You're the hidden cost and the thing that's lost In everything I do (Jackson Browne)

Photo by Philipp Lublasser on Unsplash

At present, I'm struggling a tad to be as efficient as I can be while establishing some me-time balance. It will be a neat trick when I pull it off.

I do like a challenge! 

In my current job, I knew going in that my downtime was going to be eroded, but I didn't realise it would disappear. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Finito - Kapish. 

Which was stupid of me. 

My job is that of an enhanced Deputy Principal, on steroids. I had no time when I was a DP at Cambridge High School. There was (and is) no 'free period' when you are a DP.  

Regular readers will recall that I checked this particular pulse a few months ago. I knew this term I would need to carve out some me-time at school, but, has it happened? Has it heck as like.

So I re-read this article by Mark McCartney from the Guardian - How To Do The Most Work In The Shortest Time, to take stock. 

First a reminder of Mark's top tips. 

1. Disappear (Lock yourself in a room away from distractions and focus fully on one task at a time). Nope - cannae do that yet. Feels slightly off to do that - I like being accessible a little too much. This one's a case of - must apply myself harder. 

2. Don’t fight distraction  (work in short bursts, with high levels of focused attention). Check - that's the way I roll.  

3. Simplify (what can you stop doing?). Still learning. This is probably something I can start doing more next year. Needs must this yesr.  

4. Find your rhythm (spend the first 60 minutes of your day on the one or two really important tasks you need to get done). Check! I have always arrived at school an hour early. Currently it's 90 mins.  

5. Strengthen (actively arrange your role so you can focus on what you are good at). Not yet. Same answer as #3.

6. Watch the robots (focus on being effective). My aim is true.

7. Be honest. Always!

So how did I do, compared to earlier in the year? The above answers haven't changed much...yet.  

As Mark says:

It’s often our own deeply entrenched habits that stop us from getting more done more quickly.

Basically, I could do better. I will do better!  

Check your pulse when I speak (Nadine Shah)

Bursts.

That pretty much describes my work method currently.

I like keeping on top of paper work and being as up to date with my marking as possible.

An example? (you ask). Sure.

Thursday I received an email about collecting some random samples for external moderation of three internal Achievement Standards. Luckily, I lead the best gosh darned English department in New Zealand, so, by Friday afternoon I'd collected the work, completed the paperwork and mailed three packages off to NZQA in Wellington (yes, okay Dionne, technically YOU mailed it off).

So this article from Mark McCartney about how to do the most work in the shortest time hit a chord.

His top tips:

• Disappear (see my previous post)
• Don't fight distraction (short bursts of focused work)
• Simplify (less is more)
• Find your rhythm (I arrive at school an hour early and do a couple of jobs, rather than spend a wasted hour after school)
• Strengthen (get better at what you're good at)
• Watch the robots (be effective, rather than efficient)
• Be honest

Nice!