The Key Elements of Time Management

Having a baby changes your life in many ways. It influences your daily schedule, the amount of sleep you get, your diet, and so much more. One of the biggest adjustments you'll have to make as a new parent is time management. Here are some of the key elements of time management taken from an article from the Journal of American College of Radiology. Trust me, these four elements will make the transition into parenthood a whole lot easier!

GOALS: set realistic goals (Jackson, 2009).

• Differentiate your short term goals from your long term goals 
• Write down your top 3 to 5 lifetime goals 
• Create a to-do list: list 10 things you plan to accomplish in the next week 
• Now, determine if any of your lifetime goals are related to your weekly to-do list! 

ORGANIZATION: organizing stuff and organizing time 

• How to organize stuff: (Jackson, 2009). 
• Throw out items (such as papers, files, emails) that you don't need 
• Organize and file - it makes it easier to find important items in the future 
• Keep your organization manageable (if it't too complicated, you won't keep at it) 
• Remember, organization and filing is an ongoing process! 
• When dealing with mail, remember the 4 D's: 
• Do now 
• Dump 
• Delegate 
• Delay - remember to review this file periodically!  
• How to organize your time: (Jackson, 2009). 
• List and prioritize everything you need to do
• Review your list regularly and revise if needed 
• Determine your most effective mental time and schedule this time to work on important projects 
• Break large, important projects into manageable segments 

DELEGATION 

• Delegate whenever reasonable and possible 
• Don't use your time to do something that someone else can do more easily or better (Jackson, 2009). 

RELAXATION

• Don't forget to relax! 
• It is necessary to balance work and relaxation - when you take time to relax, you're taking time to recharge! 

References: 

Jackson, V.P. (2009). Time Management: A Realistic Approach. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 6(6), 434-436.