2.4.3 Self-management tools

2.5.3 Self-Management Tools

Project management approach

The triangle of project management help use to set up our evaluation of where we are standing regarding our shits to do thanks to a color code.

The basic idea is that whenever you are responsible for a project, task or deliverable, there are 3 parameters to take into account: scope/ quality, money/budget, and time/deadline.

Here is when the color code comes in:

• GREEN: you are on track with all 3 parameters

• ORANGE: one of the parameters is off track (you are over budget OR you are late OR you will not manage to reach the quality/scope you originally wanted to)

• RED: two or more parameters are off track, indicating there is a serious problem with the project/deliverable and that perhaps you need help with it.

We use these color codes in many different meetings and tools (trello mostly), to give clarity on where each person or team stands on objectives set.

Common mistake to avoid:

• GREEN does not mean "I am working on it". If you are working on it but it is late then it is ORANGE. If you are working on it and it is late and over budget then it is RED.

You will get a chance to evaluate where are you at with your deliverables during different meetings: bi-monthly 1:1, circle tactical meetings and quarterly meetings!

If you want to fix an Action Plan to help you in managing a project you can do so by copying and filling this template.

How to set your goals?

If you need some inspiration for learning how to set your goals we recommend you to read this article. The article provides an interesting reflection about how motivating are certain types of goal setting. The conclusion is simple: SMART goals might be useful for precision and evaluation, but they don’t really motivate people to give their best or even to excel themselves.

Therefore, the suggested alternative of SMART goals are HARD goals, which state for:

• Heartfelt: my goal will enrich the lives of somebody besides me - customers, the community, etc.

• Animated: I can vividly picture how great it will feel when I achieve my goals

• Required:My goals are absolutely necessary to help this company

• Challenging: I will have to learn new skills and leave my comfort zone to achieve my assigned goals for this year.

It is important that your goals feel right for you. Ideally 80% of your objectives should be in your comfort zone and 20% should be in your stretch zone so that you don't fall in the trap of stress!

How to organise yourself & your e-mails?

There is many methodologies that you can use to better organise yourself in your daily work. Discovering what is the best way for you to get organised is crucial for your success at euforia. Below are some of the methodologies that some of us have tried and are using in our daily work.

Getting things done

Getting Things Done (GTD) is a methodology that some of us have been applying and really loving it so much!. It's a great tool to feel calmer and manage a multitude of projects efficiently.

In case you dont want to read the whole 300 page long book (we have in the Geneva office) there are 2 other simpler options so that you can start using GTD tomorrow:

1) One of our partners has made a prezi (http://prezi.com/x_tdkpdel0cv/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy) to summarize. The prezi has the link to a 7 min video that's cool.

2) There is a condensed online version of Getting things done called "GTD in 15 minutes: A pragmatic guide to getting things done". You can buy it here for 1 euro (takes less than 30min).

3) Some of us have translated this methodology on trello (one of our favorite tools). See below how you could organise your trello board based on GTD:

Please ask Alessia if you want to get some help on how to best organise yourself.

The bullet journal

The bullet journal method is another methodology to get organised. It is a great tool for everyone who loves to write, journal and make it all a bit creative! Several studies show the benefits of writing by hand, but most of the time if we write by hand we end up having piles of post its, paper etc. and we can become even more unorganised. The bullet journal invites you to use a technique called "Rapid Logging". You can learn this technique in around 30'...and then you really need to start using it!

On the bullet journal website (link above) you can learn everything about this methodology and start using it right away. You will just need a blank notebook! Otherwise you can also buy a book that explains the methodology here or a notebook that is already organised and written according to the bullet journal methodology.

E-mails management

Here are some tips to learn to use your e-mails in a way that respects your wellbeing.

1) Check email only at set points during the day (1-3 times)

• Ideally the times of the day where you’re energy and creativity are usually at the lowest (ex: after lunch)

• Explain to people who you work closely that you only check the e-mail a couple times a day and that if it is an urgent matter they can contact you through slack / phone / whatever

• Set your e-mail to only receive e-mails at certain hours

• Make these times fixed and include them in your calendar, so other people don’t disturb you.

• The duration depends on your needs :)

2) 2 minutes rule (from GTD)

• When you read your mail – if the email will take less than two minutes to read and reply to, then take care of it right now, even if it's not a high priority. The idea behind this is that if it takes less than two minutes to action, it takes longer to read and then store the task away "to do later" than it would to just take care of the task now.

• For emails that will take longer than two minutes to read or respond to, schedule time on your calendar, or add this as an action on yourTo-Do List, to do later.

3) Organizing e-mail in folders / categories

• You could use broad categories titled "Action Items,""Waiting,""Reference," and "Archives." (or any others that sooth your needs) If you're able to stay on top of your folders – particularly "Action" and "Waiting" folders – you could use them as an informal To-Do List for the day.

• You can also organise your inbox with the same categories of your GTD trello board (see above) if you feel like that can help you. e.g. you can store e-mail that you can't answer because you are "waiting for" someone else's update before you can answer in "Waiting for"!

• The advantage when you create specific folders for processing email is that it makes it easier to search for past mail: instead of scouring your entire email system, you can simply search in that particular folder.

4) Non-Essential Email

• If you regularly receive email such as newsletters, blogs and article feeds, you could re-route these to another email address, or use rules, so that they're instantly delivered to a particular folder.

• This will help keep your primary inbox clear, and they'll be in one place, ready to read at a convenient time.

5) Touch it once rule

This is a mindset you have to work hard to get into, but once it becomes habit, you’ll love it. When you open a message, review it and then do something with it. Don’t let it sit there! Emails that sit there only have to be weeded through again later, costing you more valuable time and energy.

In order to maintain a touch-it-once policy, decide what to do with an email immediately. Here are your choices:

• Respond to it.If you can respond to the email message in less than 3 minutes, do it on the spot. Get it out of the way.

• Task it: Is it something you need to act on but doing so will take more than a few minutes? Put it on your to-do list. Then, when you’re in get-it-done mode you don’t have to hunt through your inbox to figure out what you need to do.

• Archive it (if you use Gmail): What is archiving? It’s sending your emails into a “holding tank” somewhere in your Gmail account. We don’t care where, as long as it’s not in your inbox! “But how will I find it?” you ask. Simple. Basically, you’ll Google it. Gmail has a search feature which is like your very own Google search for your Gmail. Need that email from Aunt Jane? Simply type “aunt jane” in your Gmail search bar at the top of your inbox screen and all your messages with those words will pop up. No need to deal with the hassle of making a folder, filing it and hoping you’ll remember where you put it later. (If you don’t use Gmail, file it away in an easy-to-find spot.)

• Delete it (or Spam it): This one is a no-brainer. Do you really need it? If you know straight away you don’t, just delete. Done.

6) If you want to receive less email, send less email: As ridiculously simple as it sounds for such a pervasive problem, I've found this to be the golden rule of email management: Send less of it.

7) Mindful emailing: if you want to improve your relationship with e-mails try this recipe from Recipes for Wellbeing