The blame game

Your first reaction might be to blame the distraction on someone or some thing. This serves no purpose. To blame a ceiling light for not getting that report done before your meeting is merely pointing out some other weakness that you need to address.

Justification

To ignore a distraction or worse, to attempt to justify it in a positive spin, is compounding the problem. If you justify your neighbor’s constant chatter in the next cubicle by saying something like, “I should listen to him because I might just learn something,” you are only denying the problem.

Complaining

Complaining about a distraction is the worse thing you can do. Negativity is your enemy no matter how it manifests itself in your arsenal to confront everyday life. As soon as a complaint enters your mind smack it down. Replace the negative thought with, What do I have to do to remove the distraction? In the case of the flickering ceiling light, a quick call to maintenance will solve the problem. You should talk directly to your neighbor about his constant chattering. Be diplomatic but let him know that it is an issue with you. If that doesn’t work request to be moved.

Sometimes the distractions in the workplace are so great that it is necessary to get away from it all. No, I’m not talking about a vacation. Find a quiet, serene place that you can escape to during lunch or on breaks. Use this time to organize your thoughts and avoid time management’s distractions.

Time management skills aren’t always within our grasp and often they need to be absorbed through the intuitive process rather than rote learning. Let’s step back and take a broader look at the meaning of time management.

The phrase “time management” is a bit of a conundrum. For us to assume that we can somehow manipulate time is a bit fanciful (perhaps that should be something left for the gods). What we really mean is “self management.” Ideally, we manage what we do and how it affects other people and processes for a common goal.

Let’s try to broaden our existential horizons in a similar way that a football player learns yoga to improve balance. Imagine you are given a free reign with the Hubble space telescope and are viewing the heavens with one goal in mind—to measure the affects of time.

When we look through the eye of the Hubble telescope we find that time (as we know it) is irrelevant (Einstein had a lot to say about time but let’s save his wisdom for later). The galaxies we glimpse upon have taken millions of light years to arrive in our telescopes lens. We find that the actions of the universe (birth, growth, decay) are more important than time. It is only when we zoom in on the close planets and our moon do we see the end product and the details that makes time more relevant.

Let’s instruct the Hubble telescope to do a one hundred and eighty degree turn. We’ll point it directly at a typical engineering workplace on earth (the telescope has been fitted with a special x-ray lens to see through the building). We focus on a small plaque on an employee’s work desk:

“Perfections of means and confusion of goals seem—in my opinion—to characterize our age.”

—Albert Einstein

The building has been perfectly constructed. We see cutting edge computerized equipment, a library packed with books, manuals, and the like; rooftop antennas that allow employees to communicate worldwide. Each floor is lined with neat empty cubicles that would normally house skilled employees intent on contributing to the goals of the company (let’s call it Phokus Engineering, Inc.). We scan our Hubble telescope throughout the building but can’t find a similar plaque stating the goals of the company.

Unbeknownst to our Hubble telescope, Phokus Engineering has been in a financial crisis and is going out of business because the company has lost its focus on the business.

Could there be a correlation between poor time management and Phokus Engineering’s demise?

If we listen to Einstein, it may not be lack of time that affects time management; it may be the lack of clear goals. So when we say we need to “improve time management,” what we should be saying is that we need to clarify what our goals are (Phocus Engineering should have clarified their goals, too).

Let’s take an example. Suppose you are an ant and you need to move a crumb of bread two feet away into your ant hill before the patrolling anteater returns to eat you up. The issue here is not time, it’s whether or not the ant can have its meal tonight without getting eaten by the anteater. The goal is survival.

To put it in terms for engineers: Suppose you have a project where your responsibility is to provide a critical part for an electro-mechanical gadget and the deadline is two weeks. The first thing you might think is, OMG I only have two weeks! Then you will get out your planner and begin filling in the hours (which is fine).

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius— and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”

—Albert Einstein

Think about Einstein’s quote and observe your project from a different perspective. Write down your goals. For example:

• First, think about how to simplify the project (Streamline it? Enlist help? Think outside the box?)

• Commit to the feasibility of your responsibility of this project (if it doesn’t make sense or is not possible to do within the timeframe given you need to voice your opinion).

• Talk to the vendor who is supplying your part for the gadget. Can they meet the commitment? Do they have any problems you should know about?

• Identifying goals may involve small steps like communicating you progress with fellow engineers; ensuring that the whole (the gadget) is the sum of the parts; is someone in control of all aspects of the project (project manager)?

Although Einstein said it [“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius— and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction,”] nearly a century ago his words are relevant today. Confusion of goals exist in the Middle East peace talks; dieting; political agendas; health care; NASA’s space program; the list goes on.

Regarding time management skills, it’s safe to say that if goals are realized then time becomes, well; maybe not irrelevant but more a friend than an enemy.

In these times of economic instability everyone is looking for an edge. People want to perform their jobs better, to improve their lives. They want to spend more time with their families and go on camping trips. In short, they want to realize their dreams.

