Program Summary

It's About TIME! is a program where participants learn the importance of time and what they need to know and do to manage themselves and their time effectively.

Participants leave this program energized with the tools and skills they need to take control, get more done, and have more fun!
This program is based upon the concepts and techniques in the book, It’s About TIME! by James R. Ball and Jennifer A. Kuchta of The Goals Institute.

Thumbnail images of The Learning Guide and the It's About TIME! book that come with the program are in the column on the left.

It’s About TIME! is available as a keynote or as an interactive learning seminar. Train-the-Trainer Resources also are available.

Download a one-page summary of this program in PDF format.

Frequently Asked Questions

A quick and effective way to tell you more about our It’s About TIME! program is to show you our answers to the questions we are most frequently asked. These questions are listed and answered below.

1. Why did we create this program?
   
   
2. What will this program do for your organization?
   
   
3. What will participants learn?
   
   
4. What are the outcomes of this program? What will participants do differently after attending this program?
   
   
5. What is the content of this program?
   
   
6. What’s so special about this program?
   
   
7. Who should attend this program?
   
   
8. How long is the program?
   
   
9. Who presents this program?
   
   
10. Do you customize this program?
    
    
11. What take-home resources and implementation tools are provided?
    
    
12. What organizations have benefited from this program?
    
    
13. What do people say about this program?
    
    
14. How much is this program?
    
    
15. What do I need to do to make arrangements for this program?
    
    
16. What is your Train-the-Trainer approach and how does it work?
    
    
17. Do I have to attend the seminar? Can I just buy the book?
    
    
18. Where can I buy It’s About TIME! and how much is it?

1. Why did we create this program?

We created this program for three reasons.

First, we want to help people understand and appreciate the importance of time management and self-management. Many people do not realize that they could be much happier, smarter, and more successful if they would just make small and consistent improvements in the way they manage themselves and their time.

Second, we want to help people take control, reduce stress, and get more done by providing them with simple and easy to use tools for being effective. People who take charge of themselves and who manage their time effectively make more money, advance higher and more rapidly in their careers, have less stress and frustration, are happier, and spend more time enjoying life doing what they want to do than people who do not manage themselves and their time well.

Anyone can manage their time better if they know what to do, have the tools, understand the tips and techniques for success, and are willing to make the commitment and do what is required.

Third, we want to provide our clients with a simple, affordable, and effective approach that is easy for people to learn and apply and that works well.

Many individuals in the workforce have never learned and do not follow a systematic approach for managing their time and themselves effectively.

Also, while there are many books and courses on time management, in our view they focus too much on setting appointments and maintaining a calendar, and they do not focus enough on setting clear and specific goals and creating systems for improving effectiveness and accelerating results.

Background

It’s About TIME! presents proven principles and techniques that work. Jim Ball, CEO and president of The Goals Institute first learned about the principles of time management and being effective from training programs and books developed by Peter Drucker, the famous management sage.

Jim took what he learned from Drucker and others and created the five core steps presented in It’s About TIME! during his years at Arthur Andersen where he was responsible for starting and leading a successful office. During his career at Andersen, Jim began teaching the time management techniques he was using to others.

Later, when Jim was in the venture capital business, he taught the same five steps for time management to the entrepreneurs he invested in and the associates in their organizations.

At The Goals Institute, we began teaching the same five steps over ten years ago under a different program name. In 2005, we changed the name of the program when we officially documented our approach and published our book, It’s About TIME! by co-authors Jim Ball and Jennifer Kuchta.

2. What will this program do for your organization?

This program will illuminate the importance of time and drive home the point that individuals can and must manage themselves and their time if they have any hope of achieving their potential and the successes and happiness they can achieve.

This program will motivate the people who attend to take concrete actions to develop and use good time management habits and skills that become ingrained as habits for lifetime success.

When the individuals who attend this program apply what they learn, they will increase the results they produce. They also will achieve those results faster and with less cost than they do currently.

Individuals who attend this program will:

• Increase their results
  
  
• Feel in control and be in control
  
  
• Be proactive in planning and doing their work instead of reacting to whatever comes their way
  
  
• Rediscover freedom and put flexibility into their schedules
  
  
• Eliminate time bandits and time wasters
  
  
• Quit procrastinating
  
  
• Get more done in less time with less stress
  
  
• Make daily progress
  
  
• Spend more time doing what should be done and what they want to do versus what someone else wants them to do
  
  
• Learn fast and simple techniques for developing systems that really work

3. What will participants learn?

Participants will learn how to manage their time well and get things done. Specifically, they will learn:

• The 5 Steps to True Time Management System and how to apply each step to take control, be effective, and get the balance in life that they want.
  
