Change-up question: How can I be more organized at work?

[FairhopeEE]

I am a fairly new EE working for an electric utility. I am happy that I get to apply a lot of things I learned in school, but the one thing I didn't seem to learn so well is how to keep track of all my jobs and small projects. I need a simple, quick system to help me stay focused and on schedule. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[alehman]

I have that problem also. Too many little projects. I find it helps to try to dedicate time to doing design, calcs, etc and separate time for answering questions, email, etc. That doesn't always work by any means. Also try to handle each question, email, etc only once if you can.

You might try one of these forums...

How to Improve Myself to Get Ahead in My Work
Overcoming Obstacles Getting My Work Done

 

[MikeHalloran]

My friend Bill swore by his paper system, comprising wirebound pocket notebooks in four colors, one for each season. He bought a case, and never used all of them.

Years ago, I used Lotus Agenda to keep track of everything. I loved it, because you could just type something like "Meet Jerry for lunch on the second Tuesday of next month to discuss Project X, and it parsed the text and linked it to your calendar, your projects, your friends, etc. It's gone obsolete, and never really been replaced.

Since then, I've tried Excel, several times. It can do math on dates, and sort stuff, but it requires a lot of manual screwing around to stay organized, and just flat can't do things that Agenda did automatically.

More recently, I've just maintained simple chron files for each project, using Notepad. Hit <F5> to get a time stamp, then type what happened, or who said what, etc. Leave out opinion and supposition, and the files stay fairly small. Put 'em on a thumbdrive and carry it in your pocket.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[wareagle]

Are you in Fairhope AL?

 

[FairhopeEE]

Yep, down in lovely Fairhope. You're an AU grad, I see.

 

[521AB]

I have a strong opinion here. Please let me present it.
I was also some years ago 25% on this project, 10% on that project, 5% on that project etc. Some PM (Project Mamangers) liked to show those figures.
I realized what I learned at school, regarding multitasking: the microporcessor can amnage multitasking, but it is only ONE, so, when it goes from one task to another, it has to save the data of the task it is abandoning into a so called STACK. He will pick-up the data from the stack when it will go back to that task.
Putting staff in the stack, and pulling it out, needs time. If you multitask too much, at the end the microprocessor is only spending energy (time) in saving and retriving data from the stack.

I refuse, today, to participate in too many projects, if my PM's want something to be done. Usually this is accepted and respected. If not, there is a conflict where sometimes I loose and sometimes I win. I have change a several companies untill I have found one where this fundamental issue is respected. And I like working there. I get my stuff done, the company also.

What does "stuff done" mean? It means that there is no need that somebody else takes your job once again and correct all the mistakes you have done. Nobody is perfect, but from 70% wrong to 10% wrong there is a big difefrence, and to my opinion, the 70% wrong comes often because of "multitasking".

 

[521AB]

I have clicked too early...

in few words: I have seen that if you say "NO", you can be more efficient. The comnay as well. When it is "NO " it is "NO", but when it is "YES" it is "YES".

 

[FairhopeEE]

Thank you all for your input. I know that is part of my problem, 521AB; not knowing how to say "no". I shall try to practice more!

 

[slavag]

Hi.
It's not really eng. problem, but multitasking it's our big problem.
I'm PM today and know what is a many small projects,e-mails, technical support by phone, etc, etc.
You need learn not only say "not", you need also learn when say "not" and why.
Second important thing: you need learn request from your PM or boss "list of priority" and "time target" ( my team know this well).
Next important point: keep all your documents in notebook and in end of day provide backup to network,
Don't use more than 2-3 subfolders for each projects.
Used same naming for same type of documents for all projects.
My company for example use LOTUS NOTES, this tool is very suitble for many proposes.
Regards.
Slava

 

[521AB]

Thanks slavag for being mor eprecise. It was what I meant when I wrote " When it is "NO " it is "NO", but when it is "YES" it is "YES".

If you say "NO" you have to explain why it is "NO". But it is meaningless to say "NO", if you do not have a strong "YES", which means job done in time, accurately.

 

[slavag]

Yes 521AB, exctly, this is a point.
If you say "YES", job will done in time.
And second, as you say, not 70% of job is wrong, only 10%-15% ( my team today to my Q "are you ready?", know answer, yes 95% of job is ready).
I think also important thing, learn say " I don't know this, but I'm try learn with your help".