Transcript Time Management Techniques for Clinicians and Probation

Time Management Techniques
Jennifer H. Haywood, LISW, LICDC
[email protected]
Sources
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http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/brochures/time.htm
http://businessballs.com/timemanagement.htm
http://www.friedsocialworker.com/socialwork
burnout.htm
Personal background and experience in the
field, Jennifer H. Haywood, 2007
Common myths contributing to poor
time management
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My life is completely controlled by external events
Fact: You can have some control over many aspects
of your life, but you and you alone are responsible for
initiating that control. Learn to recognize what you
can and can’t control before making your choices.
Anticipate the future and clarify the external demands
that must be faced. From there, it’s easier to
determine what can be done, and within what time
frame, despite the demands
Myth 2
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I should meet everyone’s expectations
Fact: The needs and demands of others may be
inappropriate for you and your lifestyle. They may
be poorly times, highly questionable, or simply
unattainable. They may be of a different priority than
your own. By trying to meet the expectations of
others, you may be shortchanging yourself and your
needs. First become clear about what your needs are
and then you consider what others expect of you
Myth 3
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I should have no limits
Fact: We all have limits….failure to acknowledge
this may cause you to become perfectionistic in your
expectations. Perfectionists are especially prone to
procrastination because the perfection they demand is
impossible. For example, no paper will ever be
perfect in all ways. The immediate consequence of
turning in an imperfect paper may be brief, acute
anxiety, but the long-term consequences of
procrastination ie…inconveniences, career losses and
lingering self doubts---are usually more devastating.
First- Stack the cards in your favor!
Use your biological rhythms to your advantage
A. Identify the times of day when your energy
levels are the highest and do your most
important work at those times. Schedule your
“must do list” in the mornings, if you are a
morning person- you may even decide to talk
to your supervisor about flexing your schedule
to include an earlier work day, to get things
done before everyone else arrives
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Optimize your work environment!
B.
C.
Keep things you need in your work area and
make sure the physical environment is
conducive to concentration, not just comfort.
Do you need quiet, music, a clean desk (big
lots’ bins can get you organize quickly!) or a
reorganize office placing you facing the wall
or window, not the door where everyone is
walking by saying hello!!
Safeguard blocks of work time!
D.
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F.
G.
Protect your time by saying “no” to various interruptions.
Take your email off of the setting that alerts you every time
a new email pops up, and schedule yourself specific “check
email” times throughout your day. (3 at the most)
Close your door!- Provide a marker board monthly calander
on your door, along with a way for someone to leave a
message
Schedule “paperwork only” times, and turn off your phone
or even go to a private space other than your office to get
that work done
If you can, turn off your phone, and schedule your “check
voice mail” time when you check your email. You may be
able to multi-task, while “weeding out” calls that can be
answered at home, or not at all!
Multi-tasking demands an organized
work space/schedule
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In/out bins
Priority bins
Schedule book that allows for month, day and week
overviews, possibly allowing you time to do some
personal tasks within your lunch hour ie..bills,
personal calls during business hours, personal
emailing etc…
Schedule time to return phone calls, alerting your
regular callers of the best time frame to call you back
ie..My phone is on from 1-3pm and I check emails…
Get a baseline and learn how to protect
your time!
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Begin by keeping a time log for a day or two,
to give you a baseline on how to spend your
time- this will give you an idea how long, on
average, you work without an interruption- if
you struggle to achieve more than 5 or 6
minutes, interruption free, at a time- you need
to make a change!
Challenge the Wasted time
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Habitual tasks, where responsibility has been
handed down or inherited- don’t assume that it
HAS to be done this way
Goals- Prioritizing
Daily/Weekly/Monthly tasks
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Review your activities and make a list of daily,
weekly and monthly goals to get an idea of your
baseline responsibilities
Utilize a desk planner for this. Highlight
responsibilities according to priority- yellow for
daily, pink for weekly, blue for monthly- decide what
time of day your are the best for your daily goals,
give yourself 2 days during the week spaced out for
your weekly goals, and give yourself one day weekly
to work on monthly goals. DO NOT deviate unless
sick etc….
DEFEND your schedule!
THE DAY
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Most people struggle the most with motivation after lunch- be
aware of what you are eating, and how much caffeine you
drink in the mornings- this will help
It may be helpful for you to return calls, emails or leave your
office for client meetings after lunch. Sedentary paperwork is
NOT recommended for this time of day. If you have time, do
a short walk around the office, or block at your mid-day break.
This increases serotonin and gives you your energy boost for
the afternoon.
Organize your office and your to-do list for the next morning
the night before you leave. This will help you psychologically
feel “complete” decrease the need to figure it all out the next
morning.
As things come up throughout the
day…..
1-Do Now
2- Plan to Do
Emergencies, demands from
supervisors, work due today, meetings
and appointments, daily
charting/reports/treatment planning,
staff issues
Scheduling, weekly
responsibilities, networking,
staffing notes
3- Reject and Explain
4- Resist and Cease
Trivial requests by others,
misunderstandings, email requests
Gossip, chat, excessive social
communications, net surfing,
computer games, excessive cigarette
breaks, daydreaming, doodling
Implementing these tools takes healthy boundary
setting with appropriate communication abilities
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Delegate
Learn to say “No” politely and constructively
Be careful about accepting sideways delegating by
peers “I understand this is urgent for you, but I have
other priorities I must deal with first ie..client issues,
sessions, emergencies
Probe vague deadlines ie..when things are due “now”
or “later today”- what does that actually mean? Can
it even be tomorrow morning?- need a time!
No one will be motivated to manage
time if burnt out!
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Symptoms: exhaustion, cynical detachment from
work, feelings of ineffectiveness
Definition by Maslach and Leiter- Burnout is “the
index of the dislocation between what people are and
what they have to do. It represents an erosion in
values, dignity, spirit and will—an erosion of the
human soul. It is a malady that spreads gradually and
continuously over time, putting people into a
downward spiral…..
Clinicians, probation officers, and other helping
professionals are so burnt out because….
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We’re good people who are staunchly
committed to helping others
Too many of our employers fail to empower us
with the ability to perform effectively, doing
so in a multitude of ways
Ways….
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Mismanagement
Schedule Imbalance (undesired shifts to same
workers, all holidays and weekends, beepers and
pagers giving us NO TIME to compartmentalize)
Intense Work Days
Chronic Fear of Downsizing
Politics
Lack of Appreciation
Personal Risk
Fixing It….
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Appreciation….Staff incentives, reward (comp
time), verbal positives
Supervisors requiring workers to leave on time
Supervisors allowing flex hours
Exercise, lowering caffeine
Morale building exercises
Discouraging gossip