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Considering your list of major long-range goals, your list of
important goal-directed activities, your inefficient use of time, your
already scheduled time, and your assignments due this week, you
need to decide on your priorities for each day of the week. Then start
scheduling activities in your "free" time, giving priority to the most
important. Some activities most be done at a specific time, e.g. an
appointment to talk to an advisor. Other activities need to be done but
can be done at any available time; they are simply listed to be done
(which means you have to leave some "free" time).
Do this scheduling early in the day (or the night before) and at the
same time every day, so it becomes a habit. This is the crux of wise
time management. Do first things first. If possible, don't let yourself
get inundated with "urgent matters" that may not actually be as
important as having time to think, to learn new skills, to plan better
ways of doing the job, etc. Don't try to do a lot of little tasks first
("clear your desk") so you will be free to do important work later. That
wastes prime time. It is important to avoid, whenever possible, doing
low priority tasks, which can often be put off, perhaps forever.
However, it is wise to include time in your schedule, say half an hour,
for handling unexpected chores and another half an hour for "catching
up." Don't feel guilty if you don't get everything done; you can do it
tomorrow, if it's important. Make your daily schedule (To-Be-Done
List) fairly specific, indicating when during your "free" time you will do
certain tasks, such as when you will read an article, when you will
make reservations for Friday night and so on. Work on your more
difficult or important tasks when you are most alert. Don't use your
peak performance time for easy assignments or for socializing and
playing.
STEP SEVEN: Follow your daily To-Be-Done List. Reward
yourself.
Learn to make your daily schedule realistic, which means you
schedule what can and needs to be done and you actually do those
things. You have to be flexible; new things will come up each day that
require attention. But the basic point is simple: work on your highest
priority activities during most of your "free" time each day. However,
as Lakein (1973) points out, many of us procrastinate when faced with
long and difficult or unpleasant tasks, even though they are quite
important to us. What are the solutions?
The best is to recognize the tendency to "put it off" and, instead,
do it now! Another approach to finishing the overwhelming job is called
the "Swiss cheese method." You poke holes in a big project by
finding short tasks to do whenever you have a few minutes that will
contribute to the completion of the lengthy project. Maybe you can get
some needed information or a book. Maybe you can set up an
organizational meeting. Maybe you can at least write the first
paragraph.
