Time Cards redux
The traditional use of time cards is the creation of a tasks done list with beginning and ending times. These are then entered into time & attendance and data collection systems for payroll and enterprise costs accounting systems.
My alternative use is the creation of a task ToDo list on a 4×6 index, one for the week, and one for Saturday & Sunday. These are then posted on a recipe card holder on my at-home desk in my study as a reminder of options, opportunities and obligations. IF this isn’t done, circumstances, distractions and boredoms lazily erode time away.
So far, everything on the last weeks list is done or scheduled for completion today. There are a few incomplete tasks due to the discovery that they were not either truly necessary or should be deferred forward to allow for more efficient completion.
One of the tasks deferred forward is the reorganization of the HRASM Chapter website. The concept was proposed to and endorsed by the Board of Directors. However, there are only two meetings left until the summer meeting break. The thought was, why tinker with it now and possibly disrupt current utilization. Better change management is to announce the change and use summer downtime for testing and implementation. Without that task sitting in front of me, for silent & subconscious reflection, this better idea may not have occurred.
Why is this technique valuable? Visibility. We need the reminders to stay focused and on task. Otherwise, we wander through the day from beginning until end and wonder what happened in between.
This works for me. What works for you?
