3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys for Managing Time and To-Dos

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

For me, turning the calendar page to August inspires mixed feelings. My birthday is in August, but the fall semester begins in August, too, making it essential that "class prep" makes its way onto my to-do list. Class prep isn't bad -- in fact, pre-semester prep often gets me excited for the semester -- but more time for class prep means less time to write (or, more likely, read).

Always a bummer.

No matter the month, each of us faces time management challenges. I don't think I've ever met an adult who said, "Oh, man, I wish there were fewer hours in each day!" So, in honor of August and time management challenges everywhere, here are three keys to tackling that to-do list with maximum impact.

Don't put it there in the first place. One of the best decisions I ever made was to declare 2018 the Year of No. I didn't turn everything down flat, mind you; I just made it a point to remember that I don't have to say yes to everything. Making it a point to say no when I was overbooked, overwhelmed or just not interested meant evaluating my choices more carefully. Did I miraculously clear up huge blocks of time? I did not. But, more and more, the things that made it onto my to-do list were things I actually wanted to do. Sure, there are errands and nuisance items, but the time-consuming big things on the list are things I want to spend my time on.

geralt via Pixabay

Keep your priorities in mind. So, what do we do when everything on the list is something that matters? We take it on a day-by-day (or, some days, hour-by-hour or minute-by-minute) basis. Sometimes, efficiency, meeting deadlines and checking things off our lists will be the priorities. Other times, watching a movie with your spouse, reading a bedtime story to your child or having a late-night chat with your teenager will be the priority. When in doubt, zoom out and take in the big picture. A week from now, a month from now, ten years from now, which choice will lead you to look back and smile? Which will make you grateful about how you chose to spend your time? This isn't meant to induce guilt or be a trick question. Sometimes, doing the stuff we have to do is the priority so we can make time for the things that really matter -- like clearing the decks at work before a family vacation.

Find a way in. Just because it's on the list doesn't mean you have to complete it to the bitter end in one shot. Some tasks and projects lend themselves to baby steps and short sessions. Every year, I plan to chip away at my class prep a little at a time and, this year, I've been somewhat successful. Okay, it's only been three days (I declared last Monday the official beginning of back-to-school season), but my plan of bite-sized prep periods is working. Since I"m already in the habit of using writing sprints (an hour of dedicated writing time each day) to help me make progress on the monumental task that is writing a book, I've decided to try prep sprints. If I get to the middle of the month and necessary back-to-school tasks aren't yet finished (the equivalent of book deadline time), I need to spend more time on my preparation. For now, an hour at a time helps me to make progress without feeling as though school is starting a whole month early.

How do you manage your to-do list? Are you disciplined enough to start at the top and work your way down? Do you prioritize items on the list, or are you a mood-driven checker offer? However you dig in, remember that progress, no matter how small, is always a good thing.

It's a process.