Hacking Your OTD
Time management is a constant discussion across occupational therapy education. Occupational therapy doctoral programs require graduate students to juggle intensive courses, research initiatives, doctoral capstone projects and experiences, and extracurricular activities at the university, state, and national organization levels. The generic responses addressing time management are overused. How can we actively change our habits, roles, and routines to improve this critical skill?
- Establish a morning routine
High achievers engage in daily activities that provide a structure for everyday life, pivotal for individual health promotion. So wake up early and be consistent with it: NO SNOOZING!
Pick that one first activity that drives you toward success. Many choose to engage in physical activity, read the headlines, or eat a healthy meal; regardless, establishing a morning routine can help create rituals that set the day off right and increase your focus on what you need to accomplish daily.
- Do not wander aimlessly
Instead, wonder purposefully. With every project, there is a passion, and while wandering thoughts are great, they serve no purpose if they are not captured. So grab a pocket note pad, and when you have a good idea, jot it down! Our minds are wonderful, and you want to capture its awe. The time spent writing down your ideas on the front end is much less than the time spent trying to recall from memory on the back end.
So the next time you go on a walk — bring your notepad and jot it down!
- Create a non-traditional to-do list
There are creative ways to organize your day beyond the traditional planner books. Its common to use sticky notes, complete the task, then crumble it in your hand and toss it into a wastepaper basket while pretending to shoot a basket. What if you up your style and create a daily game against yourself? After each item your knock off your list, create a little paper airplane to soar across the room into the recycling bin: 2 points! Can you beat your personal best?
Tip: Change up your style whenever you feel like you are lagging to remain ahead of your game.
- Schedule vacancies
Find time throughout the day to block off time and refocus. The amount of time spent without interruption can be as little as 25 minutes and leave you refreshed to tackle the items left on your to-do list. Quick ideas for how you can successfully create vacant blocks of time:
- Close your email
- Shut off your phone
- Close your door
- Know your EQ
Unlike an IQ (intelligence quotient), our EQ (emotional intelligence) level can increase! Ask yourself: Am I aware of my behaviors surrounding time management? Developing awareness skills does not necessarily combat inefficiency, but it can directly support your effectiveness.
Are you spending too much time on an assignment? Step back from your work and evaluate if the time spent on the project matches the value of the outcome. Learn to identify the cost of time and if you are being a wasteful spender or not:
- Seek feedback from colleagues or instructors
- Establish a baseline of behaviors
- Track time spent on assignments over time and see if you improve
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Regardless of where the occupational therapy profession takes you, use at least one time management hack daily so you can be ahead of demand and take control of your journey and pursuit of your occupational therapy degree.
Learn more about Huntington University’s doctoral program in occupational therapy at huntington.edu/OTD.
