TMCC seminar offers time-management tips

Are you reading this to procrastinate real work? If so, and you're a secretary or administrative assistant, then an upcoming seminar hosted by Truckee Meadows Community College might help.

The 14th Annual TMCC Administrative Professionals' Conference next week is focusing on time management and productivity tips.

The all-day agenda includes speakers Tom Kubistant, president, Performance & Productivity Specialists and well-known golf inspirational writer; Idora Silver, CEO, I.

Silver Management Group and business communications consultant; and Charlotte Cox, tutor coordinator at TMCC and local consultant whose clients include Washoe Medical Center and University of Nevada, Reno.

Cox, for example, said she'll talk about the varying approaches needed to keep different people motivated and on track.

"Some people are energized by an active environment, working with people, and lots of interruptions," said Cox.

"Others get energized by closing the door and working alone."

Cox says it's important to appreciate people's different working styles, and to not get irritated with the constant talker who needs to work her way through a task, or to be offended by the loner who needs quiet solitude to get his job done.

Cox said people are dominated by socalled left or right brains - a theory that helps explain how different people learn and function.

"For the left-brained person, it's easy to figure out a task in one, two, three steps," said Cox.

"The right-brained person may spend a lot of time getting organized."

Cox plans a short, right/left brain assessment for each participant, and then an explanation of the optimum ways for both types to work.

Kubistant is scheduled to talk about how to prioritize tasks and juggle responsibilities, and he and Silver will speak together on how men and women can better learn to communicate with each other.

Silver also will speak on how to set goals and accomplish them without letting fear get in your way.

"I'll talk about turning stumbling blocks into stepping stone, and the value of compassion and chutzpah in overcoming obstacles," Silver said.

The conference is April 21 starting at 8:15 a.m.

at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino in Reno.

The cost is $89.

For registration, call TMCC at 829-9010 or visit commserv.

tmcc.edu.