Read the following anecdote and see if it rings any bells:
Mr Bigrush is late again. He isn't late every day, in fact some days he arrives really early and chats in the staffrooom for an hour, before lurching towards the door when he realises what the time is. Mr B is late today because he didn't sleep well; he is really tired, though he didn't do as much work last night as he intended. He needs to prepare for this morning's lessons, and the rough draft lesson plan he did yesterday is on his desk somewhere but there is so much paper there that he can't find it. He didn't finish his planning yesterday because there were so many interruptions to deal with. There have also been meetings every day after school; though he was late for two and missed one entirely, which reminds Mr Bigrush that he needs to reply to that sniffy e-mail. So annoying. Mr Bigrush has a long list of things to do, but a new drama seems to crop up every day. He usually works late, gets home tired, rushes his tea, then does more work. Mrs Bigrush is fed up with him hardly seeing his family, and Mr Bigrush is frustrated that his pile of work never seems to get any smaller, and he is feeling stressed as well as so tired. He is also feeling resentful because the Deputy Head has made some cutting remarks about him which really are unfair, because Mr Bigrush works very very hard, and no one cares more than he does.
So... honestly now:
1. Are you always on time for work - not just in time for first lesson, but arriving at school at the time you intended?
2. Are you always on time for meetings/briefings/presentations/events, adequately prepared?
3. Do you get enough sleep? Enough relaxation? Enough fun?
4. Can you always find the right bit of paper quickly and easily? Do you know where to put paper where you can find it again? How about electronic data? E-Mails?
5. Do you spend most of your non-student-facing time doing what you want to do, as opposed to dealing with interruptions or other people's problems?
6. Do you leave school on time regularly?
7. Are your family and loved ones happy with how much they see you?
8. Do you feel as though you are in control of your life and your career?
9. Do you feel that you are making progress towards your life and work goals?
10. Do you feel that your achevements fairly reflect your effort?
OK, if this was a teenage magazine, we would give points for your answers, and say things like... 3-6 Points: You have time management issues which require attention if you want to be successful and achieve your life goals with more confidence. Obvously, this isn't a teenage magazine, and you are plenty smart enough to figure out what your answers mean.