The Bender Bunch Creating a Behavior Intervention Plan BIP from sample behavior plan , image source: thebendersbunch.blogspot.com
Every week brings documents, emails, new projects, and task lists. How much of this is different from the job you’ve done before? Odds are, not much. A number of our tasks are variations on something we’ve done hundreds of times before.
Don’t reinvent the wheel each time you start something new. Use templates–standardized files with formatting and text as starting point. Once you save a version of the template add, remove, or change any info for that document that is exceptional, and you are going to have the new job done in a fraction of the time.
Programs work anywhere: in word processors, spreadsheets, project management apps, survey platforms, and also email. Here is to generate documents from a template — and how to use templates in your favorite programs –so it’s possible to get your tasks done faster.
Templates take time to construct, and it’s easy to wonder whether they are worth the investment. The answer: absolutely. Editing a template requires far less time than formatting some thing from scratch. It’s the distinction between copying and pasting some text, or retyping it.
That is not the only benefit: Using a template means you’re not as likely to leave out key info, too. For example, if you want to send freelance writers a contributor arrangement, modifying a standard contract template (rather than composing a new contract each time) ensures you won’t leave out that crucial clause regarding owning the content as soon as you’ve paid for this.
Templates also guarantee consistency. You send investors or clients regular project updates. Using a template, you understand the upgrade will always have the formatting, layout, and standard structure.
How to Produce Great Templates
Not all templates are created equal–and some things do not require a template. Listed below are a few tips to follow.
First, templates should be comprehensive. It is simpler to delete information than add it in, so err on the side of adding rather than too small.
Imagine you’re developing a template of your resume. You would want to record facts about your duties and achievements, so you are going to have all the information you want to submit an application for almost any job.
You can delete less-important notes on, but if it’s not from the template you may forget it in the last version.
Some tools will automatically fill in these variables for you (more on that in a bit). But should you need to fill in the data by yourself, add some text that is easy and obvious to look for so you can find.