What type of organizer are you? What are the task management skills you use? You are likely, depending on your personality, to fall into one of two categories:
- nonorganized or chaotic task management, or
- organized or structured task management.
Some people, though, believe there is a third category; that is multitasking.
Chaotic Management
My brother and I shared a room much our younger years. We were practically complete opposites concerning our stuff in the bedroom. I tended to have things folded, organized, and tucked away in a dedicated location such as the closet shelf, drawers, or hanging in the closet. My brother, however, followed more of a chaotic management style with his belongings.
You may know the type. Heck, you may be one of those persons. Everything does have its place. Things are categorized in some fashion. Typically, these persons know where things are at any given moment. For example, I remember my brother, Larry, having three piles of clothes: clean, worn but not dirty enough to wash, and laundry. His comic books collection was arranged similarly. I did not, though, figure out that categorization. Ironically, Larry could find practically anything he needed.
Organized Management
Let’s revisit my childhood bedroom to continue the example. I was not like my brother. I tended to have all things organized and placed in respective designated areas. I developed a first-in-first-out rotation for my clothes. For example, the clean laundry would go to the right or behind the remaining clothes in the drawer or closet. That allowed me to ensure I wore all of my clothing. (OK, at this point you are agreeing with me or rolling your eyes thinking I had OCD.) Strangely enough, Larry and I shared the bedroom without either of going insane.
Multitasking Management
Some persons believe there is a third type of task management. Multitasking is being able to handle many tasks at the same time with little to no confusion. If you know one of these personality types, you most likely are amazed by their abilities and wonder how they manage. If you are the type, you are proud of your skills.
Research shows, however, that there is no such thing as multitasking. Instead, some persons can switch between tasks quickly and efficiently. The quick-change artists develop a way to prioritize tasks working among the to-do items with ease. Amazingly, these persons are able to focus and refocus each time on a different job as needed.
Task Mangement
I use a checklist when working with clients and on nearly all projects big or small. I take the time to think about what needs accomplishing and the best order to complete work. The list may be short and jotted on a scrap piece of paper on my desk. More extensive lists typically are recorded digitally using an application that allows for checkboxes.
Since I want my clients to be in the know and to share in the project work, I incorporated an online app, Asana. The application allows for setting start and end dates, due dates, who is responsible, notes, attachments, and a few other features. Asana also allows those working on the project to see the scope and what is involved in making the project success. I believe this is important to help everyone understand all of the work needed for a successful outcome.
I will break down element of the Asana application with a future post.
Balancing Out
I thought I would provide you with a short update on my brother’s organization and my current status. When Larry went off to college his dorm room was miraculously spotless. I, however, swung toward the other extreme becoming less organized. For example, when I am working on something and focused, items that are not immediately needed on the project are put into a pile for future review. If I am not careful, I find that I do the same thing with completed work. I “neatly” stack all of the files and related items into a collection for future archiving. My problem is that I tend not to complete the archival process often enough. Even now I have three projects stacked on the edges of my desk waiting for my due diligence.
Perhaps it is true that time mellows all things or balances all things. 🙂
I learned, primarily from my roommates over the years, that everyone has her/his own task management methods. Just because it is not what I do does not make it wrong. However, when working with others, the team must work together and manage all of the tasks for efficiency and communication.