On the Job: Schedule

This Wednesday, I will return to work after a rather lengthy break. Between then and the Christmas holiday, I want to accomplish a long list of "things." That means I have to figure out how to cram my many action points into less than a month of work. It's time to break out the calendar.

When you have a list of things to do and only a short time to do them, it helps to create a schedule. That way you know what should be done when. Scheduling your tasks as if they were meetings or events, keeps you organized and on schedule. It also forces you to focus and not get distracted by shiny new projects or extemporaneous activities.

When creating a schedule, I prefer to make a list, determine the time each task will take, create an order of attack, and then write down my plans on a calendar. I am a linear thinker in this regard, so that plan works for me. It's right there in my face, all day. I know what I want to do, and when I want to finish.

A final hint on this - don't beat yourself up if you miss a self-imposed deadline. Delays happen, just adjust as best as you can and keep working.