Chip on Your Shoulder

She multi-tasks. He never misses a deadline. Ever wonder how your boss stays organized or wish yours was better at it? As a reporter, I often had trouble making a deadline for one story. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how my editors kept track of a handful. At a writing workshop last week with newsroom leaders in The New York Times Regional Newspaper Group, I took advantage of the opportunity and asked for their best time management tips. Here's what they said:

Plan the first thing you want to do the next day before leaving.
-- Jeff Zeringue, executive editor, Daily Comet (Thibodaux, La.)

Take time to organize first.
-- Toni Whitt, Manatee County Bureau Chief, Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Sarasota, Fla.)

Before I leave for the evening, I write a Post-It note with tasks I need to accomplish the next day. I put it in the middle of my monitor and go home. When I get in the next day, I try to accomplish as many as possible before the day gets hectic. I move it to the side of my monitor as a reminder all day.
-- Kisha Dunn, Local News Editor, Star-Banner (Ocala, Fla.)

Do the most important item first. Whether it's that key interview, writing the lede, scheduling that meeting, etc.
-- Tricia Vance, Deputy City Editor, Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.)

TIME MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

A Writer's Time: Making the Most of Yours Making Friends with a Clock: Time Management for Writers Check out a trio of tips and the Orlando Sentinel's 20 time management techniques in "Chip on your Shoulder" "The Clockwork Muse: A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations and Books," by Eviatar Zerubavel (Harvard University Press, 1999). "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity," by David Allen (Viking, 2001). "How Writers Journey To Comfort and Fluency: A Psychological Adventure," by Robert Boice (Praeger, 1994) "A Writer's Time: Making the Time to Write," by Kenneth Atchity (Norton, 1994). "Writing to Deadline: The Journalist at Work," by Donald M. Murray (Heinemann, 2000). "Writing in Flow: Keys to Enhanced Creativity," by Susan K. Perry (Writer’s Digest Books, 1999). "The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction," by Stephen Koch (The Modern Library, 2003).

As soon as you identify a goal, write it down and take the first step within 24 hours.
-- Sean McCrory, News Editor, The Gainesville Sun (Gainesville, Fla.)

Just do it! Plan and then dive in. Don't keep putting it off.
-- Chad Killebrew, Managing Editor, The Dispatch (Lexington, N.C.)

Keep phone conversations brief.
-- Greg Retsinas, City Editor, The Tuscaloosa News

Planning is the key to getting things done. Also, don't procrastinate.
-- Gary Greene, News Editor, The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.)

Pick a direction to go toward and take a step forward.
-- Calvin Knight, Assistant Director of Photography, The Ledger

Be clear on objective, understand the goal.
-- Katherine Gilbert, The Courier (Houma, La.)

Don't sit around and agonize about a project, take a step.
-- Matthew Sauer, Business Editor, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Make a list and follow it.
-- Randy Johnson, City Editor, The Gadsden Times (Gadsden, Ala.)

Work through several items on your To-Do list before opening your e-mail in the morning. Return some calls, read the paper, write a report, then allow yourself to get sucked in to the electronic abyss.
-- Robyn Tomlin, Executive Editor, Times Daily (Florence, Ala.)

Make lists (daily/weekly) and mark things off as they're accomplished.
--Todd Callaway, City Editor, Times-News (Hendersonville, N.C.)

Lists, lists, lists! Keep a To-Do list with you all day and constantly add and check off.
-- Jon Rabiroff, City Editor, The Gainesville Sun

Take small steps to accomplish the goal.
-- Barbara Rosko, Group HR Director, NYTRNG

Use the tools you have.
-- Susan Kille, Editor, NYTRNG Wire

Handle paperwork once. When it comes to you, deal with it then. And prioritize what you have to do each day. Do not allow the important things to be swallowed by the smaller ones.
-- Will Rothschild, Assistant City Editor, Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal

Delegate.
-- Keith Magill, Executive Editor, The Courier (Houma, La.)

Get off your butt and go talk to whoever it is you need to talk to face-to-face, one-on-one.
-- Danny DeJarnette, News Editor, Tuscaloosa News

When you leave the building, turn it off. Agonizing over decisions and plans and past work is no more productive at home, where you can do little about it, so why worry? Easier said than done, of course. -- Tim Griggs, Managing Editor, Star-News

[ If you're an editor, tell us your best time management tip.
If you work with one, find out what it is and share it. ]