Have you ever met someone who seems to be able to
accomplish a million things each day? Do
they make you wonder how it is possible to get so much done in such a short
time? I know I have. These individuals seem to possess some sort of
secret that they do not want to share with the rest of us. But maybe it is not that complicated. Maybe some people have an advantage in
completing so many tasks because they possess an incredible amount of energy. However, their hidden secret is probably not
really a hidden secret at all. It is
more likely they are great with time management.
I do not believe there is anyone who thinks their
time management skills are perfect, including myself. I am pulled in many different directions
throughout the day as much as any working adult with children. Nonetheless, I strive to be as efficient with
my time as possible. I try to tackle
each day with a scheduled plan and make every attempt to follow it
accordingly. I use electronic calendar
reminders at work to remind me when I need to complete actions and to forecast
what may lie ahead. I use a calendar
that is synchronized between my wife and I to keep track of social events and
schedule appointments. The first thing I
do when I come into work is write down the things I know I have to complete for
the day. I also use this method to
tackle tasks at home. It feels good when
I can cross off items on my list as it provides a visual aide which shows my
progress. I believe my approach and
methods help increase my internal locus of control because I interpret the
reinforcement I receive to be contingent upon my own actions (2011). I really try to be proactive in determining
my success or failures. With that said,
I know there is always room for improvement.
There are times at work when I lose focus of the
plan I set forth at the beginning of the day.
I can tend to become distracted by e-mails, conversations, or phone
calls which are not a priority at that time.
I end up focusing on the lesser priorities just to get them completed,
which in turn take time away from my higher priorities. “If we do the things that are easiest before
the things that are difficult, our time may be taken up dealing with the
mundane and easy-to-resolve issues while difficult but important problems go unresolved”
(Whetten &Cameron, 2011, p. 125). I
will reduce the stress that comes along with trying to complete tasks under
limited to no time if I can remain focused on completing the most important tasks
first and avoid being distracted. I have
a similar issue when it comes to finishing academic work, although it is in
more in the form of procrastination. I
have a bad habit of procrastinating when it comes to getting things done. I am very proactive when it comes to
something extremely important and time sensitive. However, when I have what I consider a lot of
time to complete something, I tend to use all of the time allotted. For some reason, I have this false belief I
work better under pressure and sometimes it is better to wait until the last
minute because the task has to get done.
I think this is just my way of justifying my procrastinating
habits. I know the reality is that if I
completed tasks at the first opportunity to get them finished I would reduce my
stress related to time management. Additionally,
when I get home from work my wife and I discuss what to prepare for
dinner. This may sound like a minor
issue, but trying to come up with a plan to eat at the last minute can be very
stressful. Add a couple hungry kids to
the mix that have multiple activities such as sporting events, guitar lessons,
and homework, and it can be incredibly stressful. There have been times when my wife and I have
sat down on Sunday to make a dinner menu for the week. My wife goes to the grocery store and
purchases what is needed, not what she thinks we may need. We share preparing dinner meals throughout
the week and everything usually goes according to plan. These weeks are so much easier because we do
not have to worry about dinner. It also
removes a lot of the stress related to getting everything else on our schedule
done.
I know I can improve my time management skills if I
approach tasks from an effective and efficient perspective. I believe I am pretty efficient managing my time;
however, I still need to improve. Using
calendars, reminders, lists, and schedules are all great examples of being an efficient
time manager. On the other hand, I have to
address my procrastination and eliminate allowing myself to be distracted. One way to accomplish this is to incorporate
a time management matrix to determine what tasks or situations need handled
based on their level of importance and urgency.
I will test out trying to complete assignments and/or tasks when I am
first aware and have the time available.
I am sure it will relieve stress if I complete these tasks much earlier
as opposed to worrying about running out of time to finish them. I also have a problem with telling people no
when they need something from me.
Recognizing this is a problem and confronting my guilt will help me
understand it is alright to tell people no sometimes. While at work I will set
a plan to prioritize my tasks and remain focused on completing them according
to my prioritization while avoiding distractions that are not as important. Additionally, I will make it a habit to sit
down with my wife on Sunday’s to plan a dinner schedule. There really is no excuse why it does not
happen other than ineffective time management.
I believe using these techniques will help me become a more effective
and efficient time manager.
Reference:
Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing
Management Skills (8th ed.)
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall.
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