When most people think of time management they make one of two facial expressions: remorse or rejoice.

As event planners, one would think we want to claim the title of Mr. or Mrs. Punctuality. But then reality sets in. We have all heard “time is of the essence” and “time is money,” but how do you use the minutes and hours of the day to your advantage?

First, remember time is not our enemy; we simply haven’t grasped how to make it our best friend. A successful event planner knows and understands how time works, how much time he or she has, and how to use it to move toward a common goal. Learning time management is just like learning any other skill, it takes a dab of effort, a bit of trial and error and, ultimately, learning to embrace what efficiently using time has to offer.

Why does it always seem that it’s impossible to get everything done? Easy, because 24 hours just isn’t enough time. So remember: You can’t do everything and sometimes you just have to say “no.”

Dr. Joe Jeff Goldblatt says it best: “To become an expert event manager, you must master your ability to manage time in the most minute segments. You must develop the vision to perceive the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of every space. Finally, you must be able to analyze the needs of your guests to set tempos that will ensure a memorable event.”

Here are some other ideas you can use. If you have others, please share them with our readers by using the comment box below this post.

Prioritize

1. List what must be completed today. It’s easy to look ahead at the bigger picture, when you see it in black and white in front of you.
2. Organize what you must complete. Look at your list to determine what is most important and what is least important. If you are a visual person, you might use different colored highlighters to prioritize.
3. Use your resources. For example, calendars are an amazing tool, but if you don’t use one it’s simply a blank sheet. Avoid overbooking yourself by looking at what you have planned throughout the week and month. Your phone can probably input events automatically and even alert you days before the event happens.
4. Plan for the unexpected. If the meeting is at 8 a.m., plan to walk in at 7:45. If you are on time, you’re late. Plan to arrive early. Doing so buys you time if an accident blocks your way or some other unanticipated event occurs. One solution: Set your clocks early so you will never have an issue.

Do what works best for you and when all else fails, call on your Inner Goddess!

Next: MBEC 32.08 — Make decisions

See all 33 skills you need to be an effective planner.