Rethinking Time Management: Habits That Work

Does time management sound like a boring outdated business term that is not relevant to your life as a woman in STEM?  

I feel you. I never really resonated the word until I realized that I was doing it. I have always been an organized person, but I was not good with 'time'. So, the term ‘time management’ made me feel like it was something I would never obtain.   

I got through school okay but then I entered the workplace and realized that I was overloaded with things to do and wearing myself out. I realized that I had to do something if I didn’t want to be fired but rise through the ranks in my STEM career successfully. That's where I learned that time management is not about beating time but more about creating life habits that make things flow more easily.  

Here are three tips based on what I learned in creating a successful time management system:

Make a plan or system that works for your style. 

If you like to get up early, then a habit like '5am club' might be amazing for you. But night owl's beware, setting a goal to be a part of that group for you will be a complete disaster. It may work for a few days but then you'll be calling yourself a failure in no time. 

The truth is, that it was never meant to work because you didn't create a plan that is specific to you.

Include the things you love to do in your plan/system. 

It's not just about how you can be more 'productive'. It's about creating a life that works well for you.  Your plan can’t really be called successful if you are miserable. So, make sure you are including time for things that you like to do for fun, being with loved ones and prioritizing rest/wellness.  

Go easy at first.

If you find a time management plan/system that you want to try, start slowly. The research shows it takes about 21 days for a habit to form. So don't get upset with yourself if you don't get it right immediately. You also want to implement new habits bit by bit. For example, you check your phone first thing every day and it usually makes you feel frantic. Try setting a reminder voice alarm the time you usually wake up that tells you not to check your phone. Pick one day a week to try it out and add more days as you get the hang of it.  

Whatever time management plan/system you decide to use, I encourage you to try something. After a few weeks, evaluate how it's working, then tailor it to fit you and your lifestyle. 

Before you know it, you will be living a life with more flow and ease.