Time Management

Many of us do not need a reminder that tells us how busy we are. There seems to be too much to do, and so little time. Busy women are frequently chosen for leadership because they have already proven themselves capable of multi-tasking. Time management is a necessity for every busy woman, but especially the Women’s Ministries leader. Here are two simple techniques and skills that you can use to develop good time management and get things accomplished quickly and efficiently.

Prioritized To-Do List

One of the most useful ways to take control of your time is to create a prioritized To-Do List. To-do lists allow you to place all of the jobs and tasks that you need to get done into one organized place. A prioritized To-Do List will help you see all the things you must get accomplished, help you remember everything you have committed yourself to do, and alleviate stress by allowing you to tackle the most important tasks first. This simple list can help you to manage your time most effectively and leave you feeling in control and not overburdened.

How to create an effective Prioritized To-Do List

The first step is to write down all of your task-loads/jobs/duties.
The next, and most crucial, element is to prioritize those tasks according to importance.
Once you have ranked your duties according to priority, recopy your list in priority order
(1-most important, first; 5 – least important, last)

When you rank your tasks, it is important to keep in mind the reasonable time it should take to complete each one. If you feel as though there are too many tasks that rank high, then go through your list again and demote the less important ones.
If one To-Do list seems too overwhelming, you can create several To-Do-lists. There might be a number of tasks involved in completing one big, overall task. It would be helpful to list the steps to finishing the main task on a separate prioritized To-Do List.
Keep this list in a place that is easily accessible so you can check off those tasks you have already completed. Checking an item off the list gives you a sense of accomplishment and success, and it also reminds you of what still needs to be done.

Having a prioritized To-Do List is a very effective tool in time-management. For the busy woman, a list like this should not leave one feeling overstressed and worn-out, but organized, motivated, and successful once each individual task is completed. With the business, commitments, tasks, and duties a WM leader can find herself involved in, this simple tool can benefit her/you greatly.

Effective Scheduling

Effective Scheduling is the main process of time-management. It is where you see all you need to get accomplished and how much time you have available to achieve those goals. When you use a schedule properly you can:

Know what you can achieve realistically with the time available
Plan to make the best use of that time
Help leave enough time for those tasks that absolutely must be done
Save some extra time for unexpected situations and obligations
Minimize stress by avoiding over-committing yourself

There are several tools to help you schedule things, ranging from calendars to diaries to organizers. There are even multiple types of software that allow you to easily enter data into an appropriate time span in sufficient detail. The following techniques can be used to create an effective schedule.

How to prepare an effective schedule
(Scheduling is best done by every week or month)

Determine how much time you want to make available for your work.
Block in the appropriate amount of time needed for the tasks you absolutely must accomplish and get done well. If you do not know how much time a certain task requires give a fair estimate.
Schedule in the high-priority and essential tasks on your To-Do List that cannot be delegated to someone else or avoided.
Attempt to block in an appropriate amount of time each day for any unexpected tasks, interruptions, or tasks that might have taken longer than expected to finish.
Schedule the other “minor” tasks and the appropriate amount of time needed to complete them. Remember to cross out, or check off, those tasks that have been completed. This will give you confidence that you are achieving your goals, and motivation to continue on to your next task. Every few days (on a weekly schedule), or few weeks (on a monthly schedule) look over your schedule and reorganize if needed.
Creating a prioritized To-Do List and an effective schedule are just a few ways for you to organize and save time while accomplishing the goals and tasks that have been set before you. Remember to keep a godly balance in every daily task.