Unfortunately there is no magic bullet that will guarantee success. The best avenue for success is still the tried and true method of rolling up your sleeves and working harder than the other guy (that’s what made America great, right?).

Work Smarter

The key (not the secret) is to work smarter than the other guy. How do you do that? Continue your education by taking night classes at the local college? That would be great if you have the time and your family backs you up. Fortunately, there’s a way to get smarter that’s literally right in your lap.

Your laptop is the gateway to working smarter (that’s how you got here, right?). The world workforce has been given a powerful tool that has grown tremendously over the past few years. The internet has allowed the pooling of minds that just a few years ago had no voice outside their cubicle or office. Think of yourself attending a seminar on software design and instead of just one renowned expert you are listening to hundreds (not all at the same time, of course).

The Secret to Time Management is at the End of a Labyrinth

So what has this got to do with the secret of time management? It’s a kind of puzzle. Do you recall those labyrinth puzzles where you begin at one end and have to navigate through endless dead ends before you find the other end (sometimes it takes hours). That’s what the internet is all about, really. It has your true path but it also allows you to head into dead ends. Let’s face it, there are a lot of voices on the internet that aren’t true.

Sign Up Now for Your Free Pass

My job is to help you navigate through the maze. I have already done much of the leg work as you can see after reading my articles. But articles and pep talks aren’t enough (as aren’t untrue promises and endless rhetoric).

You need a plan to get you through the maze. I have begun by identifying the ten most important steps to improve time management.

Please sign up now. Think of it as a free seat at the seminar that could save your life.

An engineer would say that workplace uncertainty is directly proportional to the state of the economy. The rest of you would say that when the economy gets worse so does workplace uncertainty. Whether you are a technical professional, a human resources worker, or a salesperson, workplace uncertainty, especially in times of economic woes, can be a monster intent on devouring you.

Here are some outcomes of workplace uncertainty:

• Promotions are few and far between

• Layoffs are prevalent

• Older workers become replaced by younger engineers with lower salaries

• Personnel’s cubicles are continually relocated

• Company’s downsizing means a larger workload

• Less job security, less affordable health coverage, less pay

• More distrust between workers and management

• Workplace uncertainty doesn’t go away if employees ignore it

Uncertainty in our lives can cause stress, conflict with co-workers, anxiety, procrastination and wasted time or lack of productivity. Uncertainty in the workplace will crossover into the home environment.

1. The first thing for an engineer to do is remove the effects of workplace uncertainty on the home front as much as possible. If you get a pay cut talk it over with the family and minimize its effects by cutting down on some expenses that are not needed.
2. Don’t dwell on the rumors that you hear in the workplace. This is a silent killer that often lends the highest stress at small innuendos and during snippets of conversation. Don’t bury your head in the sand but don’t dwell on such things either.
3. Only be concerned about things that you have control over. You have no control over company mergers, restructuring, or the state of the US economy.
4. Identify the things you do have control over. You do have control over your job, your home life, and how people view you in the workplace. Consider contingency plans.
5. Focus on what is most important in your life, especially at home. This is where your main support group is.
6. Exercise, eat right, and stay away from bad habits such as alcohol and drugs.
7. Don’t dwell on what may happen to you. Instead, set goals and evaluate workplace situations based on your own time frame.
8. Seek out co-workers with positive attitudes and avoid doomsday naysayers.

Before you start the process of prioritizing you should ask yourself a few questions to establish a baseline at which to begin. This will improve time management and make you a more productive worker.

• Why were you hired for this job? Are you accomplishing things that your boss set out for you to do? Have a talk with your boss to make sure you are on track.
• What is it that you do that adds the highest value to your job? If you are not sure, ask your co-workers.
• What are the best results you have achieved on any project you have worked on at work? Think about why you were successful. Can you use this as a blueprint to be successful on future projects?
• How do you make a difference at work? Is there something unique that only you can do? Use it to your advantage whenever possible.
• What is the most valuable use of your time at work? Take a few minutes and think about it. This is a good place to start prioritizing your work to improve productivity.

Separate out the big items, the urgent matters that require your immediate attention. There are usually a few big ticket items and loads of smaller issues. Don’t spend too much time worrying about the small stuff. Another way of looking at it is that the more important an issue or project is the more heat you are going to take if it doesn’t get done.

Once you have established what is your number one priority view it within the context of the above bullet points:

1. Is it an issue or project that your boss expects you to accomplish? If not, you need to talk.

2. Apply what you do well to accomplish this project or issue.

3. Think about how you can be just as successful with this project or issue as you have been on a previous one where you excelled.

4. Apply your unique ability to the task.

5. Use your time wisely as you have done while completing similar issues.

Now take the second item of highest importance and apply the same technique and then go down the list. The less important an issue is the less time you will have to spend on it and some issues you will be able to discard all together.

time management strategies

I speak to Silicon Valley engineers. Many of you never have the time to enjoy life and could benefit from time management strategies geared toward you occupation. You are locked in a 24/7 job because you need the money (don’t we all) and are caught up in daily routines that don’t lead to advancement or personal growth.

