Effective Time Management: Myth or Reality

Several years ago I was on a trip with several co-workers to Toronto. Without a map or GPS we were having trouble finding our way around. After an hour of randomly making right and left turns, we finally declared we were lost. Just then one member of the group who had remained quiet throughout the whole ordeal proclaimed, “How can you be lost if you don’t know where your going.” This simple statement sums up the problem many people face as they try to accomplish all the tasks at hand. On any given day we will tend to work on a number of issues, but never fully complete any particular one. At the end of the day it is hard to see what progress you actually made.

Most everybody will create a to-do list to set their agenda. How we set this agenda is the first key to its success. First you need to set realistic goals. These goals should be based on what you want to accomplish that day. By limiting your time frame you won’t get overwhelmed with the magnitude of everything on your plate. In the beginning of the week the first thing you should do write down your top five priorities for that day. When writing them down, leave a space in between them so if you had to you could add additional tasks. By limiting yourself to five, once again you fight off the sense of being overwhelmed. Now in a perfect world you could go about completing your list and at the end of the day go home stress free with a true feeling of accomplishment. We all know the realities of business life will never allow this to happen. In fact most days will not let you even address any of the items on your list. While you have your agenda as your guide, how you handle all the other distractions around you is your key to success.

Everything in business life is not a crisis. This is why we set priorities. This is why we leave room on our to-do list. When a true issue arises that must be addressed, add it on to your list, but be sure to properly place it in light of your original five issues. You should always be working on the most important issue at hand. Your ultimate goal is to complete this task before moving onto the next. Everyone wants to be an expert at multitasking. In most cases you’re back to working on a multitude of tasks but never taking any one fully off your plate. It is extremely important that you are able to finish those original tasks you set. There is nothing more liberating than crossing off an item on a list. This will give both a sense of relief as well as a sense of accomplishment. There is nothing more demoralizing than working all day only to feel you haven’t made a dent in your workload.

There will always be more work than time. This is what keeps us employed. How effectively we use our time is still under our control. With proper planning and keeping our expectations within our grasp, we exert this control. Everyone and everything around you will try and derail your efforts. It is up to you to not let this happen. It is up to you to finish one task before your knee deep in another. Remember it is your sanity you are trying to protect, not everyone else’s.