For way more information, testimonials, and resources about this event, visit www.planorbeplanned.com .

Seminar Description

Always running to catch up? Praying for green lights? In basket overflowing? Feeling out of control? Staying late? Too much to do? Not enough time for family, for friends, for yourself? Interruptions throwing you off track? Having less fun? Feeling too overwhelmed to be creative or focus on your larger goals? Choose to take control of the madness. We've all heard about time and priority management seminars ... find the time for something different.

"It made me stop and think."

- Radmila Kovacevik, Nortel

"Very knowledgeable."

- Kendra McDougal, Colonial Beach, Virginia

Managing time and balancing priorities is a top concern for professionals because we often work with short-term deadlines that demand innovation under stress. It's challenging to stay creative when your focus is fractured and the clock is ticking. Harder still is to make progress on larger, less urgent goals at the same time. We don't lack time: we lack front-end clarity. We don't need to manage time: we need to manage information and assign priorities. Only when we know where it is we want to go, can we figure out how to get there as fast as possible. Take the first step toward designing your life: take this seminar and learn how David gets so much done!

"Tangible tips... really like the humour, pace, and honesty."

- Jackie Kubica, Toronto, Ontario

"New and refreshing approach."

- Michelle Merrifield, London, Ontario

Language: English (French available upon request)

Read a testimonial letter from Adrian Bashford, Nortel [65KB]

"Thanks again for the priority management course, it taught me to be happy with whatever I can possibly achieve in a day and not run myself down. I am much happier since that course, both at work and at home. I even found time to sign up for Good Life and I go three times a week!"

- Daniela Rusu, Natural Resources Canada

"Inspiring! Absolutely on target - looking forward to any future talks."

- Elyte Balkyte-Zubis, Calgary

"He's very good at what he does."

- Jason Blakeney, Nortel

"This has been an enlightening course ... thank you for sharing your heart and soul."

- Sue McGillivray, Calgary

"Very enlightening, positive... doable! Unique and engaging."

- Laurie Murphy, Ottawa Senators

"Great motivator... thought-provoking!"

- Ken Guaeser, Colorado Springs, Colorado

"Thank you. You were excellent."

- Kurt Reckziegel, President, PPAC, Westmount, Québec

The Problem

Most professionals today are using more time than necessary to get things done due to a general lack of balanced priorities. Often, people find it difficult to say no, so they don't. Unrealistic and improper goals are consistently set and people struggle to meet them, often neglecting more important things. It's difficult to remember that when we say no to one thing, we are actually saying yes to something more important. Our bad habits are often reinforced by the thrill of the deadline, procrastination and other tricky behavioral ruts (in fact, procrastination is usually an indicator of a creative mind!)

"Helpful things I can use."

- Ben Doyle, Nortel

"Great! Logical, sensible."

- Doug Samuel, Hearnsee, Ottawa

"His approach is great!"

- Mark Bonnet, Nortel

What Makes This Seminar Unique

This isn't just one more priority management seminar. We will take the pain out of priority management effectively teaching you how to manage your priorities, turn intent into action, and get more accomplished in less time.

Our seminar leader, David Berman, is an internationally known speaker, has owned and operated several successful firms, and is considered an expert in time and resource management for individuals and groups. He has developed paper and software tools to assist in sharing his unique approach to managing priorities and getting the most important things done. David's proven techniques integrate David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) philosophy as well as Stephen Covey's Weekly Planning Model from First Things First.

"Great seminar, great presenter, very interesting topics. Informative! Many thanks!"

- Anonymous, Ottawa

"Very unique ideas."

