Complete five clauses that provide a personal challenge. They do not have to be done within Guiding.
Clause 2 Prepare an agenda and take minutes for a meeting. Know the importance of accuracy and timeliness in distributing them.
Prepared an agenda for a meeting at work which I sent out with the minutes from the previous meeting when I sent meeting invites. I typed the minutes up immediately after and emailed them out within a couple of hours of the meeting finishing. It is important to send an agenda well in advance of a meeting to enable people to prepare items for discussion, let them know what is going on and it also enables them to suggest any additional categories that may be required. Always distribute minutes promptly so that attendees can work on actions ASAP
Clause 4 Demonstrate timeliness in responding to memos, letters, bills etc that you receive in a month.
Most household bills are paid by direct debit. Generally we are left with the Nursery and window cleaning bills. During the period September to December these were paid promptly, usually on the day of receipt although one Nursery bill had to wait as the server I sign onto for Nursery vouchers was unavailable. Don't receive many letters but managed to renew a subscription well in advance of the due date. Tidied my in box most days though Yahoo managed to bounce me several times when the new group was set up so have probably missed several days emails.
Have tried to keep on top of the Brownie accounts, started off well in September by doing them either when I got home each week or the following day. It's now the beginning of March and I'm not doing them so promptly, but its better than it was.
Clause 5 Demonstrate an organised filing system.
This was a challenge. Our bill folder has been set up very creatively, some bills seem to filed under the company name, such as Orange, and others under the service they provide, such as mobile phone. We also have an investments folder which has just got documents put in any old how.
Before I could start I had nine months of filing to catch up on. Have set up new folders so that they are all alphabetically under supplier name with indicators for service providers to show which section should be looked at. There is an index at the front so hopefully from now on we will file both gas and electric under SWALEC and don't file gas under G and electricity under S. The job took me all afternoon to complete.
Clause 6 Attend a Guide Association Accounts training course
Attended an Accounts and Gift Aid training on 7th February 2006. Didn't learn much about keeping unit accounts. However was stunned to find out that I should provide an accounts summary each year, something I've never been asked for in over 20 years and I think my accounts have only been looked at three or four times during that period.
Clause 7 Write a unit newsletter or similar.
Can't do this as I've completed a similar clause for Computer Whizz
Clause 8 Show a working knowledge of email, including the use of attachments. Show a working knowledge of a fax machine
Can't do this as I've completed a similar compulsory clauses for On-Line and Communicator
Clause 11 Maintain an efficient diary system. Learn some time management skills and how to say "no" occasionally!
Having never used my diary I am now trying to put all my appointments in there together with reminders for library books etc. I also use my calendar at work and use the warning system for appointments this ranges from 15 minutes to four days. Saying no is not too hard as I don't live in district, county or region I Guide in, so if I don't want to do something I don't, on the other hand it can get in the way when I would like to accept a meeting/training. When I attended the accounts training I had to leave home an hour before the session and when I came back home I found that the Severn Bridge was closed so I had to use the Second Severn Crossing which takes about 20 minutes more and is additional mileage.
To manage your time effectively you should:-
List Goals, set priorities
Make a daily 'to do' list
Start with A's not C's
What is the best use of you time right now?
Handle each piece of paper only once
Do it now!