Dr Ed Pooley joins us to share his take on time management techniques for busy individuals.

Episode Highlights

[05:38] The Importance of Maturity and Exploration in Medicine

• Entering medicine later in life can give you more experience under your belt.
• Ed also thinks it’s important to explore different processes outside of medicine.
• He examines what processes work and applies these in his practice of medicine.

[10:33] How to Manage Competing Demands

• Reflect on three types of demands: value demands, internal failure demands and external failure demands.

[18:11] Time Management Techniques on a System Level

• Personal time management techniques are essential not enough. You also need to have a systems approach.
• Recognise the system you work in and make adjustments for better results.

[21:46] Quick Ways to Address Internal Failure Demands

• GP setting: move from siloed working to outcome-based working.
• Meetings: do most of the work beforehand and use the meeting to discuss key points.
• Don’t use meetings as a proxy for team cohesion.

[26:00] Time Management Techniques for the Workplace

• Allow yourself to rest from working during your free time.
• You can see what each person needs to make their day better in terms of time management. By doing so, you’re able to work in a happier environment.

[30:43] On Affecting Change as a Doctor

• Being in medicine becomes your identity. And so, when we struggle with things like time management, it becomes an identity threat.
• Instead of complaining about someone’s work, approach them and discuss the problem.

[35:05] Improving Workplace Communication

• Make SMART objectives SMARTER.
• The additional E stands for emotion. The R stands for rationale and review.

[41:44] How to Voice Out Your Concerns

• Instead of criticising, ask exploratory questions.

[46:29] Ed’s Top 3 Time Management Techniques

• Think of the time before thinking about the task.
• If you’re struggling with completing tasks, break them down into task management, attention management, knowledge management, and system management.
• You have four options: do it, delegate it, defer it or delete it.

Enjoyed This Podcast?

Write a review and share this with your friends.

Sign up for a FREE workbook.

Join the Shapes Collective Facebook group.

Find out more about our training here.

Email Rachel or reach her on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Podcast Links

• Virtual Fatigue Buster Toolkit
• YANAF Episode 69
• YANAF Episode 70
• Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton 
• Managing Time in Medicine by Dr Ed Pooley
• Difficult Conversations: Understanding Communication & Psychology in Health (Facebook group)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Work Well Programme

Work Well Live –  May 21st