Confessions Of A Time Management Addict

I love time management. I love learning about new ways of getting more out of the time you have, and I love trying these systems. While I don’t always stick to them, I do think it’s good to have a few tricks up your sleeve for when things require a certain type of approach. Here are a few that I use and the circumstances in which I use them.

Here are a few that I use and the circumstances in which I use them.

Pomodoro Technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT70iCaG0Gs

No, this isn’t a type of passata receipt used only in tomato season, it is the time management system that works when you are having trouble concentrating, or have a huge, single task ahead of you. Works for writing, studying and even cleaning. Any task that will do your head in if you work on it for a long period of time requires this approach. It’s a brain trainer . So how to do it?

So, how do you get cooking with this tomato clock?

  • Choose a task to be accomplished
  • Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer, use your phone or an online countdown)
  • Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper
  • Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)
  • Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break

    • Kanban Board

    (*Play from .32 secs so you don’t have to listen to crap at the start. you’re welcome.)

    This process works really when you have multiple things to do during the day. It was developed for Toyota line-workers to signal the steps in their manufacturing process. This is an easy, one glance system that allows you to see what needs to be done and when and reduces time wasting. I used this last week when I had over 30 tasks to do and was feeling overwhelmed. While it looked someone basic, as I didn’t use a board, I used a large sheet of A3 paper and some sticky notes, I got through it all! It’s kind of addictive to move your task from To Do, then Doing, then finally to Done.

    So, how do you use this magic board?

  • Get a board of a large sheet of paper
  • Write down all your tasks on sticky notes
  • Put them in the To Do list column
  • Work on each task and move to each column accordingly

    • Bullet Journal

    This one is for everyday use. It creates a boundary for your day, so you don’t overbook and you can keep track of your life. For those who know me well, they know I am a huge and loud advocate of the bullet journal. So what is it?

    A bullet journal is just a notebook that accommodates a huge variety of planning schemes. You can create calendars and to-do lists, and you can also use it as a diary, a brainstorming notepad, and more. If you’ve ever bought a planner, but didn’t love the design of the pre-printed pages, the bullet journal is your opportunity to make a planner that fits the way your brain works.

    The video that launched the bullet journal craze describes a set of conventions that many, but not all, bullet journalers stick to. You create an index to help you find things, a few pages that help you plan the year, and a two-page spread for important dates and tasks for each month. (Many bullet journalers also do a spread for each week.) Then, you write down each day’s plans and events in the form of bulleted lists — hence the name.

    I love my Bullet Journal as it’s personal. I can make it what I want and I can pick it up and use it as I nee. I’m a list maker and I love pens and stationery, so it satisfies both parts of me.

    And that’s it for now. I know there are lots of apps but I am a simple soul and these all work for me.