1. TIME MANAGEMENTscience, theories, application and donuts

2. WHY ARE WE TAKING THE TIME
TO TALK ABOUT TIME?
➤ To understand why implementing time management tactics are
important to our careers and personal lives.
➤ To never feel overwhelmed again! (the big goal)
➤ why unplanned, abstract goals can be stressful and concrete
goals can give your mind some peace
➤ To come up with solutions specific to ad/pub design as well as
other issues outside of work
➤ Motivate you to take new action by showing how bad
procrastination and stress actually is for time management AND
our brain’s health
➤ To show that there’s not one key to time management. Effective
time management is combining knowledge and theories to form
new habits. (However, having an open/welcoming attitude towards
each new experience vs. a resistant/judgmental one may be the
biggest key!)
➤ Re-affirm our priorities so little things don’t take up time. Power
Point = less creative freedom = I probably save time= time is a of
mine priority. (“Important and urgent” vs “Important not urgent”)
➤ To learn from each other!

3. BRAIN
SCIENCEBlame your ancient brain

4. BLAME YOUR BRAIN - PROCRASTINATION AND
TIME MANAGEMENT
➤ Decision making and multi-tasking are the culprits behind a “tired” brain
➤ Quick tips: Turn off pop-ups and notifications. Do hardest things in the morning.

5. FIGHT
PROCRAST
INATION
WITH
PROCRAST
INATIONA Scientific Theory

6. FIGHT PROCRASTINATION (BRAIN FATIGUE) WITH
PROCRASTINATION

7. BRAIN BREAKS (TERM COINED BY MY MOTHER)
➤ Group A brain break group: 94% more likely to absorb information; 74% less
discouraged; 71% more likely to finish a difficult task.
➤ Brain breaks are a good way to de-stress and replenish energy to tackle work
effectively all day long.
➤ Application: Reflect in journal
➤ Consider what tasks take the most effort and “willpower” to accomplish.
➤ Consider most common interruptions or opportunities to multi-task and save for
breaks.
➤ When planning your day, include brain breaks. Hold off things that will get done
eventually… dishes and laundry are not fun for most and take willpower (decision
fatigue). Do something enjoyable first during your break.

8. WHY STRESS ABOUT STRESS CAUSED BY LACK
OF TIME MANAGEMENT?
➤ When we don’t feel like we have control over our time, we feel stressed. If we let it continue,
chronic stress will actually harm our ability to use the rational part of our brains.

9. WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T FREAK OUT
➤ Solutions? There are many… so don’t stress…
➤ Plan/be prepared (do toughest things in AM with a fresh mind)
➤ Get clear on goals and priorities and what it will take to achieve them
➤ Act with intention based on daily planning vs. guessing and hoping it’ll get done
➤ Recognize procrastination and multi-tasking downfalls
➤ Experiment with theories
➤ Reflect on progress (journal)
➤ Beat procrastination with procrastination - brain breaks
➤ Set boundaries and communicate to prevent stress

10. THEORIESHow to work smarter not
harder

11. 80/20 PRINCIPLE (OR
PARETO PRINCIPLE)➤ The 80/20 principle states that 20% of your
efforts/inputs result in 80% of the desired results. By
focusing on the 20% of tasks that yield the majority of
results, you can be more effective while doing less
work.
➤ What 20% of your to-do list wields the most
benefit/result? (do it first thing)
➤ 20% of the day planning and brain breaking = 80% of
the day with an alert, creative brain
➤ What 20% of your emails need to go out today? That
will be 80% of today’s success.
➤ Spend 10 minutes planning, 50 minutes completing
most important tasks vs. 1 hour of mindlessly checking
off a to-do list… finding out the most important things
haven’t been completed.
➤ ADVICE FROM A DESIGNER: Check your perspective.
Don’t major in minor things. Focus on what is important
not what isn’t. -Josh

12. PICKLE JAR THEORY
➤ Filling one’s day with small trivial tasks vs. using that
time on large, important tasks that provide more
value. (Rocks, Pebbles, Sand) - aka spend time with
a plan and clear intentions each day.
➤ OR, your time in a day is the pickle jar. Do you fill it
with banana peppers (trivial tasks) or big pickles
(priorities)?
➤ Batching: Combine many small tasks into one batch
of time
➤ What do you want your non-negotiable to be every
day? Batch them along with a task you have to do
anyway (easiest way to gain a new habit).
Example would be 50 squats while brushing teeth
or cooking breakfast.
➤ Do similar tasks in batches. Don’t jump from one
to another. -Josh

13. PARKINSON’S LAW
➤ Parkinson’s Law states that “work expands so as to fill
the time available for its completion.” By limiting the
time you have to complete a task, you are forced to
focus on what is most important (instead of
procrastinating/perfecting a design before the pub is
done or before most important emails are sent – see
below).
➤ Less time can lead to better, more effective work.
➤ Start by timing the task at your normal pace, then set a
new, realistic time goal. (chunk each project into
several timed tasks… what 20% of most beneficial
tasks deserve the most time)
➤ Resist tendency towards perfectionism - save this
tendency for the end. You’ll know if you can
comfortably spend more time on a design.
➤ The time required to complete a task will expand
according to amount of time allotted.

14. EASY
ACTIONS
YOU CAN
TAKE NOWThe time management
essentials

15. SIMPLIFY | MINIMIZE
➤ Break down tasks into bite size chunks. <
my planning board for this meeting
➤ Wake up an hour earlier to take care of
tasks that might otherwise weigh on your
mind all day (like exercise) - boom, day is
already simpler after just one hour of
being up. *My favorite tip
➤ Have just one place for notes/ calendar
➤ Organize the chaos… throw things
away… THIS alone can be it’s own
workshop

16. ABSTRACT TO
CONCRETE GOALS➤ “Anxiety stems from living in an abstract future.” = we need
clarity (PS-remember what happens to a stressed brain?)
➤ Journaling: Think on paper. Plan the day ahead and review
the day at the end. Nothing will weigh on the mind. Right
down ideas vs. looking them up right away.
➤ Write it down “Never memorize something you can look up.”
-Albert Einstein.
➤ Plan to do most dreaded, most important tasks first. Save
the small and simple for the end of the day.
➤ Keep a record of how long each task takes you (will help
with future planing) - more clarity, less likely to feel
overwhelmed. In one month you’ll have a list of timed tasks
to refer to (Hours)
➤ Actively use a personal calendar- customized for you
schedule. Update it daily. Look at it and cross things out all
day. (I have one just for N2… otherwise things get messy)

17. There is a time for work and a time for love. That
leaves no other time.
-Coco Chanel
Time is precious, plan to do what matters to you with each hour you have