Having worked over twenty years as an engineer in both domestic and international markets I understand the difficulties of the workplace—the stress of overwork, deadlines, and endless meetings—and I have learned through the years that how the engineer improves time management from inside out is a key element to success in the workplace and their personal life.

All I ask of the Silicon Valley engineer (you other engineers, students, and technical professionals are welcome, too) is to keep an open mind. I will pass on my knowledge and lessons learned so that the engineer won’t have to travel down the same bumpy road I did.

Please join up, learn valuable time management strategies and become a regular visitor where I will provide you with articles and upcoming e-books to show you how to relieve the stress and help you “get a life” (you may have noticed that corporations, universities, and consultants treat you as an entity while I will treat you as an individual).

Every engineer should have an opportunity to live a full life and grow as an individual outside of the workplace. It doesn’t mean that the engineer should slough off at work or call in sick frequently. On the contrary, it means to gain control over your life, reduce your workload, and find happiness.

It’s time to improve time management and keep an open mind.

Let me help you now.

I’ve said all along that improved time management for Silicon Valley engineers begins at home. My personal belief is that TV’s have little value other than showing movies (and broadcasting LA Dodgers baseball games). I know Americans love to tune in every week and find out whose “Friends” are whose and what happened at “Melrose Place” (is that still on? Shows you how much I keep up with TV!).

Obviously, sitting in front of the TV for hours is time wasted and not the best of time management strategies. You could be doing things to promote personal growth that will lead to your dream of becoming a pilot, a rock climber, or consulting in Tokyo. On the other hand, there’s an argument that you’re involved in “quality time” with the family (after all, that’s the intent—to spend more time with the family).

Perhaps the term “trash the TV” is a little harsh. How about “reprogramming” it (hook up a DVD player?) to play movies that the family will all enjoy (mostly on the weekends?)? On weeknights the kids should be doing homework that you need to help them with.

And then there are video games—engineers and technical professionals love them, it seems. I was one of those engineers that never got interested in video games. In fact, I have no idea what the latest video craze is or the names of the current games.

Now that I think about it, this article is geared more for the engineer’s kids. By not watching mindless TV and sitting wide-eyed in front of the computer screen destroying aliens with lasers (or whatever) , the engineer is setting an example for them. Wouldn’t it be nice to replace it with a family activity: golf, bowling, or even going for walks or hiking?

It all comes down to moderation. A few beers on Friday night are a good time for an engineer and a few beers every night is a bad habit that needs fixing. The same goes for watching TV and playing video games.

my e-book

The first draft of my e-book, An Engineer’s Guide to Managing Time for Professional and Personal Growth is complete. The text contains about 18,000 words or sixty-five pages divided into thirty powerful chapters guaranteed to get the engineer on the right track to personal and professional growth.

I tried to put myself in the engineer’s shoes while writing. Twenty-four exercises are geared to make the engineer think and make decisions with some of the exercises designed to move the engineer outside his or her comfort zone.

the engineer shifting gears

To complete my e-book course the engineer will have to begin shifting gears. We live in a competitive society and I’m assuming that the reason the engineers will purchase my course is to advance in their job and improve their situation on the home front. Here’s how I envision the engineer changing gears:

First Gear: You except where you are at and realize you need to change gears.

Second Gear: You are well into my course and have gone outside your comfort zone enough to be “comfortable” with it. You are beginning to take charge of your life both at work and at home.

Third Gear: You have completed my course and have a clear vision of where you are going and how you will get there (this is the best anyone could ask for).

the author shifting gears

I’ve already begun shifting gears myself by becoming much more involved in the marketing aspects of my e-book. I need to reach the engineers before I can help them. The internet is a vast place and finding out where a group of people with different likes and dislikes hangout can be a daunting task.

I haven’t found anyone else who is doing the same thing I am (adapting time management strategies specifically for engineers). The general “time management” field is flooded with sites, blogs, gurus, good information, and bad information.

I will strive to offer engineers the facts and the latest information available. Having worked as an engineer for over twenty years I have an advantage—I know how engineers think. All together I have worked about fourteen years overseas, where I learned the most skills. You could say that my e-book is a compilation of all those years of hard work.

Don’t miss this opportunity. Sign up now!

One of the best time management strategies begins at home with your family. Let’s face it, your family is your foundation and it may consist of a wife and kids, or for a single person, friends and family. In this article I am peeking into the life of 27 year-old Joe the engineer, who has a wife and two children, and lives in the Silicon Valley.

Joe the engineer had been neglecting his family. He had been leaving early for breakfast at Starbucks—a coffee and a pastry—and had a habit of returning home late. The deadlines had been piling up at work and Joe was really getting frustrated.

Joe sought some help in the form of a personal time management training course that he was able to complete at home, with the help of his wife. The e-book course taught Joe how to better manage his time and the first thing he did was to arrange his life so that he always returned home by 8 pm. From 8 to 9 pm Joe and his wife worked on the time management course and from 9 to 10 pm he helped the kids with homework and read a bedtime story to them. This caused smiles all around.

