Time Management to Create the Work Environment You Want

When I was at SXSW Interactive, one of the panels I headed to was looking at making time for projects. The description sounded great, though I’d never heard of the presenters or the organizations they were from (both software developers). I hoped there was something in it that would help me out with my job as well as tips to pass along to students who always claim they have no time.

How was it? Well, let’s say I decided not to stick it out when they started talking about how many people work on their personal projects while at their regular jobs. Um … yeah. Maybe I should have stuck around a little longer, but that wasn’t something I was interested in. Using your employer’s time and machines to compile code or scratch out ideas that should be done on your own time seemed, well, problematic.

I bailed, headed to another session and got some more knowledge on other stuff. (For the record, walking in and out of SXSW Interactive sessions is sort of encouraged. Every guide I read said if the speaker wasn’t speaking to you, go listen to someone else.)

Instead, I should have just read this 10-point idea list by the Poynter Institute’s Butch Ward. Much more ethical and practical, as well.

Would have saved me the 20 minute walk to that session …