Practice Time Management

Apr 7 / Michelle Unger


There are some tools you can use, including pen and paper, a whiteboard or even just adding to your calendar (if there is enough space - if not, print out a blank calendar from the internet as there are a ton of free options). You can also use Task Lists in Outlook and use categories, flags and set reminders (my method and this week’s Tech Tip). Some of my colleagues use sticky notes in different colors to represent different tasks (ie. blue for research, yellow for meetings, etc..).
Whatever way works for you, try it and stick with it before switching to something else. 
Managing your time well is key to balancing priorities, maintaining momentum and will actually help get those tasks completed even quicker. Ensuring that you focus on what's truly important and how to allocate time efficiently leads to increased productivity and reduced overall stress. So how can we do that? Read on.

The Importance of  Setting Goals

Remember when you were in high school or college and you were assigned a report that was maybe 10 pages long? You may have have been in one of either of two camps: 1) you jumped right in or 2) you procrastinated. The way you tackled those graded reports may still be how you approach them in your professional life today. Do you remember which one caused the most stress? While it might be true that some people (one of my sons, for example) actually thrives on tight deadlines, many of us could probably benefit from a plan.

You can start by defining your main objectives—whether daily, weekly, or long-term—and breaking them down into achievable steps. This way, every task contributes to a larger purpose, keeping you motivated and purposeful with your time. Chunk your steps. You may only spend 10 minutes one day and an hour or two another day. The amount of time you spend isn’t what’s important, as long as you are making progress. 

Try this: Jot the deadline for the project you are tackling on your calendar. Then work backwards. It might look something similar to this: Deadline - June 24. Final Review - June 22. Connect with Team - June 20 — these might be some later goals. Sometimes it is difficult to even get started so you can also work in some earlier goals and finish the mid-point ones a bit later. Something like this: Determine topic and resources needed - June 1. Internet research (1 hour) - June 2.
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