ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


648/C&RL News

Time m anagem ent sk ills: 
A checklist

By Mary M. Nofsinger

How to make the most productive 
use o f your time

T ime management techniques are usually not included as part o f the academic cur­
riculum in library science programs. Perhaps it 
is assumed that newly hired librarians will re­
ceive additional on-the-job training in skills and 
knowledge relevant to a specific position. How­
ever, beginning librarians frequently feel over­
whelmed by the quantity and complexity of 
work-related responsibilities which they are 
expected to perform. As workloads increase, 
so does job stress. A newly hired librarian might 
consider asking the following questions to learn 
about managing time more effectively.

H o w  can  a p p ro p ria te  g o a ls a n d  
o bjectives be d e v e lo p e d ?
While overall library goals are usually devel­
oped by higher level administrators, each li­
brarian also needs to plan for what he or she 
wants to achieve and then determine specific 
actions that can accomplish these tasks. This 
process involves setting individual goals, de­
termining priorities, and then following through 
within a given period o f time. Here are some 
guidelines for developing goals and objectives:

1) Check your job description and identify 
what tasks need to be done. Compile a written 
list o f specific goals to be achieved so you can 
isualize them better. Consult with a unit head 

or supervisor for assistance in clarifying job 
responsibilities and performance expectations.

2) Analyze your unit’s goals in regard to your 
personal values. Make sure that your goals are 
also in harmony with the overall mission of the 
library.

v

3) Identify the most important goals that will 
make a significant difference in what you want 
to achieve.

4) Develop realistic strategies to achieve each 
desirable goal. Jot down your ideas in writing 
so they will not be overlooked or forgotten later.

5) Set timetables for accomplishing your 
highest priority goals, either short- or long-term. 
Short-term goals would include tasks to be ac­
complished by your next annual review date. 
A long-term goal might be attaining tenure in 
five or six years.

6) Regularly review your list of goals, per­
haps twice a month. Update them as unit val­
ues and priorities change.

H o w  sho uld d a ily  activities relate  to 
p rio ritie s?
Successful time managers must learn to priori­
tize work daily since there is frequently not 
enough time to accomplish everything. Ana­
lyze your job responsibilities and assign a pri­
ority ranking, depending on whether each sup­
ports the achievement of an important goal. 
Make a list of your high-priority tasks and then 
use this list to provide direction for daily work. 
Here are some suggestions for implementation:

1) Take a few minutes each day, either first 
thing in the morning when you arrive or just 
before leaving work in the afternoon, to plan 
for accomplishing highest priority tasks.

2) Set your work priorities a day ahead, if at 
all possible.

3) Be flexible and willing to deal with un­
expected issues and events that cannot be 
planned for in advance, since circumstances 
often change from day to day.

4) Be realistic about how much time you 
need to accomplish specific tasks, and thereby 
avoid putting unnecessary stress on yourself.

Mary M. Nofsinger is head of reference at Washington State University, Pullman; e-mail: mnofsing@wsu.edu

mailto:mnofsing@wsu.edu


November 1996/649

5) Consider long-term goals when setting 
daily priorities. Keep in mind that issues which 
are “urgent” are not always important for pro­
motion or professional development.

6) Try to take action every day to move 
closer to your goals. Reward yourself for com­
pleting tasks, however small, which contribute 
to the attainment o f a high-priority goal.

7) Post a written list o f your priorities in a 
prominent place as a constant reminder to fo­
cus efforts on what is most important. Then 
use your own best judgment on how to use 
time most effectively each day.

W h a t t a s k s  sh o uld  be d e le g a te d ?
Work that is low priority for a newly hired li­
brarian may sometimes be delegated to another 
colleague, staff member, or secretary who 
would enjoy learning new skills, improving their 
chances for promotion, or experiencing addi­
tional challenges. Since only a unit head or 
supervisor has the authority to permanently 
assign work to others, seriously analyze the 
following factors before making a delegation 
proposal to your immediate superior:

1) Decide whether the task really 
needs to be done. Some tasks might be 
eliminated or reorganized instead of del­
egated.

2) Identify tasks, preferably in writ­
ing, that could be delegated. Clearly in­
dicate your rationale for delegation.

3) Identify someone who could as­
sume the authority and responsibility for 
carrying out the task effectively because 
he or she possesses the right attitude, 
knowledge, and/or skills required.

4) Identify who would be responsible for
monitoring progress, reviewing results, setting
deadlines, following through with corrective 
action, and achieving desirable results.

W h a t w o r k  m ust be d o n e  to d a y ?
Keeping your goals and objectives in mind, plan
your daily schedule carefully. Develop a writ­
ten action plan which lists what you want to 
accomplish daily, using a notebook, a planner, 
a time management diary, or a PDA (personal 
digital assistant). Carry it with you throughout
the day. Also consider the following sugges­
tions:

1) Make preparing your daily “To D o” lis
habit which you perform at the same time each 
day. Regular routines often facilitate the achieve­
ment of goals.

2) Focus on your immediate objectives and 
set aside time to work on the highest priority 
items first.

3) Consider the hours during the day when 
you perform best and schedule the most diffi­
cult activities to be accomplished when you 
are most alert and energetic.

4) Remember to add items to your daily list 
from a “tickler file”— reminders about things 
that must be done on certain days such as let­
ters, phone messages, preparation for meetings 
already scheduled, etc.

