Are you struggling with time management? A couple of months ago I was working with Pat* (not his real name), one of my executive coaching clients. Pat was struggling with his time management. He was always “crazy busy” and never seemed to get the big projects completed on time.

Triage on the Battlefield

The word triage comes from the french word that means “to sort.” In medicine, triage is a process by which medical professionals determine the order of priority for providing treatment to injured individuals. Triage is usually relied upon when there are more injured individuals than available care providers or when there are more injured individuals than supplies to treat them.

Triage was first used during the Napoleonic Wars. Dominique-Jean Larrey, a prominent French military surgeon who served in Napoleon's army, is often credited with pioneering the early concepts of triage. Larrey recognized the need for a more organized approach to prioritize treatment and improve the chances of survival among wounded soldiers. He classified the wounded soldiers into three main categories:

• Those who will live regