I don’t know about you, but one of the things that sometimes holds me back from getting on with things that I want to achieve is the enormity of the task. To help me with this, I break things down into little steps and tick them off a I go. Seems really simple but it works!
I also notice that by listing and ticking off what I have achieved that day, I feel as though I am moving towards my goal, instead of away from it. Each tiny step has been recognised and even though I am sometimes puzzling over something for days, it comes to me eventually. I just have to trust that the knots in my wooly mind will untangle, if I give them enough time!
One of the best bits of advice that has helped me, is spending 30 minutes on a project every day. That adds up over the week and means that saying ‘I haven’t got enough time’ doesn’t excuse me from working towards my goals.
Time Management
Being self-employed has taught me to become much more ruthless about my work-time. I found it very difficult at first to discipline myself, and tended to put off the boring bits (which inevitably needed to be done) and just focused on the creative parts that I enjoyed the most. I am now at the stage where I plan my time much better, so I allocate time-slots to different types of work or different areas. I also block out whole days for bigger projects – for example if I am planning some training for a school.
One of the best things I learnt as a teacher was how to manage my time. In a fifteen minute tea break, I would make a cup of tea, visit the loo, talk to someone, use the photo copier and meet with a child to discuss a problem! I must have managed to say the minimum amount of words to ensure the key points were shared and then got back to teach the next lesson.
I know that for me time is elastic – some forms of thinking require a lot more time and mental space, with limited distractions. If I am planning, studying or working on something new, my phone is on silent and I ensure that I have a clear diary. I leave tasks that involve going out, being on the phone or internet for a while for other times. I am also very efficient at completing household chores as I know that I have to have a clean and tidy environment in which to work.
I also take lots of breaks. That is another wonderful thing about working from home! I can make a cup of tea whenever I want to and can have as many loo breaks as I like (which you can’t do as a teacher)!
What have you learnt about time management from your job? When do you work best – in the mornings, afternoons or evenings? And what sorts of strategies have you come up with to help you make the most of your time?
I would love to hear what you think about this or any other post, so leave me a comment or drop me a line via the contact form 🙂