What do you do if you're struggling to manage your time in a remote educational technology role?

One thing ive found helpful (especially coming from ADHD) is to use a physical notebook for writing down your todo every day. It helps reduce the noise and make the objectives concrete. If it doesnt fit on the list, simply X it out and re-write it on ‘tomorrow’s page’. That way you always have todays list, and tomorrow’s plan.

I always end my day with a to-do list for the next day. I start the next day trying to knock things out on that list. I put everything I want to accomplish on the list, not just tasks. It can range from: read that interesting article, to finish writing the press release. I work in my own mini sprints, so I try to finish at least 2-3 things on the list before my meetings start. I don't put too much pressure on knocking things off the list in between meetings. I use that time for more reflection and thinking. I may even go for a quick walk.

Always set goals that align to the core delivery of your business. If you cannot see the direct relationship between a goal and a business objective, then it needs to be given more thought or reprioritized to a much lower level.

Utilizing a good, collaborative, project management tools such as Notion is essential for coordinating work in a remote team. Guidelines also offer a structured approach to creating effective learning materials, ensuring content meets predefined quality standards. Notion aids in organizing and tracking tasks, facilitating collaboration, and managing project timelines efficiently. Adopting robust project management strategies, like ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation), provides a systematic framework for managing projects from conception to completion. This insures that each participant understands their responsibilities and knows exactly where they stand in relation to the project. Nothing is left to chance.

Set Clear Goals: Define clear, achievable goals for your work Create a Routine: Establish a daily routine that includes dedicated time for work, breaks, and other activities. Use Time Management Tools: Utilize tools such as calendars, task managers, and productivity apps to organize your work and schedule tasks. Prioritize Tasks: Identify the most important tasks and prioritize them based on deadlines and importance. Identify and minimize distractions in your work environment to maintain focus and productivity. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time to prevent burnout. Take breaks, exercise, and engage in activities that help you relax and recharge, which can improve your overall productivity.

I would apply the Eisenhower matrix to prioritise my tasks. However, before applying it, I would analyse the tasks and break it down into smaller chunks instead of doing at one time. After the analysis of the tasks, I will plan according to Eisenhower Matrix; what is urgent? Can be scheduled? Etc. It's important to know that tasks cannot be deleted but can be reassign to someone else to do with specific guidelines to follow and monitoring systems in place.

I find that organizing myself by listing and prioritizing my tasks help me to stay on track. To set myself up for the new week, at the end of each week I create "to do" post it notes and place them on a piece of poster board. I simply remove the post it after completing it. To inspire myself to look at the board, I keep it in sight and use different colors of post it notes and ink pens. There is something really satisfying to me about writing things out by hand.

Prioritizing is a crucial skill when there is always another task to complete. The lists can be endless! However, monotasking is just as helpful to focus on the task at hand. Using something like the Pomodoro method will help break down the task into achievable pieces and with a focused timeline (about 25 minutes of work at a time with a short break between).

The Importance of "No": Learn to politely decline non-urgent tasks or requests that take you away from your core responsibilities. Eisenhower Matrix: Categorize tasks as urgent/important, urgent/not important, not urgent/important, or not urgent/not important. Focus on the first two categories while delegating or deferring the rest.

Effective time management in remote ed-tech roles can be achieved with tools like Monday.com and Microsoft Planner. Utilize their features to set alerts, create task boards, assign tasks with deadlines, and collaborate. However, the key is aligning these tools with a clear, well-defined process. Define objectives, ensure processes match tool capabilities, and maintain a feedback loop for continuous improvement. Success lies in harmonizing tools with your workflow for maximum efficiency.

1. Analyze and prioritize tasks: Assess your workload, identify high-priority tasks, and focus on what's most important. 2. Set realistic goals and deadlines: Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable goals with specific deadlines to stay on track. 3. Practice effective communication: Regularly communicate with your team to clarify expectations, share progress updates, and seek support when needed. 4. Establish a dedicated workspace: Create a designated area for work to minimize distractions and help maintain focus. 5. Seek support and resources: Reach out to colleagues or supervisors for guidance, resources, or time management strategies specific to your role.

