Create: Time management 1.1.1

Create:  Time management 1.1.1

Five Useful Time Management Tools:

1. Calendar-  whether it is an electronic calendar or a paper based planner, no successful person can navigate through the busy world with out one.  Users can manage appointment times, keep track of contacts, annotate useful resources and websites, and even set reminders for meetings, due dates, and other events.

2. Checklist- there are many apps that can be used to keep track (and cross off) those "to do" items that just keep populating your life.  One of the apps I like is free.  Called, Any.do, this app has ease of use all wrapped up in an easy to use format.   One of the best apps, though, is the one called "Carrot".  It costs $1.99, but is worth every penny.  It is only for iPhones and iPads.  The advertisers call it, "listmaking with personality".  It has its very own trailer: http://meetcarrot.com/todo/

3. Rewards and Consequences
Set up rewards and consequences for yourself to encourage yourself to make better choices.  Reward:  chose from a list of inexpensive pleasures.  Consequences:  use a random number generator to select one of ten predetermined consequences. Set up consequences like cleaning up after an animal, dead heading the flowers, taking out the trash, cleaning all the toilets, and other chores that need to be done and are waiting for "someday" to come along and have at them! .  (That's right- finishers get to exercise choice and slackers have to make due with whatever happens.)  May the odds be on their side.

4. Planning:
The fundamental activity necessary for effective time management is planning.  Planning is used whenever events are strategically placed in a calendar, whenever check lists are written and completed, and whenever reward and punishment systems are set up.  Planning skills must include the ability to chunk large projects into manageable sizes, set priorities for the most important tasks, schedule time with large tasks for those "contingencies" that often pop up to delay your task completion and schedule regular and recurring times for exercise, study, work, sleep, social time, and rest.  Planning must be done reflectively for it to stick- reflect on what worked and what didn't work so well and make changes as necessary.  Reflect on what part of the day was most effective for you to accomplish the more difficult tasks and plan accordingly.

5. Use near-time tools. the use of a simple tool like an online count down timer or even a kitchen timer can break massive tasks down into sizes that fit more easily into your day.  Sometimes we have a tendency to wander while online and doing homework.  Using a timer can help you to stay focused and get your work done.  Also use a time for the breaks between work sessions.  An easy to use online timer with alarm function can be found at:  http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown/  I open up two browser windows and set the first time to 55 minutes and the second timer to 5 minutes.  I then start the 55 minute timer and work like a crazy person to get my tasks completed before it rings.  The 5 minute timer is for the breaks between working sessions.  You can run up and down two sets of stairs in 2 minutes and use the restroom, wash your hands, and refill your water in 5 minutes.