Time Allocation & Optimization Guide

1. Define Your Total Available Time

Start by setting the total amount of time you have for the period you're planning (e.g., hours in a workday, hours in a week for projects).

2. List All Tasks or Categories

Add every task or category of work that needs a share of this time. Be comprehensive.

3. Assign Priorities

For each task/category, assign a priority (High, Medium, Low). This tool uses these priorities to calculate a suggested time distribution:

• High Priority: Gets the largest share proportionally.
• Medium Priority: Gets a moderate share.
• Low Priority: Gets the smallest share.

4. Review Suggested Allocation

The tool will automatically calculate a "Suggested Time" for each item based on its priority and the total available time. This gives you a starting point based on relative importance.

5. Manually Allocate Time

Adjust the "Manually Allocated Time" for each task. The suggested time is just a guide. You know best about specific needs, deadlines, or dependencies that might require deviations from a purely proportional split.

6. Monitor the Summary

As you manually allocate time, keep an eye on the summary section. It will show:

• Total Allocated Time: The sum of time you've assigned.
• Remaining Time: How much of your total available time is left.
• Over/Under Allocation: If you've assigned more or less time than available.

Aim to have Total Allocated Time match your Total Available Time.

7. Prioritization Techniques (Consider these when setting priorities)

• Eisenhower Matrix (Urgent/Important):
  • Urgent & Important: Do first (High Priority).
  • Important, Not Urgent: Schedule (High/Medium Priority).
  • Urgent, Not Important: Delegate (Medium/Low Priority).
  • Not Urgent & Not Important: Eliminate or do last (Low Priority).
• MoSCoW Method:
  • Must have: Critical tasks (High Priority).
  • Should have: Important, but not vital (Medium Priority).
  • Could have: Desirable if time permits (Low Priority).
  • Won't have (this time): Tasks to exclude.
• Value vs. Effort: Prioritize tasks that offer high value for relatively low effort.

8. Iterate and Refine

Time allocation is often an iterative process. Review your plan, make adjustments, and find what works best for your goals and working style.