What it takes to be good professional - 4 - Time management

So this week, I almost didn't make it. ??

And this is the topic I'd like to talk about: Time management... it's like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle on a tightrope. ??????♂? Sounds crazy, right? But that's pretty much what we're all doing in our professional lives these days! ????

I remember some moments when I was managing my wonderful teams at Akkodis and juggling a bunch of projects at Captivea, I felt like a circus performer at these moments. ????♂? One minute I'm putting out fires for Team A ??, the next I'm brainstorming solutions with Team B ??, and somewhere in between, I'm trying to remember if I had gone to the toilet. ?? (Spoiler alert: I probably didn't ??)

But here's the thing... managing my time isn't just about getting more done. To me, it's about getting the right things done. ??? If you look at my profile, somewhere you will find a great comment about a person I hadn't had the chance to work with enough (hope he recognizes himself ??) and who told me that at some point, you have to go with "OK" instead of "Great". ??

It is very powerful to me. ????

Another person I worked with (I'm sorry to say it again but that was not a person I liked working with ??) told me something that I believe is very true: "there is only 24 hours in one day. What's not done today, will be done tomorrow." ?

OK OK. So right here you might be thinking I'm just procrastinating all day long. ??

I don't think I am. ??

Those 2 advices from 2 very different people helped me understand that I needed to set the right level of expectation and prioritize in order to manage my time effectively. ??

So, how do I try to master this elusive skill? Well, here is my personal take:

1?? Prioritize like your life depends on it (because your sanity might) ??

2?? Learn to say "no" (it's a complete sentence, folks!) ??

3?? Break big tasks into smaller, less terrifying chunks ??????

4?? Use tools to your advantage (my calendar app is basically my external brain at this point and AI changed the game so much) ??

5?? Take breaks (burnout is closer and harder than you may think) ??♂?

6?? Say no (yeah it's number 2 but good lord is this important to me) ??♂?

Now, if you're a parent like me, you're probably laughing right now. ???? Because let's face it, kids are like tiny time-sucking wonders who don't care about your carefully crafted to-do list. ?????? But you know what? Parenting has actually made me better at time management I think. ????

I have some standards for my son (like 100% home prepared meals with local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, ironed clothes etc...). ?????? Making it a reality consistently is not negotiable to me. I had to learn and improve to manage my time and be efficient (not effective!). And so far it's been almost 12 months in a row that I can make it happen! ??

Something I learned recently is that it's okay to drop a ball or two sometimes. We're human, after all. ??♂??? The key is knowing which balls are made of glass and which ones are made of rubber. Prioritize the glass ones – the ones that'll shatter if you drop them – and let the rubber ones bounce. ????

Remember what the wise Dolly Parton said: "Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." ?????? Preach, Dolly!

So, next time you're feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath ????, pick up those flaming torches ??, and remember – you've got this. ?? And if all else fails, there's a tomorrow ?? and think: what are the real consequences if this or that is not done? Is it really, really, really so important and crucial? ??