Time management for physicians

1. Time management for physicians Steven A. De Jong, M.D. Professor of Surgery Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs Department of Surgery Loyola University Medical Center

3. Time management • Time management or Task management • Essential for a productive and balanced life • New health care environment with more responsibilities • Lots of intervening factors • Stress • Interruptions • Life outside the hospital • Multiple handoffs • Planning and re-planning • Personalities – good and bad • Balanced with • Random nature of our work • Other people and their personalities • Your own behaviors and attitudes

6. Starting questions to ask • Is multitasking the solution or even possible? • Work faster or develop better habits? • OR dictation as an example • Ignore patterns or analyze/plan the process? • EPIC documentation example • Keep a time log to look for typical time stealers • Stop doing things that you can stop doing • Am I living from one deadline to another? • How can I adjust to “too much to do” each day?

7. Examples of “poor performers” • Easily distracted • Fear of failure • Perfectionism • Poor attitude • Cynicism/negativity • Forgetfulness • Poor communication • Disorganized • Low work standards • Procrastination • Indecision • Lack of planning • Unfocused activity • Unpunctuality • Too easy to access • Undependable • Unclear objectives • Missed deadlines

8. Procrastination • Why we do it • We are uncertain about the task • We don’t know where to begin so we don’t • We worry that the product won’t be good enough • How we fix it • Ask for help and collaborate • Just start and split large tasks into smaller pieces • Try out a concept called time-boxing • Reset your expectations • perfection not always required • Certain amount of self awareness helps us focus

9. 5 Useful Habits • Work on your communication skills and articulate clearly what you are doing • Delegation – job description too big for one! • Takes time up front but long term benefits • Start your planned task on time • Once you fall behind schedule you are in trouble • EPIC new patient dictation example • Finish on time at the expense of perfection • Doing your best will be good enough if it’s on time • Saying “No” when you can = healthy boundaries • Powerful effect to limit interruptions • Encourage others to think instead of dumping on you

10. Four reasons why it’s hard to delegate tasks and responsibility • Insecurity or “fear of being replaced” • Perfectionism or “I want it done just right” • False pride or “I don’t need anyone else” • Lack of trust

11. Ask yourself How important or urgent is it? Better focus

12. Systems and Strategies • The ABC technique • Time Management Matrix technique • Natural Laws technique • Time management model

13. Covey’s Time Management Matrix Technique Channel efforts into category 2

14. The two meanings of the rocks, stones, stones and water example The "Jar" of Life

15. It’s almost all about setting priorities • Balancing personal and professional goals • Once set – stick to them with self-discipline • Easy to get sidetracked with “multitasking” • E-mail distraction avoided by “reading it once” • Make lists but avoid long lists • You’re overwhelmed before you start • Producing reasonable daily TTD lists • Identify clear criteria to help you choose • Be flexible as priorities can/must change • Reserve task time and protect it ferociously • Balance an open door policy with a closed one • Make fewer commitments and deliver on time • Avoid the trap of overloading your schedule

16. Know your key responsibilities and focus on your top priority goals and tasks.Aim for excellencePerfection doesn’t exist!

17. Doctors as managers and the 90/10% rule • Energy and focus separate 90% of managers from the top 10% who are more purposeful and employ useful habits • Bottom 90% • Highly motivated & energetic but switch between tasks without much sense of purpose – poor leaders • Procrastinators – they feel their efforts will not make a difference and are not good motivators • The “disengaged” – focused but unexcited by work with little time for reflection or creative thinking

18. Habits of the top 10% • Know your best time of the day and do the most demanding or difficult tasks then or first and get a sense of relief/accomplishment & morale boost • Don’t be too busy to take a break – rested leaders work, think and react better • Self-imposed deadlines are useful • Eliminate/limit time-wasters that drain efficiency • Email, ineffective meetings, interruptions, negativity • Start each day with a plan and “do todays work today” • Have a life outside of work and don’t sell out on your own needs!

19. Put this somewhere where you can see it! IS WHAT I AM DOING RIGHT NOW MOVING ME TOWARD MY GOALS?