Doctors you can manage your time even more if you follow these tips:
1. Be clear about what has to be done each day.
Until you know your schedule for the day, which clinics, ward rounds, visits, and which patients have to be seen by you how will you know how to plan your day?
Be clear about what you can manage to do each day and still have some time and energy left for after work rest and relaxation.
2. Be more efficient
Make a daily plan so that you know what has to be done and when you will do it. Co-ordinate your different activities so that you don’t have to go over the same activities several times.
Start to delegate more or step back and do jobs more quickly and more streamlined. Ask for help when necessary.
When you do this you will be able to plan and think more clearly about the patient in front of you instead of worries about what you did with other patients impinging on your mind.
3. Keep the end in mind
Don’t be distracted by other non urgent , non important things things. Keep your goal for the day in mind and finish one step at a time. If you are doing a clinic for example, make sure that other people know that on no account must you be disturbed at except in the case of extreme emergency. The receptionist may feel his or her job is done when you have been informed about something. You could perhaps suggest that the information is put on a piece of paper and that she will collect these in between the appointments.
4. Variety is the spice of life
Do different things and keep progressing with all of them, Instead of spending a huge amount of time on one task only.
You may find that seeing a few patients and then doing some administrative tasks or making a few phone calls keeps you moving on with what has to be done and ensures that you are not having to do a huge task after the patients have been seen.
5. Celebrate your achievements day by day and your progress towards your goals.
Don’t get frustrated that you are not getting much done. You are possibly doing more than you thought you were If you make a list and tick the items as you do them you will recognise your progress and feel a great sense of achievement too.
Five important points for each day.
I think my own challenge here is that the environment around me may not facilitate this.
The challenge of course remains to shape that environment better !
I sense that a coaching approach may emphasise the importance of small steps leading to bigger ones.