Time management? I know nothing about it!

About one year ago I started a user experience online course. Not one of those that are waiting for your interaction like forever. I started a course at CareerFoundry where on the other side of the screen is a tutor waiting for my task submissions and a mentor waiting for my portfolio updates.

The course preparation document says you should spend 20 hours a week if you want to make it on time and not to lose your money — big money! Additional fact is that I work full time.

Challenge accepted.

So as you probably think, I managed to finish the course on time. I was soooo happy but still not aware of that I do know something about time management, funny, huh?

One week after I finished my course I’ve received an email from a lead UX Designer at CareerFoundry, Jeffrey Humble and guess what? He asked me for an interview about time management as I seem to be one of not that many students finishing the course on time without complaints. This made me thinking a lot about it and therefore I decided to share my thoughts on it.

How to kickoff your time management:

#1 Do the basic and rough calculation. If you know that the course lasts 8 months and contains 57 tasks in total. It means: 8 months is around 32 weeks, so if you manage to do 2 tasks per week you should make it easily and have still a buffer.

Yes, I do know that each task is different, one can take 3 hours another 10. But the message I am trying to say is that you just need to do basic calculation to be aware how much time on weekly basis is needed to finish the course on time.

If your case is not an online course but for example a commitment to read 2 or 7 books a week. Do the calculation, how many pages a week do you need to read?

#2 Check your calendar for the next 3 months. Do you have some birthday parties? Some family events? Write it all down and go back to #1 and do the calculation again minus the days that are booked in your calendar.

#3 Buy a whiteboard or just take a piece of white paper, I suggest to have a big one. Create a weekly calendar and under each day write your main responsibilities / duties for the day.

In my case it looked like this:

Of course, on each day I work 8 hours and commute but this is something obvious so I didn’t have to write it down.

#4 Hang the calendar and the weekly plan on the wall. Not in the place where nobody can see it but in the place where it is visible all the time ;)

#5 This point has to be a last but at the same time #0.

Ask yourself what is your priority? Netflix or having the course task done? Do you want to read 20 more books during next 3 months or having 10 tasks done.

You need to make clear priorities for the period of time and don’t blame yourself for not reading books currently. It is not because you are managing your time wrong, it is because your priority is to finish the course on time.

As you see above in my weekly planning there is dog, gym and running. Not only study. This means these things are important for me and I will not skip gym to finish the course. If you have kids and they are your priority don’t tell them: sorry I have no time for you. Instead, just try to optimise your week to fit your priorities into it.

Finally, here are some tips and tricks as we are all just humans and we have our weaknesses as well :D

Tip #1: if Netflix is not your priority, do not buy the subscription, at least not for the time of your course ;)

Tip #2: if you have flatmates, family members, simply ask for help. Sometimes stupid shopping done by someone else saves the time you can spend on your education.

Tip #3: don’t feel bad when you say no to your friends going out, or talking about latest Netflix series that you have no idea about — you have different priority for now.

Tip #4: especially, dedicated to ladies: don’t go to shopping centres, it will save your time (and money :D)

Tip #5: be nice to yourself, if you need a break, do it. If you need to go for a beer with friends, you should but then note down that next week you need to do a bit more

Tip #6: turn off the distractions: Instagram, Facebook, etc. nothing dramatic will happen on your feed if you are offline for 3 hours

Tip #7: be smart: if you can combine running with time for a dog, do it. If you really feel bad reading less books: try audiobooks…feel free to make it smart!

As a last word from me, I want to say I wasn’t perfect in this process. I had weeks with very good progress and weeks without any single task / goal achieved but I have learned something about myself.

I tried many things like getting up early to do the course before going to the office, I was trying the same with gym. Then I also tried working at night…You need try it on your own, find the balance and constantly remind yourself about the big picture plan and your priorities!

For me the best recipe for a good time management is:

Priorities + discipline + assertiveness = success

You will make it! I am sure!

Edit: I was mentioned in the CareerFoundry newsletter! Yay!