  
• How to keep their time in proper perspective so they consciously make decisions and take steps to manage and spend their time wisely.
  
  
• How to use the 3 Magic Pieces of Paper to manage time and achieve goals.
  
  
• How to use the “Holy Grail” of time management – the two most powerful techniques anyone will ever learn for increasing daily effectiveness and results.
  
  
• How to choose priorities, eliminate procrastination, and say NO to Time Bandits.
  
  
• Ten simple techniques for working smarter, not harder.
  
  
• How to clean out clutter that is bogging them down.
  
• How to stay focused on high priorities that have the biggest payback at work and in life.

4. What are the outcomes of this program? What will participants do differently after attending this program?

Participants who attend this program will be more effective after the program than they were before it. They will feel more in control and they likely will have less stress. They will spend more time planning their goals and their months, weeks, and days. They will be more aware of how they are spending their time and they will take steps to avoid procrastination and time wasters. They will develop tools and techniques to be more effective.

5. What is the content of this program?

The content of this program follows closely the content of the book, It’s About TIME! This includes:

• An introduction to time management and an overview of the 5 Steps in the book
  
  Several exercises are used here to illustrate the importance of time and what we must do to manage ourselves while time passes.
  

• Step 1: Make Choices and Set Goals: Set Time Goals with a 1-2-3 Approach, Stop and Think About What You Really Want, Set Priorities and Make Decisions, Turn Your Decisions into Specific Goals, Dos and Don’t's
  
  The individual and small group exercises during this step include identifying time goals and priorities and setting specific goals.

• Step 2: Know Where Your Time Goes: Where Does Time Go?, Log Your Time, How to Maintain a Time Log, Make Changes, Dos and Don’t's
  
  The individual and small group exercises during this step include activities to analyze time documented by an individual on an illustrative Time Log to identify opportunities for eliminating time wasters and getting more done in the time allotted.

• Step 3: Plan Your Weeks: Weekly Planners Achieve More, Adopt a Weekly Planning Habit, Plan Your Weeks on Friday, Paul’s Experience, What is a Weekly Plan?, Set Your Goals for Next Week, Commit to Achieving Your Goals, Map Out a Plan for the Week, Weekly Planner Options, Review and Learn, Make Changes, Rosa’s Story, Dos and Don’t's
  
  The individual and small group exercises during this step include activities to prepare and review a weekly plan using the Weekly Planning Form for the week following the program.

• Step 4: Make Each Day Count: The Most Important Progress to Make, Start Each Day with a List of Thunderbolts, What Is a Thunderbolt?, Thunderbolts Are Different, The Power of Thunderbolts, Prepare Tomorrow’s Thunderbolts Today, How to Prepare a Thunderbolt List in 5 Steps, Special Thunderbolt Tips, Chunk Your Time, Getting Creative to Chunk Your Time, Investing Your Chunks of Time, Jim’s Chunking Time Story, Time Bandit Robbery, When and How to Say No, Other Time Bandits to Avoid, Sometimes It Is Hard to Say No, Get Yourself a Hideaway, Try the Five O’clock Club, Dos and Don’t's
  
  The individual and small group exercises during this step include activities to prepare and review a daily plan using the Thunderbolt Card.

• Step 5: Work Smarter: Be Systematic, Create Tools and Processes, Look at Your Work Flow, Begin with a Strong, Bold First Step, Simplify, Eliminate Clutter, How to Manage Your To Do List, Tips for In-Box Processing, Use a Color-Coded Filing System, Email Tips, How to Quit Procrastinating, Make Meetings Effective, The Myth of Multitasking, Don’t Always Press for Perfection, Acquire Better Habits, Improve Continually, Delfine’s Story, Dos and Don’t's
  
  The individual and small group exercises during this step include activities to discuss email, meetings, color-coding, and other topics.

• While they are covered in the steps above, we review The Three Magic Pieces of Paper and the instructions for using them. These are the Daily Time Log Form, the Weekly Plan Form, and the Thunderbolts Card.
  
  
• In the wrap-up, we review the 5 Steps and go over a suggested 6-Week Action Plan for Success. This outlines week-by-week action steps.

6. What’s so special about this program?

There are four things that set our It’s About TIME! program apart.