You might ask, “How was Joe able to rearrange his life at work so easily as to improve his home life so drastically?”

The answer is, “It wasn’t easy but it was well worth the effort.”

The first lesson of Joe’s time management training course showed him how he had been wasting a lot of time. After the first week of the course Joe the engineer rearranged his schedule based upon the two hours a day he had managed to save. The amazing thing is that the changes he had made were all fairly simple and none of them caused him any more stress or added work. On the contrary, his stress level had been lowered substantially. The hardest part of it was committing to the changes that he had made.

What were these changes? Believe it not the first one was to simply ask for help regarding a couple of issues Joe didn’t understand. Once he did understand the issues then Joe had no reason to procrastinate so he got them under control. Once he got all his issues under control he prioritized them. Once he prioritized all of his work issues he was able to dump some of them entirely. Once Joe got all of his work prioritized he saved two hours a day.

Once Joe saved two hours a day, guess what? He added those two hours to his “to do” list as daily 8 pm to 10 pm “with family.”

Today is July 4^th, Independence Day, a good day to reflect on how my website embodies the simple ways to improve time management. I goggled “time management” and looked at several sites dedicated to the subject, and, as it turned out, other things. They included topics such as corporate relocation, real estate sales, pilot licensing—great stuff, but what does it have to do with time management? And I saw a lot of advertisement, which distracted me from the content.

You won’t find advertisement on my site and every article you read is written solely by me. My site is dedicated to improve time management for Silicon Valley engineers and technical professionals. My audience also includes university students, especially engineering majors such as electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineering. University students today, more than ever need to improve time management and manage stress, which go hand in hand.

My e-book, An Engineer’s Guide to Managing Time for Professional and Personal Growth, is coming along well and I expect to have the final draft ready by the middle of this month. It’s a one-of-a-kind book that speaks directly to you, the engineer. Having worked in the engineering industry for over twenty years both domestically and internationally I have the experience and a unique “slant” on what it takes for the engineer to improve time management. I don’t have all the answers (whoever says they do is not being honest to you) but you can be sure the time management strategies I provide to you will work.

My simple philosophy embodies the simple ways to improve time management: to provide you with the right tools for you to grow both at work and at home and realize some of your dreams.

If you haven’t done so already please leave your name and e-mail address in the box to the right and you will be sent my “10 point Plan,” the basis for my e-book.

Have a safe Independence Day and please enjoy a nice day with your family and leave work for tomorrow.

You won’t take control of your life by screaming in other people’s ears. Sometimes a whisper can amount to a “loud” voice in the workplace.

Let’s put it another way—it’s not how loud you say it, it’s what you have to say.

Suppose you work on the twenty-first floor of a building and a fellow employee races into your office and screams, “The building is on fire!”

Suppose again that you are on the same twenty first floor of a building and a fellow employee calmly walks into your office and says, “A fire has broken out on the first floor but the fire truck is on the way. As a precaution they are evacuating the building so we should use the emergency stairwell.”

Well, you might not feel good either way but don’t you think the second scenario was a better example of how your fellow employee took better control over the situation?

Taking control is often about making the most of a bad situation and requires a calm, pointed and meaningful response:

1. The boss calls you into the office after receiving a customer complaint.
2. During a group meeting the subject of a design flaw (on a project you worked on) comes up.
3. After a “fender bender” involving several cars the driver at fault claims you caused the accident.

All three of the examples above cry out for more information but before you approach them answer the root problem (to yourself):  Did I cause the customer complaint? Was my design work involved in the flaw? Is there any way I could have been at fault in the accident?

Once you have established your position (in your heart) take control by asking pointed questions in a calm manner, designed to uncover the facts. If it was something you did that caused the root problem be prepared to admit it, discuss a solution, and get on with your life (people will forgive a mistake but not when you try to hide it).

Taking control of your life is about many things and this article has touched on one aspect of it.

Most Silicon Valley engineers and technical professionals have a “to do” or a task list where they keep track of their daily tasks but they often miss an important step—they don’t prioritize the task list. When you prioritize your task list you can improve time management by being more organized and save valuable time. The following exercises illustrate the point.

Open the middle drawer of your desk at home or in the office and quickly remove ten unrelated items and set them in front of you.

Here’s an example of what I found:

1. A pen
2. A quarter
3. Ticket stub for the movie Avatar
4. A piece of wrapped candy
5. A key
6. A business card
7. A ruler
8. A paperclip
9. An tiny address book
10. An unwrapped breath mint

Now prioritize the ten items, number one being the highest priority and number ten the lowest priority. Give a reason for each decision. Here is what I came up with:

1. The key (#5) was a spare house key that I forgot to return to its hiding place the last time I locked myself out of my house.
2. The pen (#1) was sealed in a felt covered box and had been gifted to me while I was working in Japan.
3. Chocolate caramels (#4) are my favorite wrapped candies.
4. The movie Avatar was cool and I decided to keep the ticket stub (#3).
5. The quarter (#2) will go into my coin jar.
6. The ruler (#7), relatively new, had both inches and centimeters on it.
7. I’m always looking for paperclips (#8) so I will return it to the drawer for another day.
8. The business card (#6) reminds me that I need to make new ones.
9. The address book (#9) belongs to someone else and I have no idea how I came across it.
10. I threw the unwrapped breath mint (#10) into the trash can.

