If we’re honest with ourselves, one of the biggest obstacles to improving our programs and ourselves is due to our perceived lack of time. We have filled our schedules with so many activities that we are constantly struggling to balance our work, our family, and our selves.

To help extension agents for Family and Consumer Sciences learn how to better prioritize what needs to get done so not everything is a “crisis,” Jones Loflin, co-author of the award-winning book, Juggling Elephants, and the recently released book Always Growing, taught 104 FCS personnel during the KEAFCS annual meeting how to :

• Better prioritize what needs to get done so not everything is a “crisis;”

• Take more conscious control of time and energy;
• Create a concrete plan to transform ideas and goals into daily tasks and activities;
• Improve relationships with others to increase their engagement on what is most important;
• Discover ways to sustain productivity in today's "always on" work environment.

An evaluation completed by 52 agents approximately one month after the program showed that 100% of the FCS Agents said attending the KEAFCS Annual meeting was moderately, very, or extremely effective in their professional development; 73% planned to use and 27% might use information from Jones Loflin’s sessions in their county.  When asked to name one change they had planned to or had already made:

          15 responded they had learned to prioritize better;

          7 were managing email more effectively;

          2 had delegated tasks to others;

          6 were trying to take better care of their self to avoid burnout;

          2 had used the “focus on one project” technique.

One person said, “I plan on checking the climate before introducing a new idea to my CEC, Homemaker Council, and any other council or coalition I serve on.  This was helpful in understanding how to bring an idea full circle from start to finish.”  Another person said, “…tried shutting the door and taking 15 minutes to complete an item.It worked!!!”

Whether email, interruptions, ineffective communication, our unwillingness to say “No,” or simply poor time management is to blame, FCS Agents all left with ways to improve our programs and get better results.