First, the focus of our program is not on calendars, planners, and little tips such as handling a piece of paper only once. Rather, the focus of our program is on the simple fact that your time is your life and there is precious little of it.

Your perspective on time and how you invest your time determine what you become and achieve in your lifetime. Our program begins and ends with this emphasis. We include stories and unique exercises to keep the importance of time and the need to take action to manage oneself clear in everyone’s mind.

Second, while we provide and teach a step-by-step system for time management during our It’s About TIME! programs, our emphasis is on having participants understand the underlying concepts and principles involved more than it is on the mechanical end of the process. We see our tools and techniques as universal resources that you can customize, adapt, and use the way you want to use them – so long as you appreciate the underlying concepts required for success.

Third, our approach is to offer a seminar that requires a limited investment and provides a lifetime return. Many seminars are just the opposite. They offer a limited return and require a big hidden, lifetime investment. Instead of telling participants they have to purchase and maintain an elaborate binder-planner and keep purchasing the refills, we provide tools and reproducible templates that participants may use for life, for free.

Fourth, our entire system is explained and illustrated in our It’s About TIME! book. This book comes with our seminars; you do not have to purchase it separately. You can read this whole book in about an hour. So, if you attend our seminar and need to go back over a technique or learn more about any part of our system, you easily can find what you are looking for in the book and be on your way.

7. Who should attend this program?

The principles, concepts, and techniques covered in It’s About TIME! are so important and universal that this program is an excellent choice for individuals at every level.

The presentation style and the examples, tips, and techniques for applying the 5 Steps are customized to the needs and experience levels of those who will be attending.

Leaders and managers should attend this program to hear good reminders and new strategies and techniques of what they should be doing and should be teaching others to do to be effective.

Associates at every level should attend to learn how to organize their work, manage their time, optimize their growth, development, and results and have a happy and successful life.

8. How long is the program?

We offer three program options.

Option 1 is a keynote presentation that ranges from 45 minutes to 90 minutes. During a keynote each of the 5 Steps is explained and illustrated with stories and examples and participants do a couple of quick exercises to drive home the techniques and key points.

Option 2 is a half-day seminar that ranges from 3 to 4 hours. During a half-day seminar, each of the 5 Steps is explained and illustrated with stories and examples. Participants work individually and in small groups to do a variety of exercises that drive home the techniques and key points and give them a chance to experiment with and discuss using The Three Magic Pieces of Paper.

Option 3 is a full-day seminar that ranges from 5 to 7½ hours. In addition to the content of the half-day seminar above, participants work together to identify and create specific systems, mechanisms, and tools for working smarter and more effectively in their respective work environments.

9. Who presents this program?

This program is presented by both Jim Ball and Jennifer Kuchta, the co-authors of It's About TIME!

James R. Ball, Jim to everyone, is CEO and president of The Goals Institute. He provides keynote speeches and seminars on leadership, goal achievement, motivation, professionalism, customer service, and performance improvement for clients.

Jim is the author of Soar...If You Dare®, DNA Leadership through Goal-Driven Management, The Entrepreneur's Tool Kit, ABCs for Life, and Professionalism Is for Everyone. He is the co-author with Jennifer Kuchta of World-Class Customer Service and It's About TIME!

Jim previously was co-founder and CEO of Venture America, a venture capital firm that helped launch and develop twenty companies, including The Discovery Channel. Before that, he was a managing partner at Arthur Andersen.

Jennifer is co-author with Jim Ball of World-Class Customer Service and It's About TIME!

Previously Jennifer oversaw finance, administration, investor relations, and services and support of portfolio companies at Venture America.

For more information about Jim and Jennifer, click here.

10. Do you customize this program?

Yes we do.

We customize all of our programs by talking on the telephone with the meeting sponsors and a few people who will be attending the program to learn about current priorities, challenges, and opportunities. We then use stories and examples during the program that match the work and environment of those who will be attending. We also adjust the timetable of the program to place emphasis where it is needed most.

We also offer customized versions of It’s About TIME! especially designed for three groups:

1. Sales professionals and sales managers,
   
   
2. Senior leaders and managers who must help others manage their time,
   
   
3. Professional service providers such as accountants, attorneys, and consultants

11. What take-home resources and implementation tools are provided?

We offer a variety of resources and implementation tools for this program. The specific items we provide depend upon the program objectives, length of time available, and other factors. The primary resources and tools we offer are:

• The book It’s About TIME!
  
