25 Essential Skills & Strategies For The Professional Behavior AnalystBy Jon Bailey and Mary Burch

Chapter 17 Time Management the Behavioral Way

Jessica Rothschild

Outline Reflect on a typical day. Identify how to waste time. Review a Workflow Diagram. Create a Self-Management Plan. Identify what tasks are most important to take

on. Practice saying “no”. Summarize how to use time management

skills.

A Day In the Life of a Behavior Analyst

Meeting with

a principal Work with a teacher

Answer voice mail

messages

Answer

e-mails

Have a

break and

maybe eat

your lunch

in the car

on your

way to

another

appointme

nt

Rushing

in order

to avoid

being

lateProgre

ss Report

s

Keep track of

billing hours

Make

Presentatio

nsMonitor behavior plans

How To Waste Time Completing tasks that others can be doing.

Solutions: Make sure instructions are clear. Give plenty of examples and provide feedback with

necessary.

Behavioral erosion or slippage Meetings run over the designated time.

Solution: Print out general announcements and hand them out in the beginning of the meeting.

Other ways to avoid behavioral erosion or slippage: Improve your writing skills. Organize your paper work.

How To Waste Time Redoing projects.

Do you find yourself looking back on projects or written assessments and finding missing information?

Solution: Task analysis of your work. Could save you up to and hour per week!

Trivial questions or invitations Be cautious with regard to networking. Solutions:

Complete your work in advance. Learn to say, “Thank you” and explain you have to

get your work done so that you can go out another day or evening during the week.

Most importantly: Get your work done. Maintain your professionalism in your decision

making.

The “2-minute” Rule David Allen Research on personal and organizational

productivity for professionals, corporations, and institutions.

www.davidco.com for more information about his company, purchase products, or books.

Created a workflow diagram used to help decision making when presented with an assignment.

The “2-minute” Rule In-basket

What is it?

Is it actionable

?

NO

Trash

Someday/maybe

(tickler file; hold for review

Reference(retrievable when

required)

YES

Whats the next

action?Will it take less than 2 minutes

Multistep projects

Projects(Planning)

Project plans

(review for actions)

NOYES

Do it Delegate it

Defer it

Next actions(to do as soon

as I can)

Calendar(to do at a

specific time)

Waiting(for someone

else to do)

David Allen's workflow diagram. From Getting things done: the art stress-free-productivity ,Allen , D.(2001).New York ; Penguin, p. 139.

The “2-minute” Rule Benefits to using the workflow diagram: Recognizes the complexity that some projects

may have. Weekly Review

Look at all the current projects, next actions, delegated items, and the “waiting for” items.

Decreases the chances of projects being overlooked.

Potential drawback when using Allen’s workflow diagram: Assumes that task completion is a natural

reinforcer.

Creating a Self-Management Plan If you need a consequence in order to keep

plugging away…. Premack Principle More probable behaviors will reinforce less

probable behaviors. Choose high probability behaviors and use

them as reinforcers for when you complete tasks that are not naturally reinforcing.

When using self-management strategies you are more likely to complete tasks efficiently and reach personal goals.

Creating a Self-Management Plan

Low Probability Behaviors High Probability Behaviors

Doing laundry

Make the bed

Vacuuming and dusting

Watch Greys Anatomy on Thursday night.

Have company over on the weekend.

Have my favorite breakfast.

Identifying Your Long-term Goal And What You Need To Add To Your Plate To Get There In the beginning it is exciting!

Identify your goal and when asked to do more: Examine the importance of the requested task. Would it directly help you achieve your goal? If not……

Learn how to say “no”.

How To Say “No” 1. Take major caution and consideration. 2. Avoid offending the person making the

request. Express appreciation for the invitation. Firmly express that you are unable to take on the

invitation at this time. “I’m sorry I can’t at this time but thank you for the invitation.”

3. Do not make up excuses. 4. If you are pushed to take the invitation after

professionally saying, “no”. Do not give an explanation or excuse. Repeat your original reply staying self-assured and

objective.

Summary Being organized and having time

management skills is essential in order to have a successful career as a behavior analyst.

If you….. Plan your day. Avoid wasting time. Use the Premack Principle and Allen’s method.

You will complete high quality work, enjoy highly preferred activities, and have fun while doing it!

References

Bailey, J. S., & Burch, M. R. (2005). Ethics for behavior analysts: A practical guide to the behavior analyst certification board guidelines for responsible conduct. Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Cooper, J.O., Heron,T.E., Heward, W.L. (2007). Applied

Behavior Analysis Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.