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Tips for Better Time Management Organization

  • Purchase an organizer/planner

  • Identify the task and what you might need

    • Appropriate work space

    • Correct tools

  • Make note of your "best" or peak time of day

  • Be disciplined about distractions

  • Put things away when you're done

Planning

  • Think through the steps of the task before you begin

  • Set specific goals

  • Make an overall plan or outline

  • Evaluate how you will spend your time and if this is the best way to complete the task

  • Create a realistic weekly schedule

  • Also make a daily schedule

  • Be realistic about time - people often underestimate how long things take

  • Allow time for unplanned/unscheduled activities

  • Don't plan to do more than you can do

Prioritizing

  • Big picture first - details later

  • Prioritize daily and weekly activities

  • Monitor your activities

  • Do only what's important

  • Stay focused

  • Take responsibility for each delay

Procrastination

  • Explore emotions associated with procrastination

  • Recognize your fantasies about the task

  • Evaluate your avoidance of the task

  • Assess the cost of avoidance

  • Confront negative beliefs

  • Look for hidden rewards

  • Put aside worry

  • Start with small steps - and start early

  • Recognize "good enough" - "perfect" is subjective and unattainable

Self-Knowledge

Do you...

  • Have trouble saying "no"?

  • Know what works for you?

  • Ignore your own signs of stress?

  • Rush through things and end up doing them again?

  • Let personal problems invade your work time?

  • Make yourself anxious?

  • Delay making decisions?

  • Being an important assignment when you're tired or hungry?

  • Take on too much, then criticize yourself for not getting it done?

General Suggestions

  • Take work with you when you might have to wait

  • Practice mindfulness - stay in the moment

  • Give yourself permission to do nothing from time to time

  • Link a distasteful activity to another that you are sure you will do

  • Reward yourself for getting things done or completing unpleasant tasks

  • Don't waste time on decisions that involve inconsequential or equally attractive activities - flip a coin!

  • Finish one thing before starting another

  • Create a metaphor for the task

  • Listen carefully to be sure you understand what's communicated and expected