Sometimes you can feel like you have no control of your day to day activities and that you are merely a passenger on someone else’s bus.  Here’s three ways which will give you the feeling of being in the drivers’ seat and having more in control of your time.

Diary

The key to having a successful diary is simplicity and flexibility.  You need three things in your diary, a place to record appointments, a place to formulate a “to do list” and a year planner to keep your eye on the longer term.

Daily plans or to do lists are essential to maximising your time.  They are normally created the day before and list the key things you want to achieve tomorrow.  What you need to think about is what you want to achieve, how long it will take, how important it is and when you will fit it into your diary? 

Prioritising your activities

Try prioritising your work into 4 categories; do it now (high importance/high urgency) defer it (high importance, low urgency) delegate it (low importance, high urgency) and dump it (low importance, low urgency).

Few tasks are both urgent and important it’s just that urgent tasks appear important because they demand action now.  It’s the urgent things like phone calls, demanding parents and accidents at school which can force us to put our long term goals to one side. 

The best way of dealing with interruptions is to ask yourself “is this more important than what I am doing” and if the answer is NO, then delegate or defer it to another time.

Learn from your mistakes

It’s always a good thing to take about 15 minutes out at the end of your day to review what has been achieved and to create your to do list for tomorrow.  Start by asking yourself these questions:-

• Did I underestimate what was involved?
•  Should I be more assertive?
• Can I change any of my deadlines?
• Can I get help?
• What things could I have delegated?
• Did I spend too long on one thing, i.e. being a perfectionist?

The key to being in control of your time and your day is to have a system that works for you.  How well is your system working for you?

Dot Struthers runs tele-coaching programmes to support teachers and if you would like to receive her monthly CPD newsletter register at www.merechats.co.uk