Hiii, it’s been about 3 weeks my last post, which is pretty interesting considering the title. i didn’t forget about y’all in the least, but there are ’nuff posts here to munch on and work through in the archives. i was also on a limited phone-use regime (6-7 minutes total a day.)
A big welcome to the new subscribers who are joining the journey, reading the content, and sharing love through likes.
Right – so let’s get to the topic of today!
Be On Schedule Without Being A Hostage To Time
Punctuality is very important but still; we’re not designed to be a hostage to time. So how then do we successfully schedule and follow-through, assign and align, plan and implement, declare and complete…and, when the tempo of those things seems to miss a beat…how do we exhibit patience?
Having worked in both the creative and administrative fields and travelled quite a lot – lemme tell ya – punctuality’s relevance varies depending on personalities, nature of the business, culture, life experiences and probably a few more points that aren’t coming to my mind right now.
Mindset! That’s another one. I live in Barbados, an island that (for the most part), is well-known as a prime tropical getaway for many visitors each year. There’s a running joke or belief among people who come to The Caribbean, about “island time” and though some roll their eyes in frustration when they experience it in motion, others smile and feel more relaxed and temporarily embrace what seems like a ‘no-rush’ riddim of life.
I’m not a fan of the statement that ‘time is money,’ though i understand the essence of the message when it comes to business. Still, there’s a reason they’re two separate words and not described as synonyms in the dictionary. One is invisible and the other can be tangible or (nowadays) digital. Can you imagine a billionaire asking for more money (over time) during the final moments of his life?This isn’t gonna be about punctuality, but more so on priority and effective communication.
Do you have a challenge with procrastination when it comes to following through on work tasks?
We’re all works in progress, but i’m gonna share some little lessons i’ve been learning that have come in handy while working with many different personalities in the music, corporate, tourism and blogging fields (as artist/project coordinator/ temp tour guide/blogger) and most recently while coordinating a writing team for an assignment with a specific timeline:
We are more than our business, skills, gifts, contacts, titles, personality traits, class, habits…and all the rest of it.
How we communicate with each other matters.
The seriousness of how we express whatever the goal is makes a big difference in the responses given. The nature of how we send reminders along the way, the method and tempo of communication, our reaction to any disappointments with deliverables, and our personal approach and work ethic when it comes to managing the whole thing matter.
Tips to meeting a specific timeline:
Remember why you’re doing this. Consider the benefits, character or career-wise.
Know your predispositions: work better in mornings? need a certain amount of sleep to be more alert? More of a phone person than an e-mail sender? have a tendency to watch too much tv? prefer to work in quiet spaces? don’t really check your e-mail?
We all have our intricacies, but some of them can sabotage our progress, so let’s not cling to them as ‘blankies’ while we suck our thumbs and get lazy about whatever it is we said we’d do.
Map the project – on paper (if you like) and digitally so everyone is on track. Identify the steps, challenges and milestone markers. Delegate tasks (with linked dates) among any team members.
Unexpected things come up. Running late or a bit behind on a task or two, make a call or send an e-mail to ask about an extension. Set a do-able date and make sure the request is worth the wait.
If you get an inkling of hesitation from someone about them following-through, step in or reach out to multiple contacts so the assignment can still be launched on schedule.
Sometimes, having an open conversation to be clear about their input can be helpful for both you and them. You never know what someone is going through, and it might be a pleasant surprise to see people’s positive, proactive reaction when they recognize your patience. If the person generally works exceptionally well and is someone you’d like to work with on a long-term basis, you can take that into consideration. Still, the project is a part of your follow-through, so ensure that remains a priority.
Batch content. Prepare posts or drafts in advance, and assign a publishing date.
Keep the communication up. It’s way too taxing (and not your job) to tweak your approach to match where each person is emotionally or work-wise. Connect and find out about each person’s progress, ‘open the floor’ for them to ask any questions they’d like clarification on, and share a reminder about the ultimate project launch or publication date.
Please note: In the case of a group project gone wrong or freelancer assignment with a testy client that’s somehow become stressful and overwhelming, kickin’ it to the curb politely is also a possibility. It can also be a learning experience if you can breathe beyond it, work well and follow-through despite the challenges, applying what you’ve learned in order to choose better from here on.
I’m sure you, like I, may have known someone or ones who are no longer here. Without going too deep into that topic right now, the frailty of life on earth and gift of time are things that we’re not able to side-step, dance around or run away from.
So yes, though this post relates to time management and scheduling, there is only so much we can do…only so much we know…but while we’re here, let’s do our best remembering that we’re all works in progress, created in plural on purpose, to encourage each other.
Have uplifting insight to share on time and tasks? Feel free to mention here.
“Be On Schedule Without Being A Hostage To Time” by indra Denys first appeared on ‘Joy within’ blog.
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