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