One thing that I do when the workload is heavy (to the point of overwhelming) is set a meeting with stakeholders, team members, and/or managers. In this meeting I share the list of deliverables (including the scope and timelines) and we prioritize, in real time, as a team so that we are all on the same page. This way, there are no surprises.

I recommend using a small number of tools (preferably only one) that can cover most of everything you need to track, but in a flexible way. The are specialized tools for many use cases, but they often feel too strict or too difficult to configure just right for your personal preferences. Get a great note taking tool that is extensible with plugins (e.g. Obsidian, loqseq, …) and tailor your knowledge base and tracking exactly to your needs.

Calendar Tools: Thoroughly utilize your calendar to schedule tasks, meetings, and time blocks; use reminders for crucial deadlines. Project Management Tools: Platforms like Asana, Trello, or Basecamp provide great ways to track progress, delegate tasks, and stay on top of deadlines. Time Tracking Apps: Tools like Toggl or RescueTime can help you see where your time actually goes, allowing you to identify areas to optimize.

I've always found a routine in a remote working environment can provide a clear structure. It can also be helpful to set clear tasks or goals for a day so that you have a clear idea of how you will utilise your day. Not completing the to do list doesn't necessarily mean it's been a unproductive day, but rather a way for you to learn how much you can actually accomplish within this is environment.

Remote work provides the benefit of working within a personal environment, but requires a degree of discipline to be efficient. Creating a routine allows you to ensure routine critical tasks are completed while you also keep focus time for critical thinking.

Routines for remote work should include breaks that re-energize you. Many people get this informally at the office through water cooler chat, grabbing something from the cafeteria during lunch, or talking a short walk. It's easy to forget how these traditions can enhance your productivity, so choose a few to add intentionally to your day.

Establishing a daily routine is essential for maintaining productivity and staying focused while working remotely. Set consistent work hours to create structure and discipline in your day. Designate specific times for tasks such as checking emails, attending virtual meetings, and working on projects. Incorporate breaks into your schedule to rest and recharge, ensuring you avoid burnout. Stick to your routine as much as possible, but also be open to adjusting it as needed to accommodate changes in priorities or responsibilities.

While remote work offers flexibility, it's important to maintain boundaries. Set clear start and end times for your workday and stick to them as much as possible. This creates a healthy separation between work and personal life, reducing stress and promoting overall well-being. In my experience, having a dedicated workspace at home, even a small corner, helps establish a work mentality. Starting my day with a short walk or meditation session gets me into a focused headspace. Scheduling specific times for checking emails prevents them from becoming a constant distraction.

Effective communication is key to success in any remote role, especially in educational technology where collaboration is essential. Clearly communicate your expectations, deadlines, and progress with colleagues and supervisors. Use concise and professional language in emails, messages, and virtual meetings to avoid misunderstandings. Practice active listening and ask clarifying questions when needed to ensure you understand instructions or feedback accurately. Foster open and transparent communication channels to promote collaboration and teamwork.

A comunicação é a chave para um sucesso corporativo. Alinhado com sua equipe, você pode compartilhar ideias, pedir ajuda e fornecer ajuda. Ter uma comunicação clara, flui qualquer tipo de trabalho.

Clear communication is one of the critical components in many organizations including education organizations. If you communicate clearly, you will always experience clear accomplishments. It's very unfortunate that the majority do not consider it as a significant skill. Unclear communications can lead one repeating provide several explanations about the task hence delays in tasks accomplishments. Clear communication includes giving specific descriptions and examples about the tasks.

