Managing Your Time

Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed/ - Dr. Peter Drucker, The Effective Executive If you find yourself trying to squeeze more hours out of the day to attend to your students, family, friends, and self, read on.

Does your "To Do" list look like this? Read on.

Many people find that the way to begin to gain control of their time is by discovering how their time is being spent. You accomplish this by keeping a time log from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, (or begin by logging your planning periods.) Design your time log so you can make notations every fifteen minutes. Within a week or two, you'll see where your time goes. As you examine the time log, look to see if time is being wasted on low priority tasks.

Control of your time starts with planning. If you plan each day, there will always be time for the important things.

Your daily plan or list of activities needs to be prioritized. The system used most often, developed by time-management expert Alan Lakein and described in his book, How to Get Control of your Time and Your Life , assigns the letters A, B, or C, each based on the value of the task. Setting aside time to complete lesson plans on Friday may rate an A; making up a test to be used two weeks from now, a B or C. Don't worry about completing the list, but focus on the items marked with an A.

Get "absolute musts

Ask yourself, "How terrible would it be if I didn't do this low priority item." If the answer is "not too terrible," don't do it.

Use periods of rest and diversion during the day to restore your energy. It is inefficient to work when tired - a few minutes of rest may improve and increase your productivity to higher levels.

Say No. What do you do when someone asks you to do "one more thing"? If it won't result in losing your job, your family, or your life, say no. "No" is a responsible answer. To help you say no, you can.

Use nonverbal language.

Be direct and honest.

Avoid defensiveness - you have the right to your own life.

Be brief . (The longer you take, the more likely you'll end up saying yes.)

Hesitate for at least 10 seconds before giving a response that will commit you to an action.

Use the broken record technique . (Prepare a response ahead of time, and each time you are asked, replay that response.)

Suggest alternatives .

Use your time efficiently. Choose activities that bring the highest return in value when measured against your goals. If you can determine exactly what you want, you are capable of determining how to get it.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.