How time is used is often a matter of resolving conflicts among competing needs.
It is easy to become overloaded with responsibilities and with more tasks to do than can be accomplished in the time available. This is typical. There is never enough time for all the activities, situations, and events in which one might like to become involved. (Review the section on priority setting.)
To be effective, nurses and nurse managers must be personally well organized and possess self-discipline. This often includes being able to say no. Taking on too much work can lead to overload and stress. Being realistic about the amount of work to which you commit is an indi- cation of effective time management. If a superior is overloading you, make sure that person understands the consequences of additional assignments. Be assertive in communicating your own needs to others.
An e-mail system without designated folders for automatic storage, a cluttered desk, work- ing on too many tasks at one time, and failing to set aside blocks of uninterrupted time to do
178 PART 2 • LEARNING KEY SKILLS IN NURSING MANAGEMENT
important tasks indicate a lack of personal self-discipline. Automate e-mails from specified senders, clear your desktop, and get out the materials you need to complete your highest-priority task and start working on it immediately. Focus on one task at a time, making sure to start with a high-priority one.
One manager who felt overwhelmed by all of her responsibilities used the strategies shown in Case Study 13-1 to help her solve her problems.