Using Technology for Time Management: Tools and Techniques for Library Staff and Teams
An Infopeople Online Learning Course
Dates: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 – Monday, March 18, 2013
Fee: $75 for those in the California library community and Infopeople Partners, $150 for all others (about payment)
Instructor: Brenda Hough
"I'm so busy! How can I find time for that?" With library budget and staffing constraints, you may find yourself saying that over and over again. It's even harder if you see co-workers multi-tasking and productively handling the increased workload, while you feel overwhelmed.
Effective time management can make a huge difference in your productivity and feelings of satisfaction with your work. And technology is making time management even easier! Using tools that are available anytime, anywhere means that you can integrate time management with other channels of work and communication.
In this course you will learn techniques and explore tools for managing your time, increasing your productivity, and collaborating with others. You will discover free and low-cost technology tools (web-based and smartphone applications) that can help you with time tracking, task management, goal and priority setting, and team projects.
"I'm so busy" is going to remain a fact of your library work life, but your feelings about how you manage your time and what you accomplish can change from stressed to satisfied.
Course Description: This four-week online course will provide an introduction to time management tools and techniques. Through assignments and discussions, you will discover ways to use technology for time tracking and logging, task management and to-do lists, setting goals and priorities, collaboration, and team projects. You’ll be able to explore time management systems, as well as web-based tools and apps, and develop approaches that are uniquely tailored to your style and needs. We’ll look at how to keep the elements of effective time management—reminders, to-do lists, priorities, calendars-in sync with multiple devices (smartphones, desktop computers, laptops, and tablets). The instructor will provide resources, best practices, and useful tips and techniques that can be applied immediately.
Preliminary Course Outline: Using an Internet connection and web browser, you will log in to the Infopeople online learning site and complete the following learning modules:
- Week 1: Where Does Your Time Go?
- Basic concepts of time management systems
- How and why time logs are used
- Websites and apps for time tracking and logging
- Week 2: Ways To Get Things Done
- Overview of popular time management systems such as Pomodoro and Getting Things Done
- How to use online to-do lists and task management tools
- Websites and apps for task management
- Week 3: Goals And Priorities
- What are goals and priorities and why should they be aligned?
- Why goals and priorities are critical to time management
- Websites and apps for goal and priority setting
- How to resolve conflicts between time usage and goals and priorities
- Week 4: Collaboration And Time Management
- How individual time management is affected by working in collaboration
- Technology tools that make collaboration easier and more effective
- Writing a personal action plan containing goals related to time management
Time Required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2½ hours per week, for a total of ten course hours. Each week's module contains readings and various options for assignments, discussions, interviews, and online meetings. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week's work within that week to stay in sync with other learners.
Who Should Take This Course: Anyone in the library community who wants to use technology to develop skills for time management and increased productivity.
Online Learning Details and System Requirements may be found at: infopeople.org/training/online_learning_details.
Payment: Your invoice will be emailed to the email address of the person who completed the registration. If that is not the person paying the invoice please forward invoice to the appropriate person. Payment is due within 30 days. If you have any questions about your invoice or payment please contact Gini Ambrosino at assist@infopeople.org.
Course Start: This online learning course starts on Tuesday, February 19, 2013.
After the official end date for the course, the instructor will be available for limited consultation and support for two more weeks, and the course material will stay up for an additional two weeks after that. These extra weeks give those who have fallen behind time to work independently to complete the course.
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