Notice that I prioritized not on the value of the article itself but on how much importance I attributed to it. My key has no value to anyone except to me and my family. To a diabetic my chocolate caramel might be on the bottom of the list.

Now try the same exercise with your ten most important issues at work. For purposes of illustration I will include a hypothetical list for one workday that has not been prioritized:

1. Schedule meeting with vendor regarding design changes.
2. Group meeting at 10 am.
3. Check e-mail and voice mail.
4. Download and test new software script.
5. Obtain latest list of design parameters from co-worker.
6. Update project design schedule.
7. Work on best practices for the office.
8. Order RAM upgrade kit for laptop to improve performance.
9. Lunch at Asian restaurant.
10. Download photos from a vendor.

I prioritized this workday list as follows:

1. Download and test new software script (#4). This short script enabled me to automatically upload parameters into a data bank, saving me at least two hours of time.
2. Schedule meeting with vendor regarding design changes (#1). I’ve been procrastinating on this all week, afraid the vendor will not accept a two week delay. As a first step I talked to my boss and he advised me to schedule meeting tomorrow, promising to get me some help to reduce two week delay period.
3. Lunch at Asian restaurant (#9). I met my wife and son—my family is near the top of the list when it comes to prioritization. I returned to work happy and refreshed and accomplished a lot.
4. Group meeting at 10 am (#2). I presented an Excel spreadsheet designed to accomplish several design calculations as my “best practices” contribution.
5. Work on best practices for the office (#7). The hour I spent prior to the group meeting on my spreadsheet was very productive.
6. Update project design schedule (#6). Not only did I update it, but I prioritized the schedule, too.
7. Download design photos from a vendor (#10). Close inspection showed a flaw in the design. I reported it to the vendor, which might have saved some time that could have been lost.
8. Order RAM upgrade kit for laptop to improve performance (#8). Completed order.
9. Check e-mail and voice mail (#3). I took the advice of improved time management expert and only checked e-mail and voice mail in the morning and afternoon.
10. Obtain latest list of design parameters from co-worker (#5). I deleted this item because the script I downloaded performed this function automatically.

By prioritizing and analyzing a “to do” list just as he would a project under review an engineer can become more organized, increase productivity, and save time. By practicing improved time management strategies such as prioritizing, the engineer will take a step closer toward his or her goal of professional and personal growth.

It’s easy to say, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Procrastination is another dragon the engineer must slay on the way to realizing professional and personal growth. For engineers procrastination often results when tasks seem daunting to the point that it overwhelms them and then self doubt creeps in. Self doubt is a common malady considering the complexity and rate of implementation of many engineering projects and usually results from fear of failing. The complexity of electronic systems, their design, construction, and use require many skills and often times an engineer is asked to take on new tasks beyond his or her current skill level. This can exacerbate fear and self doubt and procrastination is seen to be a quick solution to the short term problem.

If they are left to fester, short term problems inevitably develop into long term nightmares. So how does an engineer avoid procrastination? Fear will always rear its head and self doubt is unavoidable given the circumstances. If left unchecked they could lead to the more serious chronic problem of lack of confidence—a career destroyer.

To avoid procrastinating the engineer needs to make a big commitment to a few changes and each one in itself is simple and just requires accomplishing one small step at a time.

• Become more organized: This doesn’t necessarily mean the engineer should clear off his desk. All engineers seem to have messy desks but know how to retrieve what they need. This is more about organizing time, both at work and at home. Create a doable schedule that includes both your home life and workplace. Flag the items that are causing your procrastination in red and in “bold” come up with a one sentence simple first step action. For example, you are procrastinating about implementing a new radio station because you don’t know how to download all the parameters. Your answer:  Send a simple e-mail to co-workers asking if they have had problems downloading parameters.

• Prioritize your “to do” list: Engineers all have “to do” lists and they are a good thing. But often lists are not prioritized and are simply numbered from one to whatever. At the end of the day unfinished business will be put on tomorrow’s “to do” list. Procrastinated issues always seem to find their way to the bottom of the list. Prioritize your list and place the issues you are procrastinating on at the top in bold. Once again come up with a simple first step answer to the issue.

• Ask for “Help,” one of the secrets of time management: It’s amazing what people will do for you if you just ask. All engineers like to think that they know all the answers but there comes a time when it’s worthwhile to swallow your pride and ask. People (even engineers) like to witness other people just being human.

