Time management checklist
I try to condense the complex area of time management (and partially energy management) into a simple 1-page checklist.
- Backlog / Things to do
- Do I have all of my tasks, major ideas, planned meetings, major projects in “external memory”? (Such as Google Calendar or Asana?)
- Have I forgotten to do something important or to attend some important meeting in the last several weeks?
- Have I started too many projects or initiatives? (Most of the stress is not caused by having too many things to do. The biggest stress is caused by all of the started and unfinished things).
- Day
- Have I started all days with a plan during the last several weeks? Had those daily plans each contain 1-2 non-trivial and important tasks?
- Have I finished those 1-2 tasks without unnecessary postponing?
- Have I started all the recent days with at least 1 thing I was looking forward to?
- Have I had enough rest during the recent days?
- Have I finished my workdays with a good feeling of a job well done?
- Was I looking forward to work in the recent days?
- Can I say “no” when needed, can I resist temptations and disruptions?
- Week
- Do I have weekly plans? Do they have units (not tens of units) of the most important tasks?
- If I do, then I should have not troubles answering the question of what’s the most important this week.
- Do weekly plans contain also tasks which are important and not urgent?
- Have I finished most of the tasks of the week plans in the recent weeks?
- Do I renew energy in all 4 aspects? Do I have enough physical activity? Do I devote enough time to think and learn? Do I spend time on activities I enjoy and with people I love? Do I devote my time and energy to things which I consider most important?
- Longer
- Do I have long term vision?
- Do I know what is expected from all my roles?
- Do I have top priorities (max. 5) for the upcoming weeks or months ideally related to the vision?
- Are my daily activities and weekly activities guiding me towards my long terms goals?