Managing Your Bank of Time…
Invest in Your Success

Have you ever found yourself saying “It’s 11 o’clock already?  Where did the morning go?”  Many people complain about have too little time and too many things to do or that there are not enough days in the week to accomplish everything.  Managing your time effectively allows you to spend more time on the things you value the most, such as health, happiness, success, and family.  The following are tips on effective time management.

Invest time in determining what components of your life are the most important to you.  Examine every aspect of your life—work, family, friends and community, health, and personal goals.  After deciding which are the most important, make them a priority.  If one area is beyond your control, then don’t waste time focusing your energy on that area. 

Make a schedule of the things you want to accomplish for the week, and then put it in writing.   Each day, take stock of what you have accomplished and pat yourself on the back.  Then determine what remains to be accomplished throughout the rest of the week.  If you need, adjust your schedule to achieve your priorities.  Throughout the week and each day, check your schedule to make sure you stay on track.  This technique allows you to focus on the priorities and not waste time on events that may not be important.  Before you commit to something new, take a look at your schedule.  You control your time.  As the saying goes, “lack of planning of your part does not crate an emergency on mine.” 

Begin the day with activities on your schedule that can be completed quickly and crossed off your list.  This allows you to create momentum and accomplish the rest of the tasks on your lists.  Starting the day with a major project that keeps you busy and seems never-ending will drain your energy and cause your momentum to come to a crashing halt.  One way to make a big project easier is to divide the project into smaller pieces.  This will allow you to keep moving toward the end throughout the day.

When planning your schedule, think about the events, actions or people who may interrupt your momentum.  Visualize ways to react to these interruptions in a manner that will keep you on task.  Offer to help at another time.  For example, you can say “Can we discuss this in about an hour?  I’m on a roll and want to complete this project.”  Anticipating these interruptions and having a plan of attack prepared will help you stay focused on your priorities and stick to your schedule.

Schedule similar types of activities to be done around the same time.  For example, plan to return phone calls and emails at the same time.  Little tasks can be used to break up the monotony of bigger projects that may be zapping your energy. Many read their daily mail as a way to take a break from writing a long report.

While working on report or a project, you may find yourself thinking about efficiency and wondering how many minutes a task will take to accomplish.  When scheduling time to deal with people, you can’t plan how much time you will need.  Take whatever time is necessary to handle people. 

Arrange your environment in a way that will encourage productivity.  Remove any distractions from your work area.  As often as possible, touch each piece of paper that crosses your desk just one time.  Don’t shift papers from one pile to another; dispose of your work before it has a chance to pile up.  If you have any piles in your office, attack and get rid of them.

If you feel overwhelmed, ask you team members for help or suggestions on how to accomplish the task.  Chances are that your team members will gladly help relieve some of the pressure.  Remember to return the favor.

Make a decision not to bring work home unless it is essential to do so.  The tendency to bring work home may be the result of poor time management or the need to have others think you must be important since you are so busy.  Becoming more efficient during the workweek will allow you to save the weekend for replenishing your energy and personal satisfaction.

Remember that not every task has to be done right away.  Some tasks can wait.  Keep a check on priorities that may conflict with each other in your schedule.  When a conflict arises, make sure that you are not mistakenly moving up a deadline.

Managing time effectively is like managing money.  If you need occasional help or pointers, come back to this site and review our suggestions.  If you methodically begin the practice of saving time, you’ll soon find yourself with a surplus to invest in the things you value in life most.

“Ad Hoc’s management team brings an unparalleled level of understanding and professionalism to every engagement. Their intimate knowledge of the national and international legal communities coupled with their insightful strategies has enabled Ad Hoc to secure and sustain a leading position within the legal placement industry.”
B. Daryl Bristow
Managing Litigation Partner
Baker Botts, L.L.P.
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Three Months per Assignment

The average length of an Ad Hoc temporary assignment is three months, although some temporary employees have worked in a single position for more than six years.