Try the following time management exercise:

Plan:

Choose a quiet time to plan your day (probably should be a the beginning or the end of the day, whatever works best for you). Tell others you should not be disturbed. Turn the ringer off your phone and turn off other "attention-getting" devices. Write out a "to-do" list - you are more likely to accomplish tasks when you write them down than those just stored in your head. Start this exercise by writing a list just for one day. You can later experiment with a weekly to-do list, and choose whether a daily or weekly list is more helpful to you.

Prioritize:

• Mark the things that must get done today with a "1".
• Mark the things that should get done but aren't as time-urgent with a "2".
• Mark the things you would like to get done, but aren't completely essential, with a "3". If they never get done, it wouldn't be terrible.

Avoid Perfectionism:

Throughout your day, do the 1’s and as many 2’s as possible. Tell yourself it’s no big deal if the 2’s and 3’s don’t all get done. Do each item as well as it requires, spending just the time and energy it needs. Remind yourself each item needs to be accomplished, not necessarily accomplished flawlessly. Aim for a B+ or a B, not everything has to be an A+.  

Now review your list. If there are too many 1's and 2's on your list, ask yourself why? Do you have unrealistic expectations for yourself? Can you recruit others to assist with these tasks? Remember that just because you can accomplish a large amount in your day, doesn't mean you should. You also need time for relaxation, exercise, socializing, and reflection.

Next Page >>