Time Management Improves with Planning

The more you plan ahead, the more effectively you’ll be able to manage your time on tasks. If you know you’ll need time for deep work, add placeholders to your calendar to enable that work to get done with minimal interruptions. There are no consequences if you don’t use all your allotted time. 

Communication Helps Time Management for All

Chances are excellent that the people you work with are operating under similar time constraints to yours. Be respectful of their time, and they’re more likely to be respectful with yours. Explain why you’re asking someone to do the task you’re requesting, and why the deadline is what it is, so everyone has a more complete understanding.

Consider a Formulaic Approach to Meeting Prep

From auditing your meeting preparation to reviewing the overall process to creating a timeline for board meeting prep, there are simple steps boards can take to more effectively streamline things. But it will require time and effort. Allow extra time for last-minute changes, and be comfortable with them becoming part of the process.

Webinar Recap: Rashelle Isip, productivity consultant, author, and founder of The Order Expert, explores how board directors can more effectively manage their time for maximum impact.

Time is a finite resource. It may sound cliche, but it’s true – especially in the boardroom.

Effective time management ensures boards and directors can fulfill their governance responsibilities without compromising on oversight or strategic vision. But in reality, board directors (like anyone else) often struggle to effectively manage the time they have.

However, according to Rashelle Isip, productivity consultant, author, and founder of “The Order Expert,” it is possible to overcome our time management challenges. “There’s a lot of things we can do personally to reframe our approach to time,” she said.

Recently, Isip joined us to share practical strategies for efficient time management – both in and out of the boardroom. Isip explored topics including:

  • How to effectively prioritize tasks to ensure critical issues get the attention they deserve
  • How to balance governance responsibilities with oversight and strategic vision
  • Strategies and techniques for boosting productivity and organizational efficiency 

Here, we share key takeaways from this session.

Time Management is a Common Challenge

If you struggle to effectively manage your time, you’re certainly not alone. Time management is a very common challenge. In fact, a recent survey from eScribe, our sister company, found that time management is one of today’s most common challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new challenges related to time management.

“I have seen a change since the pandemic. Being at home doing one’s work is obviously different than being in a more structured office environment,” explained Isip. “People are more observant of things like when the mail comes. All of these things we might not have consciously thought about before are at the forefront. We have to recognize and find ways to deal with that successfully.”

However, there are things we can do to change our mindset and address time management challenges. “This is definitely something we can overcome,” said Isip.

Plan Ahead With Placeholders

Effective time management requires planning. If there’s an upcoming project or meeting, Isip recommends adding placeholders to your calendar early on so you have the time needed to get the work done. 

“When you’re dealing with such a tight schedule, it can be difficult to free up time,” said Isip. “Get into the calendar. Do a bit of backtracking. Go ahead and put in those placeholders so you can use those chunks of time at your own discretion.”

If you don’t end up needing all the time you set aside, that’s OK.  “You don’t necessarily have to use or fill this time,” said Isip.

Communication is Key

Managing our own time is in our control. But the business world requires collaboration with others. What can we do to encourage those we work with to be better with time management?

According to Isip, it’s all about communication.

“One thing we can do is to be more communicative about our work and what it is we need to do,” she said.

Isip also encouraged attendees to provide context in their requests to help others see the bigger picture and the role they play. “The receiving party might hear, ‘I need this by this date.’ A better approach when you’re working with people is to provide not only the request, but also context so people know why they’re performing this task,” said Isip.

Ongoing Prioritization is Essential

There’s never a shortage of things to do. How can boards determine what to tackle and when?

According to Isip, it’s all about prioritization. “Make sure people really have the time and space to prioritize,” she said. “Prioritization has to take place on an ongoing basis in order to be effective.”

There are tools available – like the Eisenhower Box (also known as the Eisenhower Matrix) – that can make prioritization easier. Essentially, an Eisenhower Box is a simple grid that can help you understand how tasks are in relation to one another. The grid includes four quadrants:

  • Important/urgent
  • Important/not urgent
  • Urgent/not important
  • Not urgent/not important

“The more you can become comfortable using this tool, the better off you’ll be,” explained Isip. “Tasks aren’t static. We’re always receiving new tasks. At any moment’s notice, priorities change.” 

Certain Steps Can Streamline Meeting Prep

Preparing for a board meeting requires time and effort. Isip shared 3 steps boards can take to more effectively streamline meeting prep.

  1. Do a quick audit: Set aside 30 minutes to an hour to determine what happened during the preparation for the last board meeting. “Just jot down key things that happened to create a timeline for yourself,” said Isip. “That way, you have something tangible and physical to work with.”
  2. Review: Ask yourself what was within your control, what was out of your control, and what you could have done differently. “This is where you can glean some really helpful information,” said Isip.
  3. Create your ideal timeline for how the board materials should be prepared: This timeline should be created based on your own experience and your knowledge of how the organization works. “Craft a timeline that is both practical and reasonable,” advised Isip. “Give yourself more time than you think you may need, especially the first time.”

Expect Changes

Imagine you’ve prepared all the materials for your upcoming board meeting, but then last-minute changes come through. Last minute changes are challenging to plan for – and they’re frustrating. 

How can boards deal with these last-minute changes? Isip recommends simply accepting them as part of the process.

“[Last-minute changes] are probably going to be part of the process,” she said. “Be comfortable with that. Be understanding about that. Then, instead of freezing up when it happens, you can take action.” 

When Working with Others, It’s Important to Find Middle Ground

Everyone has different work styles. Isip offered advice for effectively collaborating with colleagues who have different work styles. 

First, you must take an honest look at your own work style. 

“The first thing is to know yourself and how you work,” said Isip. “Get a better understanding of yourself and your reaction to work.”

Then, seek to understand others. “It’s important to consider understanding other people in your world,” she continued. “Consider the top five people you work with on a regular basis and how they work. It’s not being judgmental. It’s being observational.” 

Then, you can work to find the middle ground.

It Takes Time to Manage Time

Time management doesn’t happen by accident. Instead, it requires thought and consideration.

“It takes time to manage time,” said Isip. “You have to remember that any [time management] tool that you use, whether digital or analog, you get out when you put in.” 

Isip closed the session by reminding attendees that while time does march on, we have the power to control how we use it. 

“You have a lot more power than you think when it comes to time management,” Isip concluded. “Every moment we have is an opportunity to practice better time management. Each of the decisions we make can affect our calendars. Be mindful of that.”

Are you a nonprofit board member looking to boost your leadership skills? Then save your spot for our next session, Essential Skills for Effective Nonprofit Leadership, featuring Dr. Emilie Socash, Founder of the Nonprofit Help Center. 

Working at this table
Unlock Superior Board Governance

Streamline your board meetings and unlock valuable insights with OnBoard’s powerful platform. Experience the difference of secure, efficient, and intuitive board management software designed for success.