In the blink of an eye we are in December. The last month of the year comes full of commitments, deadlines to meet, pressure to close cycles, emergencies and the obligation to resolve pending issues that we have been putting off during the year. The American Psychological Association (APA) has consistently reported that stress levels increase in December due to workload, pressure to meet end-of-year goals, and personal demands such as holiday preparations.
Although this is something that, to some extent, we all experience, those people who have difficulty organizing and managing their time efficiently usually experience much more stress, anxiety and frustration during this period. In these cases, not having ordered consistently during the year forces them to face the consequences, having to resolve at the last minute with a much greater amount of demand and associated discomfort than if they had done it strategically and gradually during the twelve months.
Why are organizational and time management skills critical in today’s work world?
Today, at work, we face an extremely high amount of stimuli and challenges. We usually have to respond to different topics or tasks with a speed that is often overwhelming. In this context, it is necessary to keep in mind that time is one of the most valuable resources we have and learning to use it strategically is the great key to being able to respond to all these challenges without suffering or feeling burned out. It is worth clarifying that managing time efficiently is not the equivalent of “doing quickly” or “doing a lot”, but rather has to do with doing what needs to be done in the time that the task really demands.
And what does it mean to use time strategically?
It means that we must decide intelligently how we invest it. Ask ourselves, for example: what is my weekly plan? How is task X that I have to do related to the defined objectives? How much time should I allocate to each task? What are the priority tasks and what are the accessory ones? What elements or activities distract me and unfocus me, leading me to leave jobs halfway done?
It is proven that if the person manages to build an effective time management and organization system, their level of productivity increases (they solve better) and their quality of life improves (they feel more emotionally stable). What I’m saying is nothing new: when you feel stressed, exhausted and don’t know where to run from the chaos that surrounds you, it is almost impossible to feel satisfied.
People who do not know how to organize themselves with what they have to do are often also people who procrastinate, that is, they leave for later a task that they have to do now. This time of year forms a bottleneck in these cases, because everything postponed has clearly been accumulating and there is no more time ahead to continue postponing. While it is true that the world continues to turn on January 2, there are projects, deliveries, closures that must occur this year. Procrastination behaviors seriously threaten the level of productivity and the self-perception of capacity that the person constructs.
What are the most common mistakes when trying to manage time?
I think there are four misconceptions that people have regarding this.
The first is to set unrealistic challenges or tasks; If something is excessively complex or ambitious it is unlikely that it can be achieved.
The second is not being able to identify the priority nature of certain tasks over others. Simply put: not everything is for now nor is everything equally relevant. If you want to put together a good plan (which is the basis of any time management system) you must be able to prioritize.
The third is to try to do many things at the same time. The multitasking profile does not work; Far from optimizing time, we waste it entering and exiting tasks a thousand times.
The fourth idea is to pretend that there is a better time than now to do something. Expecting to have the ideal quantity or quality of time to advance in an activity is a big barrier. It doesn’t matter to do it perfectly or at the ideal time, it matters to do it, even if it is a small step.
What role does technology play in improving personal organization?
Today there are many digital tools that help us better manage our time. There are some that allow us to put together a clear and visual plan. There are others that facilitate the management of the workflow, that is, the control over the real progress that I am making in the tasks or activities, to evaluate the progress. There are also technological resources to control distracting factors. Although not all people have the same receptivity to the use of these tools, it is necessary for them to know that they exist and that, most of the time, they make work much easier and faster.
What is really possible to do at this time of year to organize yourself and not experience so much stress?
I share 5 keys to try it:
1- Have a realistic view of what is pending. It is highly likely that what you couldn’t do in 12 months you won’t be able to solve in 2 weeks. Then, select strategically to do what has a most direct impact on the objective(s) you had set for 2024.
2- Put together a biweekly plan. I usually recommend doing a weekly plan, but at this time of year it seems better to put together a biweekly plan, having previously defined and prioritized the pending tasks. At the end of the first week, review your progress and adjust the planning for the second week based on that.
3- Increase breaks and reduce dedication times. Since your fatigue at this time of year is greater, do not propose extended periods of time dedicating yourself to a task. In addition to that, schedule more breaks than usual.
4- Delegate as much as possible. Ask yourself if it is not possible for you to delegate something to another person. Surely not all tasks require your dedication.
5- Avoid giving up pleasant activities. It usually happens that when we don’t have time, recreational activities are the first we cut back on. If you feel exhausted and/or stressed, taking away those activities that “give you air” from your mind would only make the situation worse.
Constance Hoffman
Instagram: @constanzahoffman
Email: [email protected]
by CEDOC
