Most of us start each day with high hopes of getting stuff done. And then we quickly realize that things aren\u2019t going as planned as more assignments get piled onto the ones we already have. A geospatial technology professional\u2019s work is never done.<\/p>\r\n
To make progress on our increasing workloads, we often try to do several tasks at once. We simply have to multitask to finish all our work.<\/p>\r\n
This is the multitasking fallacy. Human brains are not wired to work on many tasks at once. In fact, there is a lag when we switch from one task to another because we must reframe our thoughts each time we start a new task. This context switching can result in a 40 percent loss of productivity throughout the day, according to \u201cThe True Cost of Multi-Tasking,\u201d a 2012 article in Psychology Today<\/em> by behavioral psychologist Dr. Susan Weinschenk. Some of us end up spending more time context switching than actually doing work. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, disengagement, and burnout.<\/p>\r\n One way to manage heavy workloads is to develop a personal kanban\u2014a productivity method that divides tasks, visually, into three columns that show work that hasn\u2019t been started, work that\u2019s in progress, and work that\u2019s finished.<\/p>\r\n Here\u2019s how to develop your own personal kanban.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Right","content":" The personal kanban method of organizing work is based on Jim Benson and Tonianne DeMaria\u2019s book, Personal Kanban: Mapping Work | Navigating Life<\/em>. Benson and DeMaria also founded the Modus Institute, an online training provider of Lean and Agile management techniques.<\/p>","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" Most people\u2019s workdays consist of too many tasks to focus on all at once\u2014especially when we have other ideas floating around in our heads too. So let\u2019s build a visual system around this work.<\/p>\r\n First, take each task and write it down on its own sticky note. Some tasks may be project related, others may be personal, and still others may be ideas for the future. Identify whether each task is easy or hard. Try to recognize which tasks you have full control over and which ones require collaboration. You may begin to see patterns in your work.<\/p>\r\n Now that all these tasks are out of your head, we can build the personal kanban. Simplicity is key. On a whiteboard or a digital board, create the following three columns:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Move all your sticky notes into the Options column. Then, pick the tasks that you are currently working on and move them into the Doing column. Take another look at the Options column and move any other tasks that you need or want to do into the Doing column.<\/p>\r\n Observe what you have just done: You\u2019ve taken all the work that you\u2019re stressed-out about having to do, broken it down into separate tasks, and displayed it all on a board. By moving tasks into the Doing column, you have also prioritized your work.<\/p>\r\n As you go through your workday, keep your personal kanban current. When you finish one task in the Doing column, move its sticky note to the Done column. Do you feel a sense of accomplishment? You should!<\/p>\r\n Now your Doing column has space for new work. Grab a task from the Options column to fill the slot. Then complete another task in the Doing column. When that task is finished, move its sticky note to the Done column. You are engaging in that virtuous cycle of doing work, finishing it, feeling good, and starting new work.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":760252,"image_position":"left","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" Beware of moving too many tasks into your Doing column, and definitely don\u2019t move all your tasks there. Why? Think about driving.<\/p>\r\n When there are too many cars on the road, it creates congestion. You move slowly, if at all. But what about when there are only a few cars on the road? Traffic flows, and you get to your destination faster.<\/p>\r\n Instead of crowding your Doing column with too many tasks, creating congestion, let your work flow. Focus on just a few tasks, and complete them one at a time.<\/p>\r\n Only pull new work into the Doing column when you\u2019ve moved something else into the Done column. This ensures that you have the capacity to take on a new task. Don\u2019t let new tasks be pushed on you. That creates a traffic jam.<\/p>\r\n How big should each task be? As a general rule, you should be able to complete each task in one day, preferably in five hours or less.<\/p>\r\n For example, let\u2019s say you are asked to recommend where to build a new fire station. Consider the many tasks that this assignment requires, from geocoding and doing driving distance analyses to identifying an appropriate property that\u2019s available for purchase. Write each of these tasks on a sticky note and put them all into your personal kanban. Let everyone\u2014including yourself\u2014see what it will take to complete the request. This enables you, your team, and the requester to make informed decisions about when the work needs to start and how long it will take to complete.<\/p>\r\n Limiting your Doing column takes practice. Many of us have become so accustomed to being overworked that restricting the number of tasks we\u2019re taking on is uncomfortable. Experiment with it and give it time. Having just two or three tasks in your Doing column is optimal. Eventually, you will find your flow.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" What about urgent work? Ideally, when you get an important, last-minute request, you can add the work to your Options column and get to it once you\u2019ve moved the task you\u2019re working on into the Done column.<\/p>\r\n In some cases, however, you may have to stop what you\u2019re doing and start on the urgent work right away. Move the urgent task directly to the Doing column and start the work.<\/p>\r\n On your sticky note, write down why you had to do this work so promptly. Then, when you look at your Done column, see if any patterns emerge regarding urgent work. Last-minute requests break the limits you set for your Doing column, so learn from your Done column and see if you can figure out how to mitigate these requests in the future.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" As geospatial technology professionals, we simplify the complex. We conduct spatial analysis to see trends, create dashboards to monitor conditions, and turn large reports into beautiful maps that tell a story.<\/p>\r\n When it comes to our workloads, we can also simplify the complex by using a personal kanban. Just like how we take disparate data and visualize it on maps and dashboards to help with decision-making, we can take our work tasks and visualize them in columns, helping us decide what to do now and what can wait until later.<\/p>\r\n The Geospatial Professional Network (GPN) advocates for visual management systems. Participants at the GIS Leadership Academy are introduced to the personal kanban method of organizing work. Learners create their own personal kanban board that symbolizes the start of their visual management journey and perform additional visual management exercises.<\/p>\r\nSee Your Work<\/h2>\r\n
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Limit What\u2019s in Your Doing Column<\/h2>\r\n
How to Manage Urgent Requests<\/h2>\r\n
Simplifying the Complex<\/h2>\r\n