Time Management?

Since losing my computer (temporarily, thank the Lord!) to a virus over a week ago, (...or was it two weeks?) I have been limited to using the family machine for all my computer-related activities.

Since I have two blogs, an online business, and lots of email correspondents, it's been challenging to keep up with everything while sharing the computer with everyone else. No longer can I plop down to work on something when I feel like it or if I just have a few minutes. Instead, I must wait until Mom and Dad are not using the computer, and if a sibling already has permission to be on, I must wait for them, as well. Then, when I'm on, I've got to be fast!

Maybe you don't have to worry about sharing your computer, but if you're like most of us, you know you give too much of your day to that Time Trap. You browse a little, jump from one site to another, and before you know it an hour is gone. Five minutes later, once you've gotten busy with something else, you remember what you really should have done while you were on the computer. That email that needs a reply. That website you meant to check. That quote you meant to research. And you spent all your computer time frittering around.

Sound familiar? Please tell me I'm not the only one who has had this problem.

So here's a tip for the day. A good way to make sure you get everything done on the computer in a timely manner is to think ahead of time, "what do I need to do on there?" and write it down.

As in; "old-fashioned-pencil-and-paper-writing-it-down." (Trust me. Sitting in front of the screen, you will never remember everything you meant to do on there. Something about that chair zaps your mind.)

Take that list with you to the computer, and begin by opening up a tab for each task you need to do. (Or windows, for non-Internet-related jobs.) One tab for your email, one tab for your blog, ect. (So many tabs open at the same time would drive my computer-savvy brother insane, but as long as your Internet connection can handle it, it DOES work splendidly to manange your time!)

Then start with the quickest task and do it.

Exit that tab. (Very important. Don't click onto another page, don't hop to another blog. EXIT THE TAB.)

Go to the next tab/task. Do it.

Exit that tab.

And so on and so forth until you've completed every task and are down to one tab. Now you know you've completed everything you need to do on the computer. If you have extra time, you can open up "fun tabs."

This principle of giving myself a "list of tabs" to accomplish at the beginning of my computer time, and working my way through them before moving on to "fun" computer time has really helped me make the most of limited time on the computer.

And, to be quite honest, even time on my personal computer is limited. I don't want to spend all day online. I have other things to do.

Do you find this idea helpful?