- Douglas Lindsay Chapman, Nortel

What You'll Learn

• Lifetime
  o Why we work long hours
  o Time as a resource
  o Designing an ideal life
  o Your professional destination: where opportunity, capacity, and joy meet
• Mission
  o Plan or be planned
  o Who is driving you?
  o Direction is as important as time
  o Rapid personal mission development
  o Importance vs. urgency
  o Your life outcomes list
  o Your personal board of directors
• Weekly and Daily Techniques and Tools
  o Electronic to-do list tools
  o Fifth-generation prioritization
  o Weekly planning
  o Planning perfectly doable days
  o Designing tasks
  o Delaying gratification
  o Visualizing success
  o Top tips for saving minutes
  o How to arrive early, without losing time
  o How to delegate effectively and stress-free
  o How to say “No!”
  o Time-saving technology
  o Taming e-mail interruptions
• Getting Organized
  o Getting organized with a trusted system
  o Organizing a mobile workspace
  o Group time planning
• The Seven Deadline Sins
  o Procrastination
  o Indecisiveness
  o High efficiency addiction
  o Reactive mode
  o Getting past tense
  o Success
  o Perfection

"Very enjoyable."

- Julia Johnson, Seattle, Washington

Benefits to You

Increase your value and reduce your stress level by seizing on the potential of designing your life more cohesively and effectively. Investing the time for planning will make better lives possible for you and for everyone who depends on you. You will increase the likelihood of useful results, reduce the risk of the unexpected throwing you off track, and speed toward success as you increase your output and thus your compensation.

Benefits to Your Organization

• Clear professional and personal goals and objectives make for better work and clearer focus, resulting in a more successful organization
• Reduction to risk of employee burn-out through a system which values balance and ensures peak effectiveness and creativity
• Reduction in dangers of uncommitted agreements, which often result in unmet commitments, under-delivery, reduced morale and various opportunity costs
• Better products, by ensuring organization members each have a clear direction and agreement on what success looks like
• Reduced waste
• Reduced supervision
• Higher morale
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Higher proportion of staff time spent on strategic, creative thinking
• Higher skilled staff retention
• Knowledge retention

Seminar Goals

At the end of this seminar you will be able to:

• Develop your personal mission statement and life goals list
• Find personal balance that is in alignment with the priorities of those around you
• Plan a self-directed, sustainable, evergreened life plan, organizing by year, week, day, and minute
• Identify and activate what matters the most
• Reap the benefits of effective organization and delegation
• Allocate priority based upon importance rather than urgency
• Say “No!” when there are more important things deserving a “Yes!”
• Arrive on time to meetings that are truly effective
• Choose which tools (paper and/or electronic) best fit your personal style

Who Should Attend

This seminar is useful for anyone trying to manage competing priorities, focus on importance, and get more done with less effort and less stress on themselves and others.

Prerequisites: All you need is a little time... (and we guarantee you'll get your time back!)

What Participants Get

When David Berman Communications hosts this seminar*, full paying registrants receive:

• a complimentary, comprehensive 80-page learning companion(also available separately for $89, with optional 1-on-1 distance coaching)
• complimentary meals, snacks and beverages throughout
• a thirty-minute personal coaching tele-session within a month of the seminar
• the option to attend this seminar again in the future, as a refresher at no additional cost
• a money-back guarantee: if, after coaching and refresher, you don't think you've got your money's worth, we'll refund your entire registration fee

About the Expert Speaker

David Berman is the principal of David Berman Communications in Ottawa, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in design and strategic communications. In addition to operating as one of the leading design strategists in Canada's capital, in recent years he has also recommitted his career toward sharing his knowledge and unique talent as a manager through professional development seminars for creative organizations. David is the Ethics chair of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, and was named a Fellow by the Society in 1999. He is also a vice-president of Icograda, the world body for graphic design. David is a National Professional Member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS) and of Global Speakers Federation. David has been featured in the Financial Post, Marketing, and Applied Arts magazines.

*Discount packages for non-profits, and travel subsidies available. Additional discounts available for groups over three people. If you refer at least four registrants to one of our events, we'll give you a complimentary registration to a seminar of your choice. TimeTo full professional licensees receive a $100 discount to the seminar. Call (613) 728-6777 for details.

This event qualifies for MAS and CAS credits under the Master & Certified Advertising Specialist Program. For details, please contact PPAC or PPAI.

All prices, offerings, and dates subject to change without notice.

Event Schedule (all events)

Special corporate rates for:

Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (RGD)

Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC)

International Association of Business Communicators (IASB)

Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)

(if your association is not listed here, call us to check why not. Thank you.)