Why is it Necessary

Juggling a variety of tasks comes with the domain. The

well-meaning audience – in this case, the CEO, the

auditor, the shareholders, my team – tosses them to

me, not always one at a time.

I consider it my job to not get hit in the face but catch

each in turn gracefully and balance them skilfully.

I’m sharing what I call my 7:1:5 here in the hope that it

helps some of you manage your circus better.

Step 1: 7 to Plan

Before I even power on my computer, I spend 7 minutes with my desktop planner and ballpoint pen. I spend between 2 and 4 minutes furiously scribbling down all the potential tasks of the day that come to mind.

Then, I spend 2 minutes reorganizing them in priority order. When I feel like it, I use colours to set priorities. Usually, I simply assign numbers – 1 represents life-and-death, 2 shows job-on-the-line – you get the idea.

I spend the remaining minute assigning a time slot to each task. It is greatly satisfying to see in black-and-white when exactly I will accomplish each objective.

Step 2: 1 to Regroup

I have set my phone to beep every hour of an 8-hour workday. This reminds me to pause and regroup. The beep acts like a gentle nudge, reminding me to check if my last hour has been as productive as expected and how I want my next one to be.

I take a few seconds to tweak my planner a bit if needed.

On the days I am right on track and feel especially imaginative, I draw a little crown next to the last successful time slot, proclaiming myself Champion of the Hour!

Step 3: 5 to Review

At the end of the day, when I finally turn off the

computer, I open my trusty planner again and review my

day. I check which task exceeded the time I allotted for

it and why.

I also check which tasks got done quicker and again

ask why. Not only does this help me to plan better for

the next day, but also reminds me to reward those team

members who made my work faster or easier.

Finally…

I have followed this ritual for over a year now and it

has allowed me to leave work on a high note most

days. Try it and let me know if it works for you.

Maureen O'Connell

Maureen O’Connell is the current Executive VP, CFO

and CAO of Scholastic Corporation. When not

working, Maureen loves running, Skiing, Scuba

Diving or Travelling.