My way to effectiveness
Most of the problem faced everyday working on medium and big sized project can be faced also in a poor personal time management. It’s a skill not so often stimulated in normal computer science courses and - to be honest - recently we can see a lot of interest around that concept.
Long story short, I’ve “developed” my little framework on how to manage my time:
- schedule in advance 2 or 3 most important tasks
- while working, don’t be interrupted
- while working, be focused and time-boxed
- daily and weekly reviews
- practice disconnection
Let see each pillar.
schedule in advance 2 or 3 most important tasks
Before we start working (even while commuting) we should plan the day-by-day activities and tasks. Often we describe what must be accomplished today, and then we prioritize it: when starting we’ll focus on the most important tasks first.
This is done also because in case of any (unavoidable) interruptions we can be lucky enough to have finished the most important things. Less important things - especially “operational” ones - can be safely done at the end of the day… when our mental energies are down.
while working, don’t be interrupted
There are two type of interruptions: internal and external. We must try to avoid both, an easy and excellent method is the Pomodoro Technique).
while working, be focused and time-boxed
Of course being focused offers a huge advantage in terms of efficiency and - for knowledge workers - is a conditio sine qua non. But being focused is not easy, if you need some help I suggest Leo Babauta’s book Focus.
We need also to time-box some activity: in other words allocate some finite amount of time in order to accomplish them. That helps you (at least) in two way: (i) over time you’ll be more confident about your estimates on “how much” a task need to be accomplished and (ii) you fight against the Parkinson’s Law which says that “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
daily and weekly reviews
Feedback is important at all levels on all aspects on our life, why it shouldn’t be at this level too? So each day try to find 5 minutes to critically judge what we did and how well we did it.
Doing so also at the end of the week can help us to find focus and “detach” from details in order to see if the way we are walking needs some correction.
practice disconnection
Creating and communicating are two different kind of activities for our brain: don’t mix them. Try to practice disconnection (in broader sense: internet, phone, sms, TV, newspapers, …) for some hours/days can help us to keep focused and “in the zone” for our problems.
Of course I don’t think this receipt is good for everyone, but it’s for me and I hope you’ll find at least some good idea to start with.