  
• It’s About TIME! Executive Summary – this is for keynote presentations only. This is a 5 by 7 summary of the key principles in the program.
  
  
• It’s About TIME! Learning Guide – for half-day and longer seminars. This is an 8½ by 11, four-color, 28-page Learning Guide complete with examples, exercises, tips, and suggestions. It is used for half day and longer programs.
  
  
• 3 Magic Pieces of Paper – master templates and instructions
  
  
• This Is Your Life exercise – board and cards
  
  
• Tips and reminder cards
  
  
• Certificate of completion

12. What organizations have benefited from this program?

This is a popular program and we have provided it for many organizations. Some examples are:

• American Association of Finance and Accounting
• Financial Women International
• Freddie Mac
• Horace Mann Companies
• Internal Revenue Service
• Marriott International
• Matthews, Carter, and Boyce P.C.
• McDonald’s Corporation
• Southern Management Corporation
• Strategic Planning Analysis
• Verizon

13. What do people say about this program?

Here are a few comments from clients who hired us to provide this program.

“The unanimous consensus is that not only was it the best presentation of time management anyone had ever received; it was probably the best presentation of any material we have ever received. I am thrilled with the value you bring to our organization.”

“As you know this group of entrepreneurs has “seen and heard it all” and is very difficult to impress. I can safely say that you did just that. Absolutely everyone that I spoke to had very positive things to say.”

A sampling of comments from individuals who have attended the It’s About TIME! seminar is below.

“Awesome presentation. It showed me that I can be in control of my time and improve the quality of my life at work and home if I make the effort and implement the techniques I learned. It was the best program with the best presenter I’ve ever taken!”

 “I like the Thunderbolts the best. I don’t know why no one ever taught us this technique before.”

 “I loved it! It showed me that I can be in control.”

“I liked the idea of listing the 5 most important things for tomorrow before you finish your day. The techniques for doing this were so simple I know I will use them forever.”

“For me it was the Daily Time Log. Seeing that example reminded me so much of myself and the way most of my days fly right by. I am going to put the Time Log to use next week.”

“I liked the idea of preparing a flowchart of how all of my tasks flow so I can find ways to fine tune and improve them. The storyboard concept is cool.”

“Scheduling important dates on a calendar, even for my personal priorities, was a big ah ha.”

“Chunking time monthly with each member of my family is a great concept. I’ve scheduled my first chunks next week.”

“Never thought about having specific goals and plans for the week. I’ve always planned my days and now I’m going to try the Weekly Planner.”

“Visualization was new to me. I never thought of it the way you explained it. Seems powerful.”

“Carrying my Top 3 goals in my wallet is definitely a keeper for me.”

“Prioritize! Prioritize! Prioritize! . . . and Eliminate!”

“I now realize that my clutter habit is holding me back and costing me time. I’m going to schedule a clean out clutter day like you recommended.”

“What I need to do is figure out what is truly important to me and focus on those things. The demonstration of where we spend our time was a real eye opener.”

“Time management is really “me” management. I have been fooling myself and realize that I must change my habits in order to achieve my goals.”

“I appreciate the fact more that I am not here to spend my time and life the way that other people want me to. I am going to start making my own choices.”

“I never thought of thinking about how personal and business goals work together.”

“I need to say “No” more often so I can “chunk” my time. Liked the three-D approach.”

“Clean out clutter!”

“Time Logs! I am going to review where and how I am wasting time each day. Great concept.”

“Starting Friday, I’m going to schedule one hour of time in the afternoon to set my priorities and plan for the upcoming weeks – for my staff, too.”

“The concept of goal clutter had my name on it. I’m going to pare down my list. Don’t know if I’ll get to the magic number 3, but I’m going to try.”

“Thunderbolt list for each day and writing it the day prior were big for me.”

“Create chunks of time with my employees and my children.”

“Spend one hour a day filing and throwing no matter what! (And do so daily until I’m caught up.)”

“Learn to say NO!” to coworkers or in-laws. I’m going to try the ‘May I get back with you after 11:00 o’clock?’ technique.”

“I will set ground rules for our weekly meetings using the tips you provided. We waste so much time in meetings, I think your approach will do wonders.”

“I realize that I need to convert my intentions into habits. I’m going to acquire the lifelong habit of exercising daily, even if it’s just a ten-minute walk.”

“I’m going to clean off my desk at home and work so I focus on the task at hand.”

