Time Management Tips: From Overwhelmed to Organized
In my short time at Vela, as a summer intern, I have learned a lot about editing web pages, the ins and outs of relational databases and more. One of the most useful pieces of information is something that I can utilize in every stage of my life. Michelle Soyars, partner at Vela, imparted some of her wisdom regarding time management, here are a few of the tips I learned.
The first piece of advice that Michelle gave was to find a system that works for you. For her that means using a Franklin Covey day planner and prioritizing tasks based on importance. For someone else, it could mean using Outlook Tasks or a Google Calendar. It is important that the system be tailored to you; otherwise it might not serve its purpose.
Next Michelle told me that she never goes home without looking at what needs to be done the next day. In doing this, she is sure that she knows what big tasks and meetings she has coming up. This way they have no chance of sneaking up on her.
Last, Michelle spoke about the four types of tasks that people generally deal with. Things can be either important or unimportant, and either urgent or not urgent. It is the tasks that are important but not urgent that you really have to watch out for. Those are that tasks that have the potential to be put off until they become important and urgent and can completely stress you out.
In following these few important tips, I have no doubts that I will be able to keep track of the things I have to get done and that gets me that much closer to being a successful professional. If you have any additional pointers or advice for a college intern trying to make it in the working world, I would love to hear from you!
