Do you ever feel that some weeks go by so quickly and you look back on Saturday and say, “Wow, I did not accomplish anything this week.” That happens to all of us, but, with a little planning, you can stay on track. These are my 3 steps for time management.
Set a couple long term goals for yourself. Then decide on a few goals that you would like to accomplish in the next week.
When your action plan is together, complete the following sentences.
I will avoid………
I will complete……………..
To make sure I complete my task, I will……………………….
I will not……………………….
Now do the following 3 steps:
1. Spend 10 minutes at the beginning of the week in a “strategy session”. Pick 2 tasks this week that will get you closer to your long-term goals. Write down what else you would like to accomplish this week.
2. Schedule. Buy a planner or find a weekly planner on-line. Map out each day with realistic timeframes and tasks. Try not to over schedule. You will need some flexible time during the week. Remember to also schedule some fun and recreational activities. Put a star next to the items that absolutely must be accomplished this week because of some sort of deadline.
3. After you have planned your week, focus only on the day at hand. If you were not able to complete all your goals for the current day, evaluate whether you could schedule it later in the week or whether it is best left for another week. Remain flexible and do not be hard on yourself if you cannot accomplish everything. With practice, you will learn how to best use your time.
Refer back to the sentences you completed above when planning the following week.
Be aware of the time you spend looking at emails. Does that detract from completing your tasks? Maybe limit checking emails to three days a day: morning, afternoon and evening.