Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.
Peter F. Drucker
Time management is a key aspect of being a part-time working mom. Our time management skills can help us or make things soooooo much harder. I’ve included five time management tips that help me when I’m working (the personal time management tips will come later this month)..
Set aside specific email time
According to Meredith Garcia, who specializes in helping individuals be more productive and effective, it’s important to set aside specific times to check email. This is definitely a change in behavior for many of us, including me. We’re in world where technology allows us to be accessible 24/7 and people often expect almost immediate response. If this is a change in behavior, it’s important to take this a bit further. Garcia suggests you will probably have to retrain people you work with about your new approach to improve your likelihood of success in making the change stick.
Set daily goals
We’re all used to dealing with deadlines and overall goals. Why not take those larger goals and break them down into daily goals? There are a few reasons to do this. First, it keeps you on schedule and allows you to track progress (and make adjustments if necessary on the overall schedule). Second, it should help with prioritizing your tasks for the day. Third, it can keep your focused and motivated for the day and, ultimately, for the long-term. And finally, it keeps you accountable in the short and long-term.
Set a timer
No question about it, I know I work better early in the morning. I don’t have a lot of time in the morning, though, as we’re getting the boys ready for school. I will schedule with my husband ahead of time to have a set amount of time when I can work 30 or 60 minutes. My husband will get the boys ready and I will finish specific tasks within the set time and then my timer goes off. I have that dedicated short amount of time to power through things and be uber productive.
Be strategic when networking
When you work in an office environment, there is usually a social aspect to work. You might go to lunch or sit and chat at a coworker’s desk. When you work part-time, you have limited time to interact with people on a social level at work. The reality, though, is that networking and social interaction is an important part of work. With that in mind, your networking needs to change to a more strategic approach. For example, go to lunch or coffee once a month or every few weeks with a different person you want to talk to and make notes on what you want to cover before you meet so that you stay on topic. In addition, keep track of time and let the other person know ahead of time your time parameters. This is can also be an approach for those of us that work from home. Want more tips on networking?
Monotask or Multitask?
As moms, we constantly multitask. It’s pretty much how we survive. I’ve read so many articles that discuss the benefit of doing one thing at a time, though. The concept of monotasking seems like a luxury sometimes, but the reality is that it can actually help us be more productive. Realistically, you have to decide when monotasking or multitasking is more effective in a specific situation. It might be more trial and error since it can vary from situation to situation and person to person. I will say that it does help to give my boys my full attention for a specific time, so that I can do a bit of quick work later if I need to.
Do you have specific tips or tricks you use to help with time management on the professional side of your life? I’d love to hear them in the comments.
