivated to move on. You can also stop working at the end of a small task and feel like you've finished something, avoiding the dreaded "What did I do today? Not much!" feeling. Instead it will be, ""Okay, at least I did THAT." So a distraction can wait 5 minutes, not a couple of hours.

Think about it, dee

Kim Vellore
08-02-2008, 5:09 PM
I have found the more busy I am the more work I get done, less busy I just procrastinate everything...


Kim

Mike Null
08-02-2008, 7:55 PM
Dee

Planning is overrated. It's execution that matters.

George M. Perzel
08-02-2008, 8:00 PM
Hi All;
I was gonna respond to this but think I'll wait till tomorrow.
best regards
George
Laserarts

Dee Gallo
08-02-2008, 9:22 PM
Dee

Planning is overrated. It's execution that matters.

Mike, I agree and disagree. Execution is what matters MOST. What allows you to perform well is experience, skill and talent. With those 3 things under your belt, you plan in your head instantaneously most of the time. You just "know" how to approach the job. People who hit roadblocks lack one of those things for the particular job and need to sit back and "plan" to succeed. That's what you are doing when you "figure things out". When you can make it look easy, you are doing something you feel comfortable with because you have enough experience, skill and talent and don't need to plan anymore. Maybe the word "plan" is not a good one.

People weak in one area will ask questions like "How do you know how...?" or "Why did you do that?" or "What are you seeing?" or comment "It's so easy for you"... like you never had to spend time learning your skills.

Execution is the end, just like the word says.

my two cents worth, dee

Brian Robison
08-02-2008, 11:34 PM
I come from a production environment so I guess that's the way my brain works. I think the key is simply to always try to keep the machine running. If it's not running, it's not making money. It's easy to get caught up in having the laser run a lot of parts and a long cycle but sometimes it's better to run one or two parts. For an example, if your running something that needs assembling or packing etc. You could be packing / assembling the one or two parts while the laser is running instead of running a 100 piece total order and THEN having to pack/ assemble. I know it's simple but I'm always surprised at how many folks don't do it.

Roy Nicholson
08-03-2008, 12:10 AM
Dee.

Sounds like a great concept...but I work from home and I have one or two minoir distractions that take priority.

My darling wife...who doesn't drive so I've always been her chaufer and a daughter who lives locally with two of my grandchildren. I love every moment that they are here,,,but can get very little processed when they are around.

I have to babysit whilst the girls do their thing.

There isn't high quantity work coming through at the moment and when there is I am able to and do focus...That's when the baby gets alittle more neglected. She's three by the way so not exactly incapable of amusing herself with a little guidance and the occassional bribery.

Brian's advice about the processing planning falling in line with packing etc. is excellent.

Regards

Roy N.

Dee Gallo
08-03-2008, 12:41 PM
Roy, that's the point of my post. I work from home too, and the distractions are many compared to any work site if you ask me. There's always some errand that needs doing, the house cleaning, laundry, someone who is hungry, some animal to tend to... we mow 4 acres of lawn and it won't stop growing until snow flies. You're right, you have to prioritize. I'm not interested in working myself to death either. But that's why knowing exactly what you're doing allows you to work on 10 things at once, without getting confused or lose track of things. The modern term is multi-tasking.

My work is very time sensitive. I need x amount of time to set up a job, then I do a lot of color filling which goes smoothly if my timing is right and 5 times slower if my timing is bad. So I can set up something to laser and while that's going I can apply maybe one or 2 colors, allow them to dry and unload the laser, reload and do the other 2 colors. After 1/2 an hour, I have to stop and clean the paint or it's too hard. I can only do it well since I know exactly how many things will take how much time. At any time, I must be able to stop, due to distractions. So, everything I do is broken down into 5-10 minute tasks. It's all about efficiency of time management but with allowances for distraction, breaks, resting of arthritic hands, etc. without pushing yourself like a machine.

I know that planning has a bad rep and procrastination is much more popular, but the truth is that people do plan things out, they just don't want to say they do. When a job comes into your shop and you instantly know what you're going to do you've just made a plan.

Okay, I'll give up on this now, enough from me, dee

David Fairfield
08-03-2008, 1:22 PM
Hey Dee

I think you're on to something. I noticed a defintiate improvement in time management when I begin the day with a check list of things to do. I'm usually too optimistic about what I can get done in a day, but they help avoid procrastinating or fumbling around looking for a task that needs doing.

Dave

Leo Graywacz
08-03-2008, 1:44 PM
I've found the best way to screw up a plan is to write it down as a plan. If you do that you can almost guaranty that it won't go that way. The best thing you can do it to think it through in your head, build it in your head, going through all the steps. A lot of times I will find that something might be a problem. Especially when dealing with 3D spaces and projects. Interference is common when working in 3D. Like you cant have a drawer on 2 corners of the same cabinet, don't laugh, I've had people ask me why I can't do this for them. When you make your plans make sure you don't commit them in stone, things happen, things change, especially if it is something you haven't done before.