“Color-coded files will help me find my stuff.”

“I never thought about how keeping a time log automatically increases your efficiency, the data reveals what you actually spend time on.”

“Getting a hideaway was my action item. I never have ten minutes to myself. This will change.”

“The concepts of making every day count and really pressing myself resonated with me.”

“Preparing for next week by planning for it on Friday was huge. I have a planner but have never heard that philosophy and I’m going to use it starting this Friday.”

“Preparing a big envelope to hold expense receipts when traveling. This small tip will help me.”

“Don’t allow someone else’s priorities to come before your own.”

“That I must control my time and priorities by deciding what is important to me each and every day.”

“The facts will set you free. This is a great insight.”

“I have two children that I will chunk time with.”

“Time doesn’t just happen. You happen. You have to plan your time and make things happen.”

“Thou art mortal! That was a great story and an incredible reminder to us all.”

“Loved the time quotes by the famous people.”

14. How much is this program?

We believe our It’s About TIME! programs quickly pay for themselves based upon the increased performance and results of those who attend.

If this program helps each individual use just one hour a day more effectively, and we believe it will produce results greater than this, then the total cost of this program will be returned in just a day or two for most individuals.

Our It’s About TIME! programs come complete with the handouts and tools described above. For this reason, our program fees vary depending upon the number of people who will be attending. Our fees also vary depending upon the venue, date, time, length of the program and the location.

See the next section below for information on obtaining a quote for the program you are considering.

15. What do I need to do to make arrangements for this program?

We would be happy to answer any questions you have and provide you a no obligation quote for an It’s About TIME! keynote or seminar for your organization.

Please call us at 703-264-2000 or send us an email and let us know:

1. What is your name, title, and organization?
   
   
2. What is the size of the group you are considering this program for and what do the individuals do?
   
   
3. Are you considering a keynote, half-day, or full-day program?
   
   
4. What are the dates and times you are considering currently?
   
   
5. What is the location for your meeting?

16. What is your Train-the-Trainer approach and how does it work?

In addition to providing seminars on the It’s About TIME! system, The Goals Institute offers Train-the-Trainer resources and support for organizations that want to offer this program themselves using their own trainers and facilitators.

The resources available include Facilitator's Guides for use in teaching It’s About TIME!, Learning Guides for students in the program, PowerPoint® slides, and other teaching aids – basically everything you need to provide this program in your organization, all at affordable prices.

Pricing Information and Summary of Trainer Resources

We would be happy to provide pricing information and email you a Summary of Trainer Resources we offer for organizations that want to facilitate a learning program on this topic for their employees.

Just send us an email identifying the name of your company, your name and position, and the program or programs you would like to learn more about. Click here to email us.

17. Do I have to attend the seminar? Can I just buy the book?

If you can’t attend our It’s About TIME! seminar, we certainly recommend investing in the book and applying the 5 Steps and related techniques on your own. This is worthwhile no matter what. If you are a “book reader” (some people are not), an individual who learns well by self-study, someone who has the discipline and self-motivation to do what must be done, then the book may be all you need. In addition, if you are seasoned and experienced and all you are looking for is a quick tip or two, then the book alone may work fine for you, too.

We offer our seminars because many people prefer to learn in seminars. There are many reasons. Perhaps they like interaction with others and enjoy hearing the questions asked. Maybe they need a little motivation to act. It could be they want to hear more examples and subtle insights. Perhaps they prefer to have in-person explanations or want to be able to ask questions.
No one has to attend our It’s About TIME! seminar, but we do recommend it whenever it is possible and practicable.

18. Where can I buy It’s About TIME! and how much is it?

We sell our It’s About TIME! book on our website and it also is available through online booksellers. The book is not available in bookstores except by special order.

To order online from us, click the appropriate 'buy button' below, or call us at 703-264-2000. If you are considering an order of 100 or more copies, please call or email us for an additional volume discount price.

Ordering 1 to 9 copies at $14.95 each

Ordering 10 to 99 copies at $12.70 each (15% discount)

Just $3 for Shipping and Delivery: To simplify things, for shipments inside the Continental U.S. we charge a flat $3 shipping charge for each order to one location, no matter how many books you buy. If you are outside the Continental U.S. we will email you a quote for the shipping cost before we ship your order.

We ship single books and small orders by the US Postal Service and other orders by UPS. Orders are shipped the day received or the next business day. If you want overnight or special delivery, please email or call us.

Thank you for your interest in our program and resources.