Time Management Tips: The Best Time for Developing a System For a Task Is After You've Done The Task?

Timing

If you’ve just done a task and you’re going to need to do it again at some future time point: write yourself a list of the steps required for doing the task. Since you’ve just done the steps, you will know what they were, and will then have this document available for next time.

Examples

– When you next get on a plane, write yourself a “Master Packing List”. You’ve just packed, so you will know what you packed. You could do the same to create a “Master List” for the other steps involved in going away e.g. arranging for someone to collect your mail. (Maybe take on one of these lists for your next trip, and do the other list when you take the trip after that).

– After you’ve done your tax return, write out the steps you used to get it done. Its likely to help you feel less intimidated next time, and you’ll be able to easily repeat your process.

– After you’ve learned how to do something on your computer, write yourself a list of instructions for how to do it next time. For example, after someone has just shown you how to do something on the computer, write down the steps so you don’t forget what you learnt.

Barriers?

The barrier to doing this is that you’re likely to feel tired after you’ve done a task, so you might need to plan to have the time/energy available for doing this the day after your deadline.

Want to let me know what you did?

As always, if you used the info from this post and want to let me know about it, you can leave post on the Facebook page or send me a tweet @DrAliceBoyes.