Um...

Well here's a good example of time management gone wrong.

I was supposed to post this blog entry on Monday. Do you know why I didn’t?

Because I didn’t write it down.

I have told my children for over 12 years, “If it’s not on the calendar, it’s not going to happen.” Can you take a wild guess as to what I didn’t write on the calendar? Yep, my blog day.

My main time management strategy is making a list for the day and/or week. Well part of making that list is to see what’s already on the calendar for that day. Well if it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t get on the list and it doesn’t get accomplished.

I have heard it said that you should tackle the most difficult task on your list first. There are three reasons for this. One, you are freshest first thing. Two, you feel good about accomplishing a big thing. And three, you aren’t dreading it all day, kind of a smooth sailing the rest of the day sort of thing. This is a good strategy.

Some times I will do a lot of the little things first to make my list shorter. This is especially true when I have a long list, say 10 things and eight of them I can do in an hour like mail a letter, give the dog his medicine, write a short e-mail, etc. It bolsters me to tackle a bigger thing because I’ve already accomplished so much in a short period of time.

One thing you must do when using a list is to cross things off as you complete them. This shows what you have done and gives you momentum to move on to the next thing. You have to look at your list anyway to see what you’re going to do next, so do it with pen in hand and cross the completed task off.

A list also helps you keep in mind what needs to be done so you don’t forget something like…um…let me see if I can think of a good example…oh like posting a blog. And while you’re working on one thing, your subconscious is working on one of the other items on your list. It’s like doing double duty. At the end of the day you can see all the things you accomplished that day and know you have done a goods day’s work.

So make a list (and look at it). See what all you can get done.

So guess what I get to do now? Yep, cross post a blog off my list.