Time Management Strategies: A How-To Guide For Work-Life Balance - Part Two

The Work-Life Balance....

Effective time management is essential for work-life balance, and to ensure you get through your day having accomplished all the goals you have set for yourself. Using a day planner can only be useful if you stick to the time management strategy you have created for yourself. Keep it close by for quick reference and check it immediately you finish one task, and before you begin a new one.

Making it to the end of my day and being able to see that I had completed everything on my daily list with a minimum of fuss is not something I have mastered yet. I made calls to the friends mentioned above, and asked them if I could tag along with them occasionally to see how they manage to get everything done. It was impressive to see how little stress both of these women encountered, despite barely being idle for at least 18 hours of the day, respectively.

Some of the most useful tips my friends gave me have nothing at all to do with their employment or their college classes; they were tips about being organized at home so everything else could run on schedule. For example, stock up on canned vegetables and fruit when it has been discounted. Make a note of the week those items are discounted because the supermarkets generally do this at 12 week intervals. When fresh vegetables are expensive, grab the canned goods for the evening meal. This example may not sound like a big deal, and I stated my preference for fresh vegetables over the canned varieties, however, preparing the fresh alternative takes up time that could be spent reading for my own pleasure, folding the laundry, or taking the dog to the park for 45 minutes. Having heard my gasp about buying canned vegetables, one friend told me that she blanches her fresh vegetables when they are in season, and then freezes them for later use. By following just this one simple tip, my time spent preparing dinner each night can be more effective, and I stand to gain almost an hour back in my day. This time will be allocated to reading in my case; I love to read every chance I get.

Knowing how to maximize my time is vital to my success. I have Panic Disorder, which can be so disruptive that I sometimes get nothing done for several hours, and periodically, a whole day can magically disappear. Following a strict schedule helps me to reduce the incidence of panic attacks; minimize the risk of stress and burnout, and allows me to comprehend and retain loads of important information. I think my idea of going directly to someone who has already done what I am trying to do, was the best way I could learn some new time management skills. I am not able to argue that something will not work, when evidence to the contrary is right before my eyes.

I am a visual learner, so listening to audio books or instructional CD’s is not something I would normally do. I did make an exception though, after getting some advice from one of the friends mentioned who travels for one of her jobs. When she writes a paper for school, she records herself reading it aloud and burns it onto a CD. As she drives along making deliveries, she can listen to herself reading what she has written to see how good it is from her audience’s perspective. I thought this was a clever idea, as it makes it much easier to identify sentences that might not make sense to anyone but me.

I will continue to use the strategies for time management that I am using now, but I may introduce a voice recorder to make things simpler. It takes some time to gather sticky notes and record the information in my planner, and it also takes considerable time to set reminders, times, and dates in my cell-phone’s calendar; I am a little obsessive, so I often wake during the night wondering if I entered an incorrect date or time which could potentially derail a whole afternoon schedule. Adjusting my schedule can be time consuming and stressful, however; I now understand how much extra time I can find just by observing those who are already successful. I will keep making many little changes to make my life easier instead of worrying about having to cut corners, which can ultimately compromise the quality of my output.