• Take action immediately on the issue: As soon as an issue becomes a problem, take action; don’t give it time to fester like other secrets you have kept to yourself. Make a phone call, send an e-mail, grab a co-worker, but take action. This will help “nip the problem in the bud.” Then take another small step and then another and procrastination will be a thing of the past.

• Reduce time consuming tasks to a manageable level: Sometimes procrastination doesn’t occur because of one or two issues but because of a kind of system overload. The engineer takes on more and more responsibilities and his or her overall work suffers. The engineer needs to learn to say “no” and to learn to “cut the fat” from projects. Too many meetings can waste valuable time. Perhaps it’s better to get a summary of project from a co-worker who has had the experience than studying the entire project manual yourself.

Once the engineer has accomplished small steps for these tasks to improve time management he or she will be amazed how much more comfortable their job has become without the threats of fear and self doubt that has led to procrastination. Now the engineer can use these time management strategies to reach the next step—becoming an expert in the workplace.

Most Silicon Valley engineers own a car and drive to work by themselves. They don’t need any distractions (especially on California freeways). During the long commute there is no time to do any work (it would be dangerous to try). Even if the engineer was able to get some work done while driving; well, by the time he arrived on the job he would be a nervous wreck.

How is turning the long commute into productive time accomplished then?

Productive time is quality time well spent in getting important things done. It is not the number of hours and minutes that the engineer squeezes into a day to accomplish tasks on the job. That is work time, typically 8 to 12 hours per day, which the engineer can easily reduce when he uses improved time management techniques on this website.

This article addresses that aspect of productive time that is of a personal, soul searching nature. The engineer shouldn’t be making any phone calls, e-mails, nor having discussions with co-workers during this time. The long commute is perfect for this and with a little practice a few minutes a day there’s no reason why the engineer can’t exercise this aspect of productive time while driving safely. You will also disover that this is a good method of managing stress. Here are some guidelines:

• The engineer should be as comfortable as possible (whatever works). Some engineers would prefer quiet during their commute while others might like to listen to their favorite music.

• A quick stop at Starbucks can provide an extra caffeine rush to get productive time in motion during the commute.

• A voice activated MP3 recorder (or similar recording device) in your vehicle will be very helpful to record important thoughts.

• Banish any negative thoughts from your mind before you begin.

This aspect of productive time is all about building upon the positive things going on in your life and will jump-start your professional and personal growth. Begin by creating a visual image of something that you really desire in life. Emphasize it by describing it orally for your recorder. Make it simple but as clear as possible. If you don’t commute to work them go for a walk at lunchtime or on break and find a quiet, serene place.

An example of productive time for an engineer might be to visualize you in the bosses’ office receiving a promotion. The image should be clear enough so that you can refer back to it while at work, especially during times of stress. You might attach episodes to it like standing up in a meeting and declaring that your project has been completed a week earlier or imagining yourself up on the podium receiving an award for a job well done. Another image in your mental photo album might be at the local airport receiving your pilot’s license or in the Sierras reaching the top of that mountain you just conquered.

Once the engineer forms a habit of taking a few minutes during his (or her) commute and creating positive images he (or she) will be amazed how these dreams begin to turn into reality over time.

Why are so many engineers stuck in a rut with job dissatisfaction? Is it the long hours? Is it that they can’t manage stress? The constant threat of deadlines? All of the above? Let’s examine the main culprits that lead to job dissatisfaction in the workplace and what can be done about them.

Unrest at home

Job satisfaction in the workplace begins at home. If an engineer has an unhappy personal life then nothing is going to satisfy him (or her) at work. But the causes of an unhappy personal life probably began from the long hours put in at work so it’s a kind of “Catch-22” situation. What is needed then is to improve time management and set healthy goals that lead to professional and personal growth.

Manage Stress

Stress can be devastating in the workplace and needs to be recognized early to minimize its effects, which is easier said than done. The causes aren’t always obvious but are often related to too much work, long working hours, and job insecurity (layoffs, downsizing, mergers, etc). A good way for the engineer to learn to manage stress is to create a harmonious home life, participate in a regular exercise program, open yourself up to other people as much as possible, maintain a positive attitude, and learn and use time management techniques.

Lack of opportunity for promotion

This is a common Silicon Valley engineer’s complaint. It’s all about competition and how the engineer can stand tall above his co-workers. Promotions aren’t about pleasing management (they shouldn’t be)—they’re really about being consistent at your job and possessing that “edge” over other candidates. Often, an engineer can gain an edge by becoming an expert at a problem at work. This could be fixing a software glitch, fixing malfunctioning electronic hardware, maintaining best practices, scheduling; any number of things. You could become the “go to” guy for certain types of issues in the workplace.

Lack of job autonomy and support from management

Many engineers suffer from the restraints put on them by management. Most successful companies empower their employees to make their own decisions and take the lead on projects. Alas, many companies do not. To be successful in this environment an engineer needs to find a way by bringing a louder voice into the workplace and becoming an expert in a niche, as previously mentioned.

