Electronic Health Reporter

COVID-19 brought its fair share of trials and tests with it. Not only has it taken lives, infected millions, and left thousands unemployed, but it has also changed the course of society as we know it. A new normal has taken over: social distancing, face masks, frequent medical visits, and a shift online.

With millions of cases around the world, medical professionals have their work cut out for them. Healthcare workers have to manage other patients, their education, and the rising number of COVID-19 cases at the same time. Managing their time in such cases can be a tough challenge to overcome.

As a healthcare professional, if you have a hard time managing time, this article is for you. We will be talking about six things you can incorporate into your daily routine to help with time management

Prioritize your tasks

With college deadlines piling up, work commitments to attend to, and managing your daily chores, you may feel overwhelmed at times. Most medical practitioners are studying something or another most of the time.

Whether it’s a subject to diversify their expertise or something that will help them grow in their field, chances are, you will see them with their face buried in books after their shift ends. With mounting deadlines, you may want to look at tackling the most critical tasks first.

Not only does this reduce stress, but it ensures that the consequences of missed deadlines decrease as you move through your tasks. It wouldn’t make sense to start with the most trivial tasks and leave the big ones for the end. Missing those could have far-reaching implications which may affect your career.

The ray of hope through all this is that education is now primarily remote. This means you can tend to your bachelor of general studies online, and it’ll be considerably easier than sitting in class and trying to focus. However, just because it’s remote doesn’t mean that the assignments reduce though. All good things have a drawback.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

When working within a tight schedule, you don’t have room to take on more responsibilities. For medical professionals, resting is more of a chance to recharge their batteries than simply relaxing. Even at times like these, some people will go above and beyond their means to help other people. You may unknowingly put yourself through extreme stress to aid a loved one.

It is imperative to know where to draw the line, especially if you have a packed schedule and you don’t have time for yourself. The altruism is commendable, but you have to be realistic about what you can handle.

Sometimes you need to say no even to the ones you love. It may hurt, but the other alternative is that you risk missing important deadlines and jeopardize your professional image

Ask for help when you need to

You’ve got a big day at work, you have commitments at home, and you need to submit an assignment by the end of the day. It sounds impossible because it probably is. When it rains, It pours, and you’re probably going to get soaked if you don’t think fast.

You can predict how unlikely it is that you will get this done; why not ask someone for help?
Asking friends and family members who aren’t as busy as you to help you is one of the best things you can do.

Not only does it give you a much-needed break, but it shows you who might be there for you in your time of need. The ‘superman syndrome’ is far too common in a lot of us. We think we can do it all and somehow get by unbothered, but that’s not the case.

Even if you do manage to get the job done by some miracle, the stress that you put yourself through takes a toll on your health. Please don’t do that to yourself; ask someone for help, and learn to appreciate a break when it comes your way.

Make a schedule

When you have many things to do, make a schedule that helps you tackle different things at different times. You can set the morning for specific tasks, the afternoon for others, and so on. It may seem to be reductionist, but you may develop a lot more clarity when you put things into perspective than you initially thought.

Breaking tasks into bite-sized chunks through your schedule is how most professionals manage their workflow. For healthcare workers during COVID-19, you must make time for all your tasks in the most efficient way possible.

A schedule breaks your day down and also reminds you of what you have on the agenda. You can either use a calendar app on your phone or create notes to help remind you of what you have to do during the day.

Utilize downtime

As much as you may want to sit around and browse your social media during a break, there are better things you could be doing with your time. You may not like the idea of working during little breaks, but sometimes it’s the best way to ensure that you finish your tasks. As a healthcare professional, you need to get things done in the day, no excuses.

Work during your breaks and do whatever it is that you have to do. If you need to study for an exam, open your notes while you eat your lunch. Two birds with one stone! Your real relaxation time should be when you’re done with your work and ready to hit the hay. A solid eight hours of sleep is the best way to ensure that you are recharged for the day ahead and don’t suffer from burnout.

If you notice things in the hospital appear slow, try and get other tasks done before it gets busy again. Take advantage of whatever free time you have and watch how the daily responsibilities slowly finish.

Conclusion

There you go, some of the best ways to manage your time as a healthcare worker during COVID-19. Make a schedule, ask for help when you need it, and utilize your free time to make the best of a stressful situation. Please remember that people depend on you and if you stress yourself to the point of burnout, no one benefits.

Pace yourself right, break down the tasks and take whatever help you can when it comes your way. We appreciate everything the medical health professionals are doing for us. These tips are a minuscule way of giving advice and reminding them that we know what they are going through.