5) Batch routine and similar tasks and per­
form them during your less productive hours. 
As you reach momentum, you will be able to 
finish them quickly.

6) Use transition time (time spent waiting 
for appointments, standing in line, commuting 
to work, etc.) productively. Carry reading ma­
terial with you at all times. You never know 
when you might get stuck in an elevator!

7) Try to do a little “elephant eating” each 
day; tackle a small portion o f your highest pri­
ority goal. It’s usually impossible to deal with a

Try to do a little “ elephant 
eating” each d a y . . . . It’s 
usually impossible to deal 
with a large task  entirely at 
one sitting, so “ start chew ing” 
on a sm aller part of it.

large task entirely at one sitting, so “start chew­
 ing” on a smaller part of it.1
 8) Accomplish as many items on your “T

Do” list as possible today and use what is left 
over as the starting point for tomorrow’s list.

H o w  sh o uld  p a p e r w o r k  be 
 m a n a g e d ?

A cluttered desk or work area can become a 
serious time management problem that detracts 
attention from more important tasks. Having 
clear objectives will guide you in making deci­

 sions on what to retain and what to throw away. 
As you work, constantly ask yourself, “How do 
I plan to use this piece o f paper or file?” Here 

t aare  several time-tested rules for effectively 
managing paperwork:

1) Keep a neat desk surface clear of othe
papers except for the project at hand. If you

o 

r 



650/ C&RL News

clean off your desk regularly, you will usually 
know where to find something in a hurry.

2) Handle each piece of paper or file only 
once, if possible. To avoid procrastination, use 
the measles method: every time you handle a 
piece o f paper, put a dot in the comer. This 
gives a powerful visual clue to move things along, 
especially after three or four dots appear.2

3) As you examine each piece of paper or 
file received, decide which should be kept, 
referred or delegated to someone else, or tossed 
in the trash. Put those items needing action into 
three piles for efficient handling such as A (ur­
gent), B (soon), and C (reading).3 The A items 
will usually relate to high-priority tasks.

4) Promptly file important papers and other 
items that need to be retained after noting any 
actions already taken and the date. Each time 
you add new material to a file, take a minute to 
dispose o f superseded items. Keep only items 
you expect to need in the future.

W h a t o th e r tim e m a n a g e m e n t sk ills 
a r e  u se fu l?
There are many ways to find time for high- 
priority responsibilities and tasks. Some librar­
ians work at home one day a week, while oth­
ers schedule several mornings a week to work 
on major projects. Here are some additional 
suggestions:

1) Set aside large blocks of time to allow for 
uninterrupted work on your highest priority 
tasks. Use self-discipline to push secondary mat­
ters aside. Estimate how many hours are needed 
to wrestle with a project, and then take the 
necessary time to finish it.

2) Minimize unnecessary interruptions by 
setting fixed times when you will have a “closed 
door” policy. Post these hours to avoid being 
interrupted when you want to concentrate on 
a project. If drop-in visitors arrive, have an in­
terruption-beating phrase rehearsed in advance, 
such as, “I’m busy now, I’ll get back to you.”

3) Learn to say “no” to low-payoff tasks and 
activities that are not compatible with your own 
personal goals and priorities, or those o f the 
library. If this is difficult, practice in front o f a 
mirror. It often helps to briefly explain your 
rationale when declining someone’s request, 
or to offer them alternative options.

4) Avoid procrastination when tasks need 
to be done. Focus on only one high-priority 
task at a time. Break the task into individual 
components and concrete steps, and then plan 
a schedule for completing the project. Start on

one small, identifiable portion and reward your­
self after each accomplishment.

5) Use visible reminders or give yoursel
penalty by agreeing to give up something if 
you do not start your task by a certain time.

Conclusion
Although time management is not a panacea 
for many o f the problems plaguing librarians 
in the 20th century, using these techniques can 
help you gain increased satisfaction from work. 
Time management skills can also help librar­
ians deal more effectively with job stresses and 
assist with balancing professional and personal 
priorities. Ultimately, librarians who use effec­
tive time management techniques can become 
more productive, thereby experiencing in­
creased self-esteem and career satisfaction.

N otes
1. Lynne Wenig, The A to Z  o f Time Manage­

ment (Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin, 1993), 49.
2. J. Wesley Cochran, Time Management 

Handbook f o r  Librarians (N ew  York: Green­
wood, 1992), 37.

3. Dian Walster, Managing Time: A How-to- 
Do-It Manual f o r  Librarians (New York: Neal- 
Schuman, 1993), 94. ■

(Staffing cont. from page 643) 
tance with Web systems administration, back­
ups, implementation of new software, markup 
and scripting, etc. Information Arcade student 
assistants are assigned to these activities.

S u m m a ry
The organizational structure described here has 
enabled the libraries to move forward in LWIS 
development. A new libraries homepage, a de­
partmental libraries homepage template, a new 
Gateway to the Internet, the converted Library 
Explorer Program, revised Information Arcade 
homepages, and a new staff Web site (which 
provides a way for library administrative of­
fices and departments to publish data for use 
within their units and throughout the libraries) 
were unveiled at the spring 1996 Staff Tech­
nology Fair. LWIS development is truly a 
systemwide accomplishment for the University 
o f Iowa Libraries.

N ote
1. The Information Arcade name is regis­

tered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

f a 



November 1996/651