Create your Schedule!
By creating your schedule there is two key things are to be considered.
You have to think about the task you have to accomplish and their
priority. In general tasks should have the highest priority that
take you closer to your goals.
The other key is to be able to have a good idea about how much
time do you need to devote to each task you must accomplish.
With scheduling
you will have a picture how much time do you spend with things
that are important to you vs. the time you spend for unimportant
or uninteresting tasks. If you spend (waste) too much time with
unimportant and not interesting things, you should consider revising
your time management. Planning does not mean following a rigid,
military-like schedule; rather, it means making intelligent decisions
about when it is easiest and most efficient to get your work done.
There is 3 steps for creating a working schedule:
- Find out how do you use your time currently (Activity Log)
- Make a prioritized list of everything you plan to do
- Create your Schedule
Find out how do you use your time currently (Activity Log)
The first step to effective time management begins with finding out how you use your time. Do this by keeping an activity log for a week. Evaluate your results by asking yourself, "Did I accomplish what I was supposed to? Was I often pressed for time? At what time of the day was I most productive (least productive)? How much time was allotted for personal activities? How did I feel at the and of the day?"
Try to classify your tasks in three groups: important, necessary and unimportant. Check how much time did you spend with the high priority tasks (tasks that take you closer to your goals) and how much time did you spend with unimportant or not interesting tasks. Do not forget the time you spent to meet your personal needs like meeting with friends, relaxing, sleeping etc.
Make a prioritized list of everything you plan to do!
The second step to make a list of everything you plan to do, dividing the list into fixed commitments and flexible commitments. Fixed commitments are those tasks that you absolutely must complete by a specific deadline. Flexible commitments are obligations you can meet on a time available basis. Assign priorities to your list and set aside enough time to do the designated tasks.
Most people use some method of recording what they need to do, if nothing more than jotting due dates on a calendar. To plan your time more effectively, each week make a comprehensive list of tasks which includes some time to work on major assignments. The tasks are then rank-ordered according to your priorities, and the amount of time needed to complete each task is estimated. These three important steps - list, prioritize, and estimate - are a key element in time management.
Create your Schedule!
We all have best times to work and play, so plan your work schedule around your peak energy times. Also, there are additional steps that you can take that will help you accomplish your goals:
- Try to complete tasks with a minimum of interruptions
- Don't overcommit your time. Learn to say "NO"
- Delegate responsibility, when appropriate
- Allow time for breaks, personal time and social activities
Tailor the amount of detail in your schedule to your individual strengths, habits, and preferences. Some people like to know what specific task they will be doing in each free hour. Others will list what needs to be done on a particular day, but not specify a time for each task. A few people can work successfully from a weekly list, but it's difficult not to procrastinate with this method because big, unpleasant or overwhelming tasks almost always get pushed to the bottom of the list.
When making these conscious, intelligent decisions about what to do when, consider your body's natural highs and lows. Plan to do priority tasks when your energy is high and your concentration is at its best. Save shopping or housework for late in the afternoon or evening if, that's when you're normally tired.
Plan frequent breaks, especially when you're under a lot of pressure. Your brain needs time to digest and process information; moreover, breaks relieve stress, help sustain motivation, and provide a transition period when switching subjects.
Each day, include an hour of "flexible" time in your plan. Flextime has several important functions. If you underestimate the amount of time some task takes, flextime provides an extra hour to finish it without getting behind or sacrificing some other activity. Procrastinators can use flex time to do work they've put off, or to reward themselves with sixty minutes of guilt free "do nothing" time when they haven't procrastinated.
Resources:
Activity Log Daily
Activity Log Weekly
Schedule for January 2006
Schedule for February 2006
Schedule for March 2006
ToDo Monday
ToDo Thursday
ToDo Wednesday
ToDo Tuesday
ToDo Friday
ToDo Saturday
ToDo Sunday
Source:
University of Miami Counseling Center
