Five effective time management tips

In an effort to enrich the lives and work of our USI community, we've begun a series of Five Tips, providing useful information you can incorporate on the job or at home. We've once again reached into the fountain of knowledge provided by our own faculty and staff. If you have useful tips to share for this series, you can submit them for consideration.

These tips come from Charmaine McDowell, director of Corporate Partnerships in Outreach and Engagement.

1. Set plans with deadlines

Frequently, our important initiatives get pushed back because they are not urgent and we can do them tomorrow. If you continue to push them to tomorrow, they never get done.

2. Focus on what must be done

Giving equal weight to all tasks keeps you from accomplishing the most important work. It is difficult, if not impossible, to do everything so spend your time on the items that impact your long-term success and happiness.

3. Make it a habit

Building good habits saves you time, with less mental energy, since you do not have to convince yourself to do what should be done. For example, pack your gym bag and put in the car the night before, when your resolve is high. When your alarm goes off in the morning, when your resolve is low, it is more work to change your mind. You make it easier to build a habit.

4. Do it now or write it down

Saving up small jobs to do later usually ends up taking longer and creates more stress, leading to forgetfulness. Time management guru, David Allen, says, "If it takes less than two minutes, do it now."

5. "Never mistake activity for achievement" -Coach John Wooden

Stay busy doing what is truly important.