Lack of a dream

Most all engineers have goals and they are outlined periodically in performance reviews and included in planners and “to do’ lists. But what every engineer really needs is a dream. Your dream might be learning to fly an airplane, traveling the world as a consultant, or becoming an artist and painting native girls on a tropical island. It can be anything! Your dream should be with you every day and give you a peace of mind that will help you over the bumpy road caused by stress and the other culprits mentioned above.

Turning job dissatisfaction into job satisfaction is not as difficult as it sounds if the engineer will learn to improve time management and have the peace of mind to manage stress and take advantage of the opportunities at work to promote his (or her) professional and personal growth.

For a Silicon Valley engineer a good impression may be somewhat different than an insurance rep selling a policy to a homeowner or a high school teacher at the first day of class. For Joe the engineer a good impression is based on mutual respect in a professional environment.

Sure, some of the basic tenants of a good impression are needed: Confidence, good posture, eye contact, appropriate dress, and a relaxed manner with a smile. But with engineers, a good impression only starts there. Joe engineer may be meeting a new hire engineer, a vendor rep, or a competitor from the industry. To make a good impression it helps if Joe has a very good idea of what the other person’s intentions are beforehand. For example, if Joe engineer is visiting a vendor who has failed to provide products in a timely manner his first impression needs to be firm, friendly, and professional. Even though the vendor is at fault, Joe needs to make a good impression so that he can work with the individual to find out a solution to the problem.

Professional, good impressions should exclude anger, bias, and personal dislike. Keep personal opinions outside the realm of your discussion. A first meeting is not the time to tell the latest joke or boast about your own company, either. These negative mannerisms can slow or even stop communications and exacerbate the problem. Joe engineer needs to show personal strength of character and fairness. A little empathy can go a long way in establishing a professional relationship that transcends the individual needs of both parties.

Good engineers are aware that a good impression can lead to professional relationships that can last for years. Trust is a revered word in the engineering industry and can have more value than money when it comes to what it takes to meet deadlines and complete successful projects on time.

Much has been said about “to do” or task lists, daily journals, and organizers in reference to improved time management. They all peer into the uncertain future and remind engineers of the tasks that need to be completed. Unless they are well thought out, prioritized, and adhered to they can waste time rather than save it. Often times the engineer is so caught up in what has to be done that he (or she) forgets about what has been done.

Let me show you how lists can start you on your way to better organization. Have you considered starting the day with a list of accomplishments? What better way to fire up your confidence and face the upcoming drama with a sense of pride. It will only take a few minutes a day and can easily be logged into a word file, jotted down on a yellow pad, or better yet make a mental exercise out of it-take ten minutes or so and think about your ten best accomplishments.

They don’t all have to be big accomplishments and this just might be the jump-start the engineer needs on the way to having a louder voice at work. Here is one day’s hypothetical list of accomplishments for a typical Silicon Valley professional we’ll call Joe engineer:

• Instead of the usual rush to visit Starbucks for coffee and pastry, Joe had breakfast with the family. The wife and kids were happy.

• Joe dropped his son off at school.

• Joe convinced the boss that it would be more effective to come in to work an hour early (and leave an hour early). This will allow more effective time to get things done.

• Joe helped a co-worker figure out a problem with a software program used to design his latest product.

• During a morning meeting Joe pointed out that one phase of a product design could be easily handled by two engineers instead of three and everyone at the meeting agreed.

• Joe had lunch with a bright engineer who he had seldom talked to before. They discussed the project Joe was working on and his fellow engineer had a great idea how Joe could streamline the development using a new program he had developed in house.

• Joe listened patiently to a co-worker’s woes about how all her work yesterday had been erased because she had accidentally turned off an auto-save function.

• Joe remembered to write down a key task for tomorrow’s “things to do” list.

• Joe stopped at the bakery on the way home from work and bought a cake for his wife’s birthday.

• Joe began his “list of accomplishments,” which was awesome.

Think of each of Joe engineer’s “list of accomplishments” like stepping stones that lead up a rocky precipice. Each stone of itself is not so important but put them all together and you have a powerful path that is always heading upwards. Joe engineer’s accomplishments when accumulated for a year will have enabled him to climb a mountain—to get more organized, improve time management, and have a louder voice at work.

Engineers, technicians, and scientists are encouraged to take ten minutes a day and review their “list of accomplishments” over coffee. It will be time well spent and will help you to improve time management and get you on your way to better organization.

“What is time management? Is it for me?” These questions are often asked during time management seminars given at corporations. In a typical time management training scenario Silicon Valley engineers might be asked to write down their immediate, short-term, and long-term time management goals. Let’s take a group of engineers who probably don’t have a clue about time management goals—they’re too busy meeting deadlines and this seminar is keeping them from meeting their latest one.

Instead of looking at time management goals let’s first examine how an engineer spends his (or her) 24 hours a day:

• 6 to 8 hours sleeping
• 8 to 12 hours working
• 3 to 4 hours work preparation (long commute, off site meetings after work, and poring over documents at Starbucks)
• 1 to 3 hours long commute (round trip)
• Minus 3 to plus 6 hours personal time

Minus 3 hours personal time? This means that in some instances engineers need 26 hours a day and therefore forced to use time they would normally spend with their families at the workplace. So the answer for the Silicon Valley engineer to the question proposed in the first paragraph, “What would you do if you had more time in your day?” is “I’d spend more time at work.”

The goal to improve time management mustn’t be to create more time for work; the goal should be to lessen time at work and create more personal time for the engineer to spend with his (or her) family. Time management should be another tool in the engineer’s arsenal to be accomplished both at work and at home. In short, the engineer needs professional and personal growth.

But the engineer will say, “If I spend less time at work I won’t meet my deadlines and if I don’t meet my deadlines then I will be spending all my time at home.”

Create less time at work and more time at home: Yes, it sounds counterproductive but it has to do with the engineer’s quality of work, changing his (or her) perspective, and growing in the workplace by having a louder voice and challenging himself (or herself).

Getting back to the time management seminar where the participants were asked to write down their immediate, short-term, and long-term time management goals: What if instead they were asked to write down their immediate, short-term, and long-term goals to promote professional and personal growth? Here is what one engineer’s response then might be:

• Immediate: I’ll swallow my pride and ask Joe engineer to teach me his new software program that will cut my deadline in half. I will eat breakfast with the wife and kids at least twice a week (to start).

• Short term:  I’ll present a work quality study during the end of the month meeting instead of listening to my co-workers. Next week, to prepare for it, I will sign up for a “Toastmasters” seminar to improve my speaking skills. I’ve always wanted to pursue rock climbing and will join a club that will allow me to take the family camping and I can do a climb.

• Long term: I want to become a consultant and travel the world while my kids are in good universities.

Its beginning to sound like “time management” is the wrong moniker, doesn’t it? Perhaps it should be “professional and personal growth management.”

Let’s face it, the Silicon Valley engineer’s world is constantly evolving and it’s difficult just to stay abreast of new technologies that pop up regularly and manage stress, much less worry about what to do to improve time management. Corporate training always lags the invention of technology and a “team” atmosphere embracing good communication is required to keep up with it. Today, an independent engineer who relies solely on his (or her) own resources can have a difficult time in the workplace.

Time management training in itself means little as it is impossible to manage (to manipulate) time. What’s really needed is a time management strategy geared for the engineer that will allow for other more satisfying things in his (or her) life to open up. It begins not in the corporate classroom but in the engineer’s mind, and ends at home. You must declutter your mind.

The late great John Wooden, Head Basketball Coach UCLA said: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

The engineer is encouraged to study Coach Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success,” (Google) which has at its foundation industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, and enthusiasm. Coach Wooden didn’t teach his players the skill of playing basketball (they already had the skills). He taught them to be individuals, to have faith and stand up in what they believed, and embrace his philosophy of basketball-poise and self-control driven by faith and patience. Coach Wooden’s teams were sometimes overmatched physically but he won more national championships (ten) than any other coach.

Time management training should be one of several life-long time management strategies comprising a philosophy instead of a one or two day class given in a corporate classroom. Instead of “Decluttering your Desk” the subject should be to “Declutter your Mind.” Instead of a time management training program espousing the benefits of a 20% increase in employee production and efficiency it should target the engineer’s growth as an individual  and as a member of the team.

Specificity is a lean, sharp-edged word, like an arrow streaking toward a bull’s eye. The rock singer Sting could write a song about it. It’s the quality of being very specific—to the point—and is a very worthwhile word. The engineer should learn how to improve communication with this word.

We live in a world of generality (roughly, nearly, thereabouts) often backed up by unintelligible gobbledygook. This is because specificity often exposes the raw edges, the truth and may stir up controversial issues. You won’t find a lot of specificity in the subjects that stir people’s emotional hot spots such as politics, abortion rights, and religion.

Politicians speak in generalities all the time. Government bills that become laws are great examples. The general citizenry doesn’t really understand what it’s all about and yet a bill exists in a two-thousand plus page document. Wouldn’t it be nice if the US government was required to explain every bill in one page or less for the public? If they couldn’t explain the bill in one page or if it wasn’t clear then the bill wouldn’t pass.

This author worked as an engineer/consultant in Japan and helped design and implement a GSM type cell phone system in Osaka. The Japanese engineers introduced a simple but specific one page document in every meeting, usually accompanied by an illustration, that illustrated how to improve communication. Perhaps this is where we Americans came up with the expression: “Staying on the same page” (although we don’t seem to exercise it so much these days).

At a recent empowerment seminar the speaker espoused this powerful sentence: “The meaning of a conversation is the response you get.” To be more specific: meaning = response. This could also be applied to writing or any form of communication (sign language, Morse code, et al). This kind of empowerment is a perfect bull’s eye—specificity to the max.

Both writing and speaking can be clearer and the audience will appreciate it more by being specific. Specificity will lead to better communication and will allow more time to do other things.