Trying to Jump Start My Brain

Choir started again last evening. Only two people showed up for rehearsal, but that was two more than I have sung with at church since March 2020, so I was happy to make 3-part music again. This morning, though, I am exhausted.

I tried really hard to deny that it was time to get up when it was time to get up. I think I slept past my light turning on by my bed this morning, but only by 30 minutes, so that's well within my "I can get to work without any sort of problem" time frame. No worries about getting things finished and ready to go this morning. I still wanted to sleep, but did not panic or have to rush through my routines. I have used the bathroom, selected my clothing for today, and am now sitting down to write about time management.

Yep, I am struggling with time management at the moment.

This is one of my favorite topics to talk to interns about because I feel that strong time management and logical organization systems are essential to longevity in this profession. I am currently not using my time well. This is a problem as I have more time lately and nothing is getting finished at work. It is time to structure my time more efficiently because that is just what I do - I seek efficiency!

Here's the situation. I am now running all of my group sessions after sharing the case load with my former interns for about two years straight. Now, this is a good thing. I enjoy being "therapist" and not "strange person who sits in the office and stares at us when we are doing music." This means that my schedule and energy outputs during the week have also changed. As I am sitting here, on Thursday morning, I have finished 12 of my current 18 group sessions. I have seen 4 of my 11 individuals. I have more individual/dyad sessions in front of me at this time every week than I do groups - that's an interesting development. I have some general goals for my time away from direct services, but I am still waiting for one more cabinet to help me with my organization, so much of my systemization has to wait for that piece to arrive. It is really easy to slip into laziness and ineffective use of time.

I must not slip any further!!

The tricks that I usually use when I feel like I am not very efficient are not working for me at the moment. Listing tasks is just an empty exercise. I think I am stagnating. So, it is time to go into brainstorming mode - the first step of just about anything that I do!

I need to figure out my priorities. Now, when I am talking about this topic with interns, the first thing that I always stress is that responsibilities to and for my clients are always my first priority! So, when I am talking about struggling with time management, I mean the time that I have left after I have finished my documentation, session strategizing, and material maintenance. Clients' needs have to come first. Once those things are finished, I have extra time.

My schedule is not one that I put together on my own. I can choose when I offer individual or dyad sessions, but I have to work within the master schedule. This means that I have small periods of time that I need to fill with at least a dribble of productivity. I do not really relax easily into time away from my clients, so if I have just finished a session and have 30 minutes until the next session, I am not able to change my focus really easily. This is one reason that I do my clinical documentation in the early mornings - I can concentrate on getting client notes finished without too much interruption. Just about the time I can start to concentrate on something during those 30 minute spans between groups, I have to start the next session. This schedule makes it difficult to switch my brain from session mode to administration mode. So, what I want to brainstorm are some tasks that will not take up too much time but that also do not require that I switch my brain settings during those short periods of time that are available to me on some days.

So, I start with my ideal when it comes to my organization goals when I start to look for tasks to occupy me during times like the ones described above. I would like to have folders for each of my individual/dyad sessions where I can keep materials and reminders of goals and take notes during interactions. That is the type of task that can be put into 30 minutes, but that is only 30 minutes of the day gone. I need a place to store those folders where I can put my hands on them each time I need them and also keep them confidential within my facility standards. That will take some organization on my part as there is no wrong way or place to accomplish this, but I need to make this a habit rather than just throwing things any old place. So, back to brainstorming.

As I am brainstorming, I try to write down every single thing that passes through my head - whether it is related or not. I then sort through and find associations - all the "get boxes for..." type of ideas are color-coded in the same color so I can see them at the same time. I can find themes and then start to figure out what things have to happen when to get to goals. I like things like flow charts and project planners, so I enjoy thinking through the "first, I...then, I..." steps to any project or plan. Once I know the various tasks that I need to do, I can start to focus on them based on how much time I have available at any time.

So, today's task during my time between sessions is to start the concept of how to fill my time between sessions. I intend to sit in my empty music therapy clinic in between my first two sessions with my ideas book to start brainstorming what I want from myself and for my clients. I will take my book, my favorite pen, some markers, and just think.

When I get a plan going, I usually make visuals to help me finish the task. I have some of these in my small business ideas book - maybe I should print off some of the blank ones to use in my work journal. That might help me figure out where I am at any given project and where I need to go next. Hm. It is silly that I haven't done this before - what works in one area will often work in another. Durrrrrrrr.

I will focus on thinking and organizing my thoughts and getting myself a bit closer to my ideal when it comes to time management and organization. It is not a one and done type of task - it is something to work on all the time. So, it is time.