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Time Management and the "to do" list
I recently did a web search on time management and received
50,500,000 hits. In reality probably only two to three hundred
of them were really about time management, but the prevalence of
such sites indicates how important the concept is to all of us.
The time management industry is flooded with books about how
manage your day. Time management tools with everything from
computer programs for scheduling to the ubiquitous planner to
simple task lists can be found in every bookstore across the
country. Yet recent reports indicate that we are working longer
hours, sleeping less and decreasing productivity.
How can you make time management work for you?
Really that's the question, regardless of what system you choose
to apply to your time management needs, it has to be something
that can work for you. If your time management tool, choice or
system doesn't work for you then it simply becomes another task
that has to be accomplished in an already busy day.
Most time management starts with something as useful as a "to
do" list. We all have tasks that must be accomplished within a
certain period of time, whether that time frame is a single day
or a plan for the next several months. Tasks are added to the
list and crossed out as they are accomplished. Your "to do" list
can be as simple as a notebook page, a daily page in your
planner, a function of MS Outlook or a task list on your PDA.
In general a "to do" list is a simple and effective way to see
all the tasks that impact your day. Just follow a few simple
guideline and your "to do" list will work for you (and not the
other way around).
Creating and prioritizing a "To Do" list:
1. First create a simple To-Do List. Using whichever tool you've
chosen.
2. List all of the tasks for which you are responsible.
3. Don't worry about accomplishing everything right now. The key
is to get the right things done by prioritizing.
4. A To-Do list will most likely be a living, never-ending
document. New things appear as old ones are cleared away.
For each item on the list, answer these questions:
One Time or Reoccurring - Do you have to complete this
task more than once? Often? Perhaps on a regular basis?
Due Date - When must the task be completed by?
Time Required For Completion -
Associated Websites
How long will the task
take to complete? Is the task variable?
Other Resources Required - What other resources will be
needed to complete this task?
Benefits and Consequences - What are the benefits of
completing the task? The consequences on not completing it?
Use the answers to these questions to decide which tasks must be
completed first.
Once you have prioritized your tasks you are ready to start
scheduling them. Plan the completion of each task.
Start with the givens. Block out those tasks with known times.
Place the rest of your tasks into the schedule according to your
priorities.
Build in some flexibility so that you can handle life's little
emergencies.
Pay attention to the resources required. Remember that you
yourself are a resource. Match tasks requiring the most mental
effort to those portions of your day when you feel the most
productive.
Don't forget to include personal time. (if you have scheduled
every minute of your day for work, when are you going to
refresh, regroup, renew?)
Most time management tools are really creative ways of
completing a "to do" list. If you choose to use something like a
PDA or a computer program like MS Outlook you can easily manage
reoccurring events and meetings by reserving blocks of time and
creating reminders for those things that might get lost in the
daily shuffle of work and paper. If you choose to use a planner,
remember to carry reoccurring event through to the next day,
week or month. Once your comfortable working with your "to do"
list you can expand it to include goal setting.
While "to do" list may get you started on your time management
endeavors there are all kinds of thoughts and theories out there
about how to effectively manage our time. I would like to think
that if I can complete all the tasks I have to accomplish today,
and check them off my list, I might be able to schedule an extra
hour of sleep. Maybe I can put it on my "to do" list. ;-)
About the author:
Carole Sue Jones is a contributing writer for Interactive
Quality Solutions. She is a training and instructional design
professional with a strong focus on management development. If
you are interested in reading more of Carole's articles please
visit http://www.callcentercafe.com and
http://www.righttolead.com.
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