Time management

Do you recognise this? Your desk has turned yellow and pink with all the post-its because everything is high-priority and should have been done yesterday. This one phone call, the client you wanted to visit but who you cannot reach, questions by email that you 'must' answer right now. It’s outrageous, really. Time management is not so easy.

I am now ready for my 10th digital system that promises to streamline my tasks. But every package has as many pros as it has cons. I just don't seem to get rid of them, these post-its!

'Still, I'm managing quite well', I said on Monday morning, feeling very proud of myself. 'I'm right on schedule.' Or so I thought.

I was driving towards the west of the country when I got that phone call: "Are you busy, Mom, because I just had an accident with my motorcycle and I need to get to the doctor....". At such a moment, time stands still. I turned around, cancelled the appointment with the client, and the rest of the day revolved around my son. Luckily, things were not that serious. The motorcycle was total-loss, but he only had a severely bruised ankle. And I was driving here and there for the rest of the day.

So the next day... I could throw my entire planning into the bin. I am a day behind schedule with all my work and the things that seem trivial yesterday now get prioritised. Before I know it, I am haunted again by post-its, phone calls, schedule, and advertisers that I need to chase because the magazine has to go to the printer. 

But if I'm honest... I wouldn't want it any other way because it does keep everything lively!

So I accept my unstructured existence.

Saskia Stender