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Ask a social work manager about how they manage their time and the face skews. But remember, time management is not something that just faces social work, but is one common to most people in employment. Some solicitors, for example, even have to account for every six-minute block of their working day.

Perhaps we should begin by saying the unforgivable and the unsayable in any normal "management" columns in respect of time management: if you really can't fit all the work into the time available, there is a possibility that you have simply got too much to do. In a world striving for ever-greater efficiency, and "streamlining" and performance management, nobody is allowed to say that they can't cope - even if they're now doing three people's jobs. This almost inevitably leads to working longer hours but not inevitably to better productivity.

It is important to bear in mind that you can only do so much by yourself. There are and always will be a number of things out of your control. Accept that and focus on those that you are able to take some control over.

However, it's wise to have some good general principles.¹

You must value your time.

You must be prepared to spend time in order to save it.

Most importantly, you must analyse your work in order to be clear about the priorities.

You need to be disciplined enough to take regularly a slice of what you think you don't have in order to make the most of what you've got. This means planning. And as with good practice, time taken to prepare is rewarded in good outcomes.

Once a week find a space where you can think without interference from colleagues, computers and phones, and spend 30 minutes concentrating hard on what lies ahead. Monday mornings are ideal for some people, but you should find a time that suits you best.

Time to reflect uninterrupted is vital and it needs to be respected. Also, remember, it's all very well you doing it, but it's much more effective if your team culture is that everyone does it.

Consider time-structuring: don't spend all day on one activity - deliberately break up your time into blocks. But you need to know how you work best to maximise it. If you are better at completing written tasks in the morning then try to push meetings, supervision, or more reflective work into the afternoons.

Negotiate your commitments - take control over the demands placed upon you. Take the hard choices - and, yes, say "no" occasionally. Don't be afraid to negotiate.

A crucial time-saver is "proper filing". Not a skill (or art) that comes naturally to social care managers. Having to do this yourself usually means that it either doesn't get done or nobody can find anything thereafter. But being able to find paperwork you need (either electronically or manually) immediately (or soon after) can save inordinate amounts of time rooting around. That minute you spend putting something back will save you ten-fold easily.

Again a spot of investment - allocating time for supervision and support - can reap rich dividends. For example, helping a new worker to write a report can mean that instead of a report taking three hours to write (badly) they will be able to produce good work in much less time.

Finally, although e-mail seems to have become a burden to most, it has a lot of benefits if used with thought. It is extremely efficient for organising meetings, and passing on information. However, there seems to be an expectation that you need to respond immediately. Remember the advantage of e-mail is that you should read and respond at a time that is convenient to you. Be master of your email and not its slave. Do you really need to check your e-mails more than, say, three times a day? Good management is about aiming to manage your time, as you will rarely be its master.


¹ B789 Managing Voluntary and Non-profit Enterprises, Open University, 1992

John Belcher is chief executive, Anchor Housing Trust; Sheena Doyle is programme manager, Children's Society; Steve Jenkin is chief executive, Elizabeth FitzRoy Support; Vijay Patel is an
independent consultant, voluntary sector.

TOP TIPS

Do it now - single touch each item in your in-tray, if you can deal with it right away then do so.

Find a way to deal with difficult things at the beginning of the day. As the poet Edward Young (1683-1765) said, "procrastination is the thief of time".

Go to others to meet, rather than have them come to you as you can control the time the meeting takes.

Delegate - and remember to delegate sideways and upwards.

Avoid waste and temptations - often we waste time doing the things we like doing. Social work is full of meetings because we all like to talk. Watch out.

RUBBISH TIPS

Keep on top of your e-mails by checking them at least every hour.

A two-day course on time management shows how important the subject is.

Everything you do is a priority.

Planning is a luxury. While you're planning it - you could be doing it.


Personal experiences:

"When I was promoted to team manager for the first time, I undertook the local authority's mandatory training - half-a-day on equal opportunities, a further half-day on health and safety, and would you believe it, two days on time management." Steve Jenkin

"In my first year of social work, one of the best things I learned was a forward planning tool. Again taking time to think over the next quarter, pencilling in admin time, space for consultation papers and so on enables prioritising and acknowledge-ment of what can be done realistically." Vijay Patel

"Investigating a complaint against a social services inspection unit, I contacted the head of unit to arrange an interview. His diary was "full" and he could only fit me in 17 days later. Interestingly, one of the complaints against the unit was that they failed to respond promptly to complaints." Graham Hopkins