Time Management
We offer you a scheme for successful planning of any activity in terms of time. We have applied time management principles, "tested" and recommended by various people, who have published their knowledge and experience on the web and in books.
We have tried to get the best of what is already known to be successful time management strategies. Furthermore we want to bring to your note some psychological aspects of time management, which, as if remain out of sight, in spite of their importance.
1. Time management means, most of all, differentiating dreams, wishes and good intentions from reality. We want to have a good job now, drive a nice car now, have our own house now, get strong/healthy now, etc and etc. When you get acquainted with the scheme we offer, you will have to check how much time the realization of your desire requires. You may just skip this point, because you won't be willing to admit that almost 99% of the nice things we want to have or experience now, are 99% impossible to realize now. In a month, in six months, in a year, in five years they may be possible to achieve, but such a term is sure to put you off your desires. It is a truth no one wants to admit.
It is bitter to admit. But the following disappointment is even more bitter. So, don't skip that item of the scheme. Let dreams be dreams. Keep their beauty alive, but don't kill it by improper mix with reality.
2. Time management involves observing deadlines and the thought of an approaching deadline may become a reason for distress. Everyone would prefer to work on a project without deadline.
When you do not have to worry about an upcoming deadline you can experience the benefit of working in tranquil atmosphere - you have time to pay attention to detail, to read books on the subject, to immerse into your work and then rest, so that things "clarify in your head" and "the trees do not obstruct your view to see the forest" any more.
That however, no matter how good, is rarely applicable in life. We do not live forever and projects require to be completed by a certain date. That is why we have to find the balance between working in tranquility and observing deadlines.
Time Management Scheme:
1. a) What do you want to have done by the end of a certain date/on a certain date/in certain period of time?
b) What do you already have to do at a certain time in the future?
2. What is your deadline/exact date?
3. How much time does your project require?
- time required for evaluation of costs;
- time required for planning/scheduling;
- time spent on actual work;
- time spent on work-related activities(transport, phone calls, meetings, etc)
- time contingently spent on crisis management ( ®always have a project to work on in case of emergency)
®Which of the above tasks can you delegate to someone else?
®What can you do in cooperation with someone else?
®What must you obligatory do on your own?
®Denote each kind of tasks in different colours.
4. Is it possible to have it done in the desired timeframe?
5. Next Project. Follow items 1-4.
®item 4: Consider managing multiple projects simultaneously:
- networking ®address book
®your professional organization
®communities organized by interest
- working on one task may involve work on several
different projects(e.g.
reading a book in Spanish about finance helps you both learn Spanish and study
finance.) At the same time beware of overloading yourself and diminishing
your personal productivity.
6. Make a list of all projects, prioritize them and schedule them on your personal schedule
7. Begin work
- on the weekly schedule write next to every uncompleted task the reasons it has not been completed.