Make a schedule
A schedule is the best way to deal with time systematically. A schedule is a written commitment to accomplish tasks within a specific time frame. It lets you visualize your available time and your plan for allocating it. And it permits you to easily see uncommitted blocks of time. Most important, it shows you whether your A- and B-priority tasks are occupying most of your time—as they should be.
Use scheduling tools
types of scheduling tools:
To build flexibility into your schedule:
Once you've developed your schedule, you'll want to periodically check your progress to ensure that you stay on track. In the next Core Concept, you'll discover ways to monitor your time-management system—and continuously improve it.
A schedule is the best way to deal with time systematically. A schedule is a written commitment to accomplish tasks within a specific time frame. It lets you visualize your available time and your plan for allocating it. And it permits you to easily see uncommitted blocks of time. Most important, it shows you whether your A- and B-priority tasks are occupying most of your time—as they should be.
Use scheduling tools
types of scheduling tools:
- "To-do" lists
- Appointment calendars
- Daily and weekly planners, printed or electronic
- Networked scheduling software and hardware
- Wall calendars
Develop your schedule
Develop your schedule by entering tasks into it and indicating the time frames in which you expect to complete the tasks. These guidelines can help you build a useful schedule:- Enter A-priority tasks first, then put B-priority tasks in the remaining time slots.
- Schedule activities that require creativity and energy during the time of day when you tend to be most alert and energetic. Schedule routine tasks during low-energy periods.
- Leave some blocks of time unscheduled to accommodate unexpected crises, opportunities, and serendipitous exchanges with your colleagues, peers, or direct reports.
- Avoid back-to-back meetings. You need time after each meeting to process the information and execute action items.
- Consolidate tasks such as e-mail, paperwork, and phone calls when possible. For example, set aside 9:00–9:30 AM and 4:30–5:00 PM for these tasks. Consolidating tasks usually reduces the total time required to do them by eliminating start-up and switching time.
- As your week progresses, move uncompleted priority tasks to future open times, "bumping" lower-priority tasks if necessary.
- Keep your schedule in plain sight on your computer monitor or at your desk.
Make a to-do list
A simple and commonly used scheduling tool, a to-do list, captures all the tasks you need to complete on a given day in one eye-catching format. It includes:- Meetings you need to attend
- Decisions you must make
- Phone calls you have to make or expect to receive
- E-mails, letters, and memos you need to write
- Unfinished A- and B-priority tasks from the previous day
Get the most from your to-do list
You'll get the most from your to-do list by applying these strategies:- Include half the number of things you think you can do; it's all too easy to underestimate how much time tasks will require.
- Keep "urgent but unimportant" and low-priority tasks off the list entirely.
- Review the list at the end of the day. Were any A- and B-priority tasks left undone? If there were, they will have to be rescheduled—but not until you ask yourself why you failed to complete them as planned.
Build flexibility into your schedule
As people take on higher levels of managerial responsibility, their duties become less structured and their work becomes more ambiguous and unpredictable. Thus, managers' schedules need to contain enough flexibility to accommodate such work.To build flexibility into your schedule:
- Block off more "free time" in your daily schedule.
- Enter only the most critical tasks and deadlines into your schedule for two or more weeks in the future.
- Develop a willingness to bump scheduled tasks as opportunities or crises present themselves.
Once you've developed your schedule, you'll want to periodically check your progress to ensure that you stay on track. In the next Core Concept, you'll discover ways to monitor your time-management system—and continuously improve it.