by Veronica L. C. Stevenson-Moudamane
In today’s workplace, the edgier, forward-thinking assignments are usually given to those who are more tuned in professionally. For busy information professionals, though, work (and life, for that matter) can be a frustrating merry-go-round of too much to do, of always running behind, of doing mediocre work (or not getting it done at all), and of just plain screwing up (or at least feeling as if you are). Keeping up with routine assignments and everyday tasks is hard enough — and the thought of staying current in your professional field, downright overwhelming.
However, staying current and keeping track of the latest trends and events doesn’t have to be a struggle; all you need is a plan. With a vision, a little discipline, organizational techniques, and loads of creativity and imagination, you’ll have all you need to swim within the sea of staying professionally current, instead of sinking under it.
Vision is the ability to look to the past and learn from it; to look to the
present and be attuned to it; and to look to the future and be prepared for it.
— John Amat
Create a plan to get organized
There’s no doubt about it, identifying ways to stay current, while still performing your everyday responsibilities, can be a challenge! It is ultimately up to you to discover what methods, formats and/or time periods work best for you. Starting by identifying your time management and organizational strengths, then use these to develop skills that will allow you to work more efficiently and to be better organized.
Identifying your strengths helps provide you with regular blocks of time to catch up on what’s happening in the greater world of libraryland. Naturally, one of the most effective ways of maintaining your knowledge base or adding to your value at work is to keep your knowledge and skills current, but first, let’s ensure proper time management by getting organized.
For many people, keeping track of what they need to do and developing ways to stay on top of information overload is second nature. For others, though, a well-ordered routine may seem as elusive as the Holy Grail. You can take some basic steps to take back control of your overwhelming workload, your professional and personal life, and ultimately your daily schedule. Realistic and effective schedules rely on a few basic factors:
1. Prioritize. Write down all your tasks. Sort them into three groups: 1s, 2s, and 3s. The 1s are essential: do them first. The lower level priorities can usually wait.
2. Determine work time. Decide how much time the task requires, and how much energy. You may wish to include the task’s priority level to help make this decision.
3. Relax. Regularly plan time to relax and get it together. This time may range in units of 10 minutes to whole days, according to your needs. You’ve earned a break.
4. Exercise. Exercise is essential to positive performance. Your brain cannot function well if your body is tired. Feeling stressed also reduces performance, so work out regularly.
5. Be flexible. Allow extra time for the UFOs, or UnForeseen Obstacles, that are bound to arise. Something almost always comes up to derail your efforts. When you build in extra time, you’ll weather the UFO incident perfectly.
6. Use floating tasks. Floating tasks can be done anywhere and at any time. Carry around a little folder containing items you might need to read or review. Remember, these things don’t necessarily have to be accomplished at your desk.
Create a positive habit
Popular theory states that, when you do something for 21 consecutive days, you have started a habit. The following are excellent ways in which to begin developing a positive time management habit:
Use a planner or electronic organizer. Instead of looking around for the slips of paper you thought you attached to your computer or your office calendar, find the right day planner or electronic PDA for you — and use it.
Review your schedule each morning. Before you start your day, take a look at your planner. Take an inventory of your assignments, appointments and/or all the tasks you need to get done.
Make a daily to-do list. Prioritize the items so you do the most important ones first. Keep the list with you and refer to it often.
Jot down reminders and ideas. Keep your planner, PDA, or a voice recorder on your person so you can write or record appointments, errands, and thoughts that come to you on the spur of the moment.
Keep extra notepads in your car, purse, desk, and backpack. This is especially important when performing long range planning.
Update your schedule every night. Establish a time every evening for reviewing what you got done and transferring new tasks and appointments into your “next day” planner.
Time management tips
Without proper time management your attempts at staying professionally current will prove difficult to maintain. Many well meaning information professionals know the importance of incorporating time management techniques into their daily lives, but have difficulties either getting started or maintaining the habit. Here are a few tips to help you identify time wasters, as well as tasks that can be streamlined.
Don’t take on more than you can handle. Stop automatically saying “yes” to requests for your energy and time. All of us tend to underestimate how long it will actually take to get things done. To avoid overcommitting, always check your schedule first.
Give yourself time to think. Thinking time is essential for the proper planning and execution of any successful task.
Re-prioritize. Change the importance of various tasks. If need be, reconsider the importance number you originally assigned to performing a task. Ask yourself if it is extremely urgent; if it is, then look for an alternative task you can downsize.
Postpone. After you have determined the priority of each activity or task, postpone lower level tasks.
