Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
Practice Perfect Editor
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Podiatric Medicine,
Surgery & Biomechanics
College of Podiatric Medicine
Western University of
Health Sciences,
St, Pomona, CA

Residents: Time Is the Enemy.
Use a Schedule and Become a Serial Single Tasker

Excuse me, do you have the time? I’m not asking what time it is. I’m asking if you have enough time to do everything you need to do. In our modern day medical world, we seem to have so many important tasks pulling us in so many different directions. Clinic, office, surgery, family, societies….The list goes on.;

In my life as an academic podiatrist, it seems I never have enough time in the day, and, of course, I hear many colleagues complain that they also need the day to be longer. This is especially true for students and residents. Not only do they have clinical responsibilities, but they’re also supposed to read a huge amount of material. This may also be true for clinicians. However, it is much easier for us to bypass that article for a few days while we accomplish other tasks.

Tonight's Premier Lecture is
Arthroscopy of the Foot and Ankle
Ryan Fitzgerald, DPM

Here are a few methods I’ve found to be helpful in managing the mountain of “to do’s.

Use an organized scheduling system. My personal preference is Google Calendar. It’s simple, clean, and multicolored. It’s also accessible from any mobile device with access to the internet. I can also sync it to my other emails and calendars.
Use what you’re comfortable with. I prefer electronic calendars, but others might prefer paper. Whatever you choose, be sure it’s easily accessible, quick to use, and reliable.
Schedule your time realistically. Consider things like driving time when determining how long to schedule an event. Also consider the actual length of time to schedule. For example, if that particular attending’s cases always run long, then add that time in.
Schedule time for yourself. This one’s important for organization and sanity!
Look at your schedule. It’s pointless to take the time each week to create a schedule if you never look at it.
Adjust accordingly. At the end of each week, look honestly at your schedule. Did you actually accomplish everything you scheduled? If you didn’t, then readjust either your methods or your priorities.

Figure 1. Shapiro business week schedule. Note various colors: Blue (student education events), Brown (clinic), Pink (Miscellaneous meetings), Red (surgery), Green (personal events).

When are you multitasking too much?

On a related issue, many of us multitask in order to fit more activities into each moment. It has become a common mechanism in medicine. Just think about your last day in the hospital on rounds. How many disparate pressures did you have pulling you in various directions? It seems a certain amount of multitasking is necessary. But how do you know you’re multitasking too much?

Unfortunately for all of us, recent research argues that any multitasking is too much. Take for example the now well-known research that multitasking during driving (ex. using the cell phone while driving) is a highly dangerous activity.

In education circles, the concept of cognitive load is very important. This theory relates that people’s performance tends to degrade when they are asked to do more than one task at a time (Ambrose, et al. 2010). In essence, by multitasking, you’re splitting your attention between more than one activity, overloading your brain’s ability to properly function to accomplish the goal you’ve set for yourself. Instead, consider becoming a serial “single tasker”. Focus on one task at a time, moving on to the next once complete. You’re much more likely to complete your tasks successfully and with higher quality.

What methods do you use to schedule your time efficiently? What tips and tricks do you experienced attendings use to increase productivity while maintaining your sanity? Write in on our eTalk thread and be part of the conversation. Good luck with your next task.