ALPEN method

The ALPEN technique is a time management method system based on a set of principles. The letters are acronyms for German words that suggest how to manage time.

 

Aufgaben or ‘A’ refers to your to-do list. It’s similar to an A task in the ABC method. These are your high priority tasks and need to be completed at the earliest.

Länge or ‘L’ is the timeframe estimated for each task.

Pufferzeiten or ‘P’ is the amount of time you use as a buffer for each task or project to ensure that employees can still meet deadlines in the event of an unexpected situation.

Entscheidungen or ‘E’ is to establish priorities. Understand your important tasks and pull back or delegate to others when possible.

Nachkontrolle or ‘N’ refers to recording and analyzing your weekly schedule based on the previous steps to understand how your teams can be even more productive.

Using this time management matrix, employees can complete their essential tasks when they are most productive and use their extra time to complete other tasks or take a break.