Mid-Missouri Paralegals: Time Management . . . Using Tools to Manage Your Time

Time Management . . . Using Tools to Manage Your Time

About this time of year, every year, I begin to consider how I manage my time and how I can improve upon that management. For me, that's how I start my day . . . figuring out what needs to be done, what's a priority and what can wait, what I can delegate, and what steps I need to take to make sure everything gets done on time, every time. As a paralegal, time management is one of your most important skills - because if you can't manage your time well (and that means helping your attorney manage his/her time also!), then it doesn't matter how well you write, how well you type, or how well you deal with people.

As a paralegal, you need to find a system that works well for you. Personally, I've found that I need a system that melds my personal responsibilities with my work responsibilities, because with technology being what it is, that line is blurred. And, let's be honest, being a paralegal generally isn't a 9 to 5 job (even though I am fortunate enough currently to have a job that I am generally able to leave at 5). It is also important to find something that truly is a system - that helps you schedule appointments, manage tasks and contacts, and plan to meet goals.

My requirements for a time management system include the following:

_____     Calendar, viewable by day (w/ hourly slots), week and month

_____     To-Do list, with space to prioritize and separate by category (business, personal)

_____     Contacts

Considerations that I need to look at and make a decision on include:

Electronic or paper

Dated or undated

I've been a devoted Franklin user since 1990, when my boss at Central Missouri State University sent me to a one-day time management seminar. That was the best-spent day of my life, because it got me to think about time management as more than simply a calendar or a to-do list, but as a way to manage my time in a way that allows me to meet my goals. Since then, I spend at least some time each year evaluating the goals I want to meet, the best way to meet those goals, and ways to break those big goals down into manageable, to-doable chunks. I always used a classic style, but this last year, I took a job that is different than the jobs I've had previously and I don't think the classic style still works for me. Instead, I used Outlook, which seemed like a logical thing to do because I have 2 monitors and Outlook is often viewable. But I just don't like it. I miss paper. Planning doesn't really happen as well, and I find myself forgetting things, even though I sync my phone with Outlook. It still doesn't feel like a cohesive system.

So, I am looking at other options. Perhaps a smaller Franklin system would work for me, like the Compass Wire-bound Daily Planner. Or maybe the Busy Womans Daily Planner would be a good way to blend work and personal, but I hesitate to use something I haven't seen and that no one has recommended to me. I just don't know enough about that system, nor what differentiates it from the Franklin system. The D*I*Y Planner intrigues me. I used a Hipster during 2008 National Novel Writing Month, and did like it, so I'm comfortable with the site offering quality products. And I like the idea that it allows me to be creative, I just don't know if I have the time to be that creative about a planner.

And, therefore, the search continues. If you have found a planner that works well, or if you have an opinion on electronic versus paper, I'd love to hear your comments!

Thanks for reading,
Lori Robinett