While real-time communication is valuable, asynchronous communication tools are your allies in a remote world. Utilize project management platforms to share updates, delegate tasks, and track progress. This allows team members to contribute on their own schedules, especially when working across time zones. Meeting Magic: Schedule regular team meetings, but make them purposeful. Focus on clear agendas, actionable items, and avoid information overload. Remember, meetings shouldn't replace asynchronous communication – they should serve as a platform for focused discussions and brainstorming sessions.

Clear, effective, concise communication is one of my greatest passions and is vital in all setting especially in a remote setting. Always under promise and over deliver - that way colleagues / trainees / students are always impressed, expectations are met and exceeded and your credibility soars. I find that people often communicate without thinking it through or worse - impulsively often resulting in grammar mistakes, ambiguous or unclear communication. Albert Einstein said, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with the problem longer" and I apply this to communication in that I think what I want to communicate longer - the result: smart communication. Reading / hearing clear communication, impresses me and saves me time.

I have a weekly planning session with myself to assess both work and home priorities for the upcoming week. This usually takes place on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I used to think reflection and spending time thinking about what's working and what's not was not a valuable use of time. But I have quickly figured out that this is a sacred time for me to express creativity in how I reflect (stickers, colorful pens, drawing mind maps) which then allows me to focus my energy to plan for the upcoming week. Spending time away from the computer will help manage your time while at the computer.

It's always good to self-reflect on your progress, but also keep in mind that sometimes taking the time to reflect with colleagues or, people in the same industry is a good indicator of what you could be doing to better yourself. It's very easy to get hung up on your criticism but with peers you can focus on what can aid you from how they do things differently and where you excel and can hopefully help your fellow peers as well. Lastly never diminish your wins or losses they both hold value to what it is that you are doing.

-Reflect on was successful for you in the past in terms of staying on track and getting the results that you wanted, and then implement some things that you found successful on a trial basis; what works keep. -I suggest working in smaller chunks of time, and using the 1,3,5 method of organizing your day. Every night or at the start of your workday identify the one thing that you must get done and set the time and place to do it and then do it. At the same time identify three medium sized activities/tasks that you want to get done and five tasks that it would be nice to get done. If you use the 1 thing as leverage to ensure you hit an important milestone, that can help guide your time management and boost your mood and productivity.

Reflection shapes new approaches that would enable focusing more on the tasks and promotes flexibility. It is crucial to balance activities for meaningful outcomes

Weekly Teaching Performance Evaluations (TPEs) based off the lesson recordings my trainees teach are an integral part of the course I train. These TPEs both demonstrate and prove how vital effective reflection on one's performance / progress / efficiency is. Reflecting timely and regularly is the key to success.

One strategy that I have found helpful is to plan 10 to 15 minute breaks for meditative silence every 2 to 3 hours. It allows me to refocus and use the work time more effectively. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but it works for me!

To manage time in a remote educational technology role, you should have an exact and precise planning. Define what you are going to teach in each session, set deadlines for assignments, and set accessible and clear targets. Prioritize tasks to manage time, adjust or change any priority to do so. Avoid any postponing issues: Do not assign huge or unreal goals that you'll be forced to postpone them. It was said before that you should design an exact planning or else you won't be able to manage time. Set regulations and structure for your online classes. Restrict all distraction factors. Consider some time for rest during online classes. Transform your classes with active learning.

Schedule Breaks: Intentionally include short breaks throughout your day to rest and recharge. Get away from screens and move your body. Boundaries for Work/Life Balance: Resist the urge to be "always on." Set firm boundaries on when you disconnect from work to prevent burnout.

If you are struggling to manage your time, become intentional about paying attention to where your time is going. Do a time audit of each day for a week in 15 minute increments. How much time are you spending in certain areas? Where can you tighten up? Where are you wasting time? It is powerful becoming aware of how you are spending your time now as it allows you to make decisions on how you want to tweak to become more efficient.

Don't be afraid to be creative and share those wacky ideas with others. It's easy to dismiss things when you're working alone. Jot them down and share them with your team.