One thing that commonly comes up is how to stay efficient?! Email is the black hole of the internet (thank Neil for this inspiring article >> https://www.neil.blog/articles/the-black-hole-inbox) so having a thoughtful approach to your very precious and limited time is paramount.
*Time management resources & thoughts
here is a blog that details different techniques to consider time management.
Other things to consider for time management:
Know what times of day you work “best” – and then schedule things around that. Afternoons? Mornings? Be curious about when you feel best.
Streamline your email. If you are an electronic hoarder and want to save everything, keep big picture folders you can sort things into (i.e. my husband likes a “today, tonight, tomorrow” system, I use a “clinical items, education items, research, feel good Fridays”).
I recently read about inbox zero – which is essentially a similar version of what I do, called four actions of “delete”, “do”, “defer”, “delegate”. i.e. you only want to touch each email only once – either respond, delete/archive it, send to the correct person that can action-item it, or “defer” it – i.e. either keep in your inbox to respond when you’re ready OR in a folder (The end result isn’t about # of emails – it is about communicating effectively but in less time)
Set time limits and personal boundaries on email and distractions
Remember – each time you are saying “YES” that actually means you have to say NO to something/someone else. Make sure you’ve built in enough realistic time to be able to enjoy your life outside of class and responsibilities.
Consider taking email off your phone and only responding when you have time (i.e. you sit down and do it for 30 minutes in the morning/30 minutes in the evening)
Gamify stupid things – have competitions with yourself how quickly you can get through email, respond back to necessary things, etc
DELEGATE DELEGATE DELEGATE
Consider reading management books or the Harvard business review
I subscribe to a bunch of different finance emails so it encourages/motivates me to limit spending and save for retirement (hopefully 5-7 years! Ha!) – think about subscribing to time management letters, etc.
Schedule time to hang out, dinners, gym, etc.
What works for you will not work for your neighbor – remember that 😊
Things to consider for “staying on top of things:
Use apps and emails wisely (i.e. asking you to send me an email to remind me to write about time management tips)
FORWARD SEND EMAILS AND USE YOUR CALENDAR WISELY – oftentimes I will put a recurring reminder on my google calendar that something is due in 2-3 days to make sure I get it completed, or tell outlook/google to send myself an email on 4/12 to write a letter if something is due 4/15
I use the reminders list on my phone, too, so if I am not able to put it in my google calendar it shows up on my homescreen of my phone and I don’t lose track
Think about where you can jot down things to do or keep a notepad/electronic “notes”
Set yourself up for success – find systems that work for you to keep you organized. This is absolutely crucial and necessary in medicine – you will need to hand in assignments, papers, credentialing materials, and eventually follow up and coordinate with patients.
Necessary to know what helps you stay on top of everything and to use technology to help you!
I will keep searching for other tips/tricks and update prn.
Thanks,
MedEd Hustler
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