Time Management

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