Managing Time: The 5D Model for Transforming Inputs to Outputs

Ever feel inundated by things to do? The 5D model is a model I developed to help me stay on track, avoid distractions, and get important things done. In order, the five Ds are: Discard, Disseminate, Delegate, Defer, and finally, DO.

Discard: first, do no work without a customer! Limit random inputs. The first question to ask about inputs that get past filters is, “Can I safely throw this out?” If so, ignore, delete, discard, trash, recycle, or compost it.

Disseminate: If the input has merit, but does not require my personal attention, share it. Blog it, forward it on email. Move it out and be done with it.

Delegate: Some inputs require action, but not necessarily my personal action. These can be delegated to others. Consider the value of time and try to delegate as much as possible to others. Delegation is granting the responsibility while retaining the authority to do a thing. In other words, the output reflects in the delegator. The role is managing, rather than doing.  So the delegator must, to some degree, Plan the work, Organize the resources, Delegate to someone, Supervise their effort, and Check their results.

Defer: Some inputs do not require my immediate action, because there is plenty of time available, or because attending to them at that moment would distract me from a higher priority. Defer them. Set them aside for later. This is not about deliberation. Decide quickly to defer for a good reason. Obviously, things on various To-Do lists are repeat inputs until they are either done or OBE. Handle tasks as few times as possible. Do it, later.

DO: finally, some inputs require my personal attention. They cannot be deferred, delegated, disseminated, or discarded. The things that end up on my schedule fall into two broad categories: Admin or Action. Admin: sort of like overhead, or process value-add. Action: actual production or customer value-add.