Time Management

[Gambit62]

I purchased a load of on-line Continuing Professional Development courses about a week ago - it's a professional requirement to do 21 hours of CPD in a year and I usually manage by just picking up things here and there as the opportunity arises but last year didn't end well (broken ankle ... which meant I just didn't get round to writing everything up properly) and this year hasn't started well so opted for something more structured.

Day off so thought I'd make a start with one of the courses - Time Management - which was partly because occasionally it doesn't hurt to be reminded of good practice. Didn't score too badly on the pre-course questionnaire - just outside the range for 'this course probably won't help you at all' so I'm probably in the range because being a depressive I tend to accentuate the negative ... well compared to those that regard themselves as normal and actually have a tendency to overaccentuate the positive ... actually I'd like to think of it is being more realistic as my tendency towards the negative is probably less than theirs to postitive but may be we shouldn't go there, just in case any of them are reading

Strictly speaking I ought to have done a time audit before as well, though you don't actually find that until you start the course, however, that really needs to be done on a work day rather than my day off though so I can use that as an excuse. Think the idea behind that is that it helps you identify time-wasters and habits ... so out goes the sudoku and the crossword and this blog ... though actually I need them to keep me calm and sane (ha! ha! seemingly sane?)

The thing I found most difficult is the whole 'you need to be clear about where you want to be in five years'. That is definitely the tyranny of thems that plans out their futures and I'm definitely not in that group ... besides the general answer, albeit a bit tongue in cheek, would be something along the lines of 'dead/pushing up the daisies' but that's not really an acceptable answer ... does make me wonder if I picked up the right course - may be I should have gone for the pension fund accounting first ... however, the point I really wanted to make is that there are people who are planners when it comes to their future and those who take a more opportunistic approach and my style is definitely more of the 'opportunistic' camp ... the planned doesn't really make much sense when you are adrift in the darks seas of depression. Think planned gets pushed too much when it comes to the future ... which is an uncertain ocean anyway ... and can actually lead to opportunities being overlooked ... don't know that the aversion to planning my future is necessarily a depressive trait but can't help wondering.

Though on another level I guess 'here but not depressed' would probably be an okay answer to the question.

Guess I'd like to be the other side of the menopause - with all the premenstral anxiety, migraines and monthly problems from water-retention behind me ... but I'm a depressive so I'm sure that there is probably something just as awful waiting for me (joke). However, that isn't something I get to plan, just experience.

Definitely should have started with the pension fund accounting

[Hidden]

Hi

I like the blog and particularly like the humour, but I'm not sure I agree about planning not making sense when depressed as I think that's one time when it DOES make sense! I naturally allow things to evolve and am not very proactive, as a result I've been disappointed in life and become depressed. It was only when I began to make a life plan for the next 10 years that I found myself able to acknowledge what I really wanted and to begin to move forward. Just a thought.

You say - here but not depressed - well ok, what would need to happen realistically for you not to be depressed. Isn't not being depressed your goal and things you need to do your plan? I don't mean things like excercise or eat properly although they can be on the plan if they matter to you at this point - what I mean is what would you REALLY like to do if you could - what would make you happy if it could happn. Once you've explored that thought then it's possible to begin to see what you might be able to do in very small steps to make that happen.

I did a 10 year plan and acknowledged that I wanted to become qualified for something I loved, divorce, take up art and stop smoking - I then broke it down into my goal for each major goal for 5 years, then 2 years, then next year and then next week and 10 years later found I had achiveed the lot! I am still depressed at times, but it's a very different feeling, more one of distressed regret (grief) about the past than actual depression and I am able to experience deep pleasure at times now.

I don't know whether doing a plan will help you, but it can be a great way to overcome depression.

Keep the smiles coming!

Suexx

[Gambit62 in reply to Hidden]

I do a lot of planning for work but really go cold when anyone starts talking about career plans - always have.

Not sure there is anything realistic that I or anyone can do about the depression - which leaves us with plan B which is finding better ways of coping with it. Don't have any expectations that I'd be happier doing anything else. There might be a honeymoon period but that's it ... and I haven't got the energy to be continually changing so I never have to experience the post-honey moon

Sometimes questions are too big - for me 'where do you want to be in 5 years' is just one of those questions