The Source is no stranger to the issue of time management. This topic, along with work-life balance, is one we get frequent inquiries about, and they definitely go hand-in-hand. You cannot obtain work-life balance without a good grasp on time management. We all probably have a general idea of how much time each week will end up allotted toward work. The wild card often ends up being life outside of work: board meetings, book clubs, soccer games, an occasional cocktail with clients. We’re asked to help on certain committees or help organize different events for organizations to which we’re tied ..read more

As hard-working professionals, we are constantly looking for tips and tricks to help us better manage our time. If we just had a few more hours in our day, we’re pretty sure we could rule the world. Despite how desperately we try, we can’t seem to find that twenty-fifth hour, leaving us dejected and staring at an unfinished to-do list day after day. Some experts conclude the trick is not in working longer hours. The trick is in strategically managing the way you work within the hours you have. This strategy tells us to forget about time management and focus on energy management. Time is a fini ..read more

Do you struggle to carve out “me” time? And when you finally do make the time, do you find it difficult to be present in the moment? I do. And then when you finally do carve out time for yourself, do you struggle feeling present because you can’t keep your mind from running through tomorrow’s to-do list? You’re worrying about tomorrow before today is even over..? This is something I most definitely do. Or maybe, you feel desperately alone. Over the past 2 years, you’ve found yourself more and more in your own thoughts and you just wish you had someone to lean on. A friend. I can relate.. I mov ..read more

It’s easy to feel like you’re your most productive self when you’re multitasking. We’re checking emails while preparing dinner, scheduling social media posts while on a Zoom meeting, and taking conference calls in the car en route to an appointment. Even though we’re checking things off our to-do list, have we lost our focus?   Neuropsychologist Cynthia Kubu, PhD explains, “When we think we’re multitasking, most often we aren’t really doing two things at once, but instead, we’re doing individual actions in rapid succession, or task-switching.” For 98% of the population, our brai ..read more

Productivity was important even before a global pandemic, and now it’s absolutely essential to reach our professional goals. More women than ever are working from home, and that means many of us have had to re-learn how to begin our days. We asked Jackson-area blogger and friend of The Source, Laurel Donahoo, to share her tips and tricks for getting the morning started off on the right foot. Let me guess— your normal workflow has been disrupted since about mid-March. You’ve either had to completely change up what your workplace looks like, or move your office to your house. And, if you and I a ..read more

OK, we take back all the times we said it would be great to work from home. In an effort to #flattenthecurve and lessen the spread of COVID-19, many of us find ourselves scrambling to be productive away from our traditional workspaces. For those who are accustomed to working in an office, a new work-from-home situation vastly complicates things. How can we be efficient with our time in an environment typically reserved for Netflix binges? Tech Check Technology is what makes a home office a possibility in the first place, and it’s the last place you want a technical difficulty. Make sure you ha ..read more

We all have those particular meetings we dread. The calendar request promises it’s only going to take thirty minutes of your time, but you know better. Some of these meetings have the potential to be avoided with an email or phone call, but that would be too easy. Instead, you’re stuck in a conference room problem solving for an entire afternoon. Running a quick, effective meeting is easier said than done, but it is possible. We decided to turn to some experts for help. Facebook Facebook is a multi-billion dollar company and one of the biggest influencers on the planet. There is no w ..read more

Though it may not feel like it outside, summer will soon be coming to an end. With this shift comes an uptick in our to-do lists. Inevitably community clubs, boards of directors, church groups, and school committees will start planning their fall schedules and reaching out to go-getters like you asking for help. “Will you chair this event?” “Will you serve on a fundraising committee?” “Will you serve on our board?” In reality, you may not want to do any of these things. But they asked so nicely, and they really seem to need your help. What are you supposed to say? “No”. Better yet, “no thank y ..read more

Undoubtedly, there’s much to juggle in this crazy, modern world. However, at some point in recent years, we crossed into an unhealthy territory where everyone wears their level of busyness proudly as a status symbol. If you don’t have a million different things on your plate, you are doing something wrong. Busy has become synonymous with successful in our minds. Our schedules are no longer about our own enjoyment or making a real difference in our communities. They are just another method of comparison among peers—particularly other women. As much as we add to our schedules, someone else alway ..read more

Entire sections of book stores are dedicated to the art of time management. When you type “time management” into Google, the search engine spits out “about 93,100,000 results”. I’m sure we don’t need to explain the intense interest in this topic. Even the most organized among us seem to fail at making it through their to-do list each day. There are theories regarding personal productivity suggesting “only check your email once a day” or “meticulously schedule each hour of your day before it starts”. That sounds great. Sign us up –right? The problem with some of these suggestions is they don’t ..read more