Tasks Take Time

How long have you had that To Do list? Have you managed to scratch anything off it? Or does it just keep getting longer?

While it's true that making a list of the things you need to do is an important starting point when attempting to better manage your time to achieve your goals, most people miss the critical next step: blocking time in your schedule to actually do one of those tasks. Without a dedicated time for a task, especially if it is a significant one like conducting a literature search or transcribing an interview, it easily becomes something that floats from one day to the next, haunting you like a ghost. Should you call Ghostbusters? You could, but they wouldn't be much help.

Instead, try sitting down with your task list. Identify which tasks are quick and easy, and which ones will require more time or are likely to be more difficult. If anything can be accomplished immediately (make a hair appointment), then do it. For everything else, book time your schedule -- and be realistic about just how much time you need.

For example, I recently was discussing writing with a colleague who wanted to revise a paper for publication. In addition to addressing the reviewers' comments, she needed to transition her citation style from one (say, Chicago) to another (say, APA). Because she was unfamiliar with the new style required, and because online guides are often incomplete, she needed to obtain a paper or electronic copy of the complete citation style guide. Now, this may seem like a simple task, but weeks had passed and she still hadn't obtained it. I suggested that she book time in her schedule to either borrow or purchase the guide. The library option would probably take 15 minutes some day that she was on campus, while the purchase options could range from 5 minutes for an online vendor to 45 minutes if she went to the mall. If she committed the time in her schedule to "just do" the task, not only would she complete it (which brings its own sense of accomplishment), but she would also get rid of that ghost that was haunting her (at least temporarily).

You see, when we carry these incomplete tasks around with us, they take up mental space and they often result in feelings of guilt or inadequacy. But if you systematically tackle them, one at a time, you gain the upper hand, you gain control, and you feel better.

And when you do complete each task, remember to congratulate and reward yourself for a job well done.