Time Management Tip

Been working through the task list a bit today, and was just thinking about a time management tip that I thought I'd share. I hope it's helpful to you.

In football there is a fundamental cliche: "You've got to move the chains." That is because football is not just measured by points, but also by smaller increments measured by a ten yard chain. Every time a team moves the ball past the end of the chain, the chain moves and they get another 4 plays to get past the chain again.

Your daily success is not a usually a sprint, all out, running like a chicken with no head. It is usually the collection of incremental tasks that are accomplished moving a little bit at a time. And since it's football season (and the Ravens are at the top of their division) I'll borrow one more football thought. A team has a number of plays they can pick from, a variety of people to carry the ball forward, and professional athletes strong enough to compete. But they also have eleven obstacles on the other side of the ball trying to stop them. Someone has to look at how the defense is lined up and pick the right play, to the right ball-carrier, to the right hole in the coverage so they can move the chains.

Your ability to succeed for today is based not only on being able to accomplish tasks, but also on your ability to identify which tasks need to get done in which order.

If you feel like your days are spent chasing your tail, or if you feel like you move from crisis to crisis, you need to learn to coordinate your tasks to help you move the chains forward and make progress. Here are a few tips that help me:

• Make a list. I make a list and even break up tasks by how long I think it will take to accomplish them. (15 min, 1 hour, 2+ hours) I include all my tasks personal, professional, and volunteer commitments all on one list.
• Review the list for things other people should be doing. Delegate appropriately.
  
• Identify and prioritize the tasks.
• Do easy tasks first to gain momentum.
• Set whisker goals for tasks that I don't feel like doing. (If I just do one or two things on a task it usually leads to getting it done.)
  
• I review the list throughout the day, and cross off tasks completed.

Certainly not comprehensive advice, but good advice for making progress in your day.

--Ben