#344 write it down

The final tip that I offer as part of Time Management Week is to keep written records.  So much of life is repeated and cyclical; you can save yourself lots of time if you keep written track of things.

Keeping written records has become so much easier with electronic devices and searchable programs, but whether you use them or good old fashioned paper and pencil, a documentation system will serve you well.

Examples:
 > Many organizations sponsor annual events.  Instead of starting from scratch each year, keep records of what tasks need to be accomplished and who needs to do them.  As I have written about before, after each big event it helps to do a debriefing "lessons learned" meeting so you can document the nuances that need to be addressed when doing the event in the future.

> After a long winter lapse, you forget what you need to take when you go camping.  Keep a list that you need to throw in the hatchet to chop wood or the clothesline for towels. Ditto for a list of the routine things you need to take on a trip, or when attending the annual conference, etc.

>  My sister is on a quest to see all of the state capitols.  Instead of repeatedly taking the time to figure out which ones are missing, she has a list on her phone of the seven she still needs to see.

> Each year, we do an extensive analysis of enrollment once the fall numbers are finalized.  We keep a list of what reports to run so we don't have to recreate it every year.  Ditto for the quarterly reports we need for our consultant -- and after each visit we add to it so we are more effective next year and don't waste time hunting down the information during meetings.

> Keeping track of car repairs/maintenance serves you well in the long run.  You can easily keep track of when you need an oil change and know how many miles are on those tires.

So many situations involve things that happen again.  Get in the habit of keeping written records and you will save yourself much hunting down/re-creating/wondering time as you tackle the routine things in the future.  "Champions aren't champions because they do anything extraordinary, but because they do the ordinary better than anyone else."  Chuck Knoll

-- beth triplett
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