Time management

1. Urgent tasks

These items should be done right away. They can be emergency issues. Paying an important bill or finishing up the report that your employer is expecting to be on his desk in the morning. Making it on time for important meeting that involve where you work. These are all urgent and must be done tasks.

2. Non urgent but important task

Items you plan to work on. These task still have a specific time deadline. Setting a time line to assure they are done is important here. Once you start implementing this time management tool when the item is completed the items will then move into the urgent list. I like using the Word SMART standing for Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon and Time. Many of the items in this category include developing personal and career objectives.

3. Urgent and not important

These could include the request that are made from other people. They are not important to you and your schedule. Maybe you are doing these things because you are avoiding telling them no and that you do not have the time. To the other person the item may be very important but not for you. Be kind and keep good rapport with the person. These task add not real value of meaning to you. These are time suckers or wasters. Make sure to list them and take the time to be thorough and identify them early on.

4. Non urgent and not very important

Here you include surfing the web, playing video games, watching television. These are things you do everyday that add little to no value to your personal goals.

1. Decide that you Will Start

   We delay starting task because we are unsure how to do something. For example, not responding to emails due to the fact we are not sure what to say. Find a plan to approach this issue. If not you will find yourself pushing the task to the side and the window will close. Once you jump in and try it you see it is much easier than you thought.

2. Make the Space.

   What conditions do you work your best in? Work to create the space for yourself. Is it loud and noisy where you are? Find a comfortable distraction free space.

3. Set up Alarms and Important Reminders.

   You find yourself avoiding tasks. It then gets easier to forget about them. Set aside a specific time of completion. Place it on your calendar. Set your alarm as a reminder. This way you will not miss anything. We are more likely to do something if we have set a specific time frame to do it in. We have a tendency to let our minds say to us “I’ll start doing it in 10 minutes”. The alarm will go off and you will start to train yourself to handle the task on time. Complete the entire task.

4. Be Accountable

   This is where counseling for time management can be beneficial. People complete goals when someone else tells them. You feel accountable. You might do it just to avoid being asked if it is completed. Whatever works. Making a list is wonderful. I do it all the time just for the pleasure of checking it off.

5. Give Yourself A Reward.

   You will stay motivated if you reward yourself for meeting small task. You are already feeling the satisfaction of completing the goal. For each the reward looks different. Maybe you spend an hour doing something mindless. Surfing the web, going out for a movie or socializing with friends.