Program Outline

Get Organized and Get Things Done
Practical Time Management for Lawyers

Are you carrying a heavy case load,  completing work at the last minute, plagued by constant interruptions, inundated with information, drowning in paper, overloaded by e-mail, handling  too much of the work load by yourself, or spending too much time at the office? In short, do you seem to have too much to do and not enough time?

This fast-paced and entertaining seminar provides practical and effective skills and techniques for managing your time, projects, information, paper, e-mail and staff.  Learn how to take control of your workload, manage your busy schedule, focus on your priorities, meet your deadlines with less stress and make your workday more productive.

Planning Your Workload & Determining Your Priorities

• A review of effective organizational and time management skills.
• Learn how to get out of working in crisis mode by staying on top of your workload through planning, prioritizing and scheduling time to do the work.
• Application of classic project management techniques to your cases and transactions.
• Develop systems for keeping track of information and tasks
• Delegate tasks and use associates and support staff more effectively.
• Learn how to apply weekly review and daily review to your caseload and do realistic scheduling to get things done.

Focus is the Key to Productivity – How to Overcome Time Traps & Time Wasters

• Learn how to avoid multitasking and focus on your work.
• Eliminate distractions to concentrate on your work and get it done.
• Learn specific techniques to manage and overcome potential time traps in your practice:
  Interruptions, drop-in visitors, lengthy phone conversations, operating in “crisis mode,” and procrastination.

Managing Paper & Documents and Overcoming E-mail Overload 

• Information flows to us through massive amounts of paper or a constant barrage of e-mail.
• Learn how to manage your desk, process your paperwork efficiently, declutter your office, set up effective systems for project and action files to find things when you need them, and catch up on your professional reading.
• Discover techniques in Outlook to review and handle your e-mail in a timely manner

Effective Communications in the Law Office

• Clear and effective communications with your colleagues, staff and clients is critical to effectively managing your workload.
• Develop skills of assuring clear communications, effective listening and closing a feedback loop in all of your communications.

Develop Your Personal Action Plan

• Each participant will leave with a personal action plan for three key areas to improve their productivity.