Delegate. Information professionals take pride in doing things ourselves; however, delegation can be your friend. If you can ask someone else to assist you in completing a task, then do so. For example, ask volunteers to look for those long missing or long billed items, which frees you up to do more subjective thinking tasks.
Speed up. In some cases, assignments take longer than necessary due to the “seeking excellence” factor. Does the reader’s advisory list need to be typed up before the assistant can pull the books from the shelves? Or, can you print the titles from the OPAC — or simply jot them down? For expediency’s sake, determine if a particular task can forego the “seeking excellence” factor.
Can I do it differently? Look at everything that you do and ask: “Is there a more time expedient way I can do this?” and “Why am I doing this job this way?” You may also wish to subdivide tasks differently. Spread the task out over different lengths of time, or cut back on certain sub-tasks and concentrate on others. Doing it differently often helps you complete a task more effectively.
Set reminders. When you come across something important that you just don’t have time to read or investigate, either put the item in that folder you carry with you, or jot the reminder down in your planner. This allows you to get back to that important item at a later date, without forgetting about it completely.
Managing paperwork
Paperwork is a necessary evil; however, there are ways to better manage the flow:
1. Ask people to call and leave voice messages rather than send written materials, if it is easier for you to process verbal communication.
2. Consider having a departmental assistant read through your paperwork on a weekly basis. A reader can highlight the information that you should definitely read, which needs your response, or what can be filed under “later.” This task can be performed very quickly, and, in a few hours, you can whittle your paperwork down to a manageable amount.
3. If your specific responsibilities involve heavy writing assignments, see how new technology can make written communication easier. For instance, you can speak into a microphone and have your computer automatically type the words, using a program such as the new DragonSpeak. You can also organize your thoughts using mind mapping software, such as Inspiration, to create structure before beginning to write.
4. If your specific responsibilities involve heavy email usage, you can also streamline the way you manage email. Try these tips:
Request that people write to you in “bullet” form
Request that people highlight the section(s) they especially want you to read
Ask people to mark e-mails that you need to read by putting your name in the To: line, and to put your name in the cc: section if you are being mailed for informational purposes
Ask not to be sent nonessential emails
Tips for staying professionally current
Unless your particular job involves trendsetting or identifying the latest happenings, remaining current is over and beyond your day-to-day duties. Experience has taught me that, if you’re having difficulties organizing your day-to-day routine, you’ll also have difficulties finding “fail-proof” ways to stay current. However, once you’ve mastered these organizational techniques, you can move on to find ways to remain current — if not to mark you as a “leader” in the information profession.
1) Use the information highway. The Internet is a “knowledge repository” and a fairly easy way to gain information immediately. Information professionals are more than familiar with the Internet’s capabilities and its potential. It is easy to access, easy to search, and holds an enormous collection of easy-to-retrieve bits and bytes of valuable information. Use its tools effectively and with purpose, but do not rely on it as your sole source of
information.
2) Did someone say network? Networking with peers provides plenty of opportunity for learning and gaining insight. Few activities can match the intellectual stimulation that results from engaging in good conversation. Develop a network of individuals with whom you can share ideas. Take the time to talk to both the young and the elderly. The creative enthusiasm of the young and the wisdom of the old will both give you valuable insight and will add breadth to your own experiences.
3) Take a class, attend a workshop or seminar. Professional development courses, seminars, and workshops will also help you stay current. A variety of continuing education opportunities exist in a variety of formats; few will find it difficult to find options that suit their learning style, time constraints, and other unique needs.
4) Join local, regional and/or national associations. When you join an association, you’ll begin receiving a wide variety of publications, such as journals, newsletters, and brochures. These usually contain great articles such as “happenings around the country,” “informational challenges,” and “forthcoming publications and technologies.” You may also wish to submit an article on a subject you know well. Each of us has expertise in some area, and conducting the research, doing the writing, and subjecting your article to peer review will facilitate knowledge currency.
5) Use professional websites. The American Library Association’s website at www.ala.org is chock full of helpful information. You are guaranteed to find what you’re looking for — and more. While some pages on the site are reserved for members only, many are available to non-members. I also recommend your state library association’s website. Associations such as The New York Library Association, the California Library Association, the Oregon Library Association, and the Arizona Library Association provide fine ways to stay current.
What do you need to do?
Staying current ultimately means different things to different people. Essential to any successful “staying current” routine, though, are an inquisitive mind that seeks out new knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge. Over time, you’ll develop your own personal strategy for maintaining your knowledge and skills.
NOTE: Article was originally published in the by January 2nd, 2008 publication of Info Career Trends LISjobs.com’s Career Development Newsletter, ISSN 1532-0839
