Managing Tasks Exercise

Goal

Use basic Time Management techniques to sort and prioritize typical laboratory tasks.

sample task

Preparations

  • Print the tasks in exercise_covey_matrix.zip.

  • Prepare one set of tasks per group (2-4 people)

  • Print 4 or 9 tasks on one page

1. Covey Matrix

The Task

Sort the tasks into the four quadrants of the Covey Matrix.

Instructions

  1. Present the Covey Matrix techniqe

  2. Explain the task

  3. Give the participants 5-7 minutes to complete the assignment

  4. Ask some questions for debriefing

Questions for Debriefing

  • Can you give examples for urgent/important/urgent+important/nil tasks?

  • Which tasks were easy to sort?

  • What was difficult?

  • In what situations do you think is the Covey Matrix useful?

  • In what situations is it less useful?

2. Five Options

  1. Highlight one task from the materials.

  2. Ask for possible decisions.

  3. Present the Five Options image and discuss how they apply in this case. If one option doesn't apply, find another example.

  4. Resolve questions that occur.

3. Saying No

  1. Present the Ten Ways to say No image

  2. Ask participants to ask each other tasks from the set, and decline them one way or the other

  3. After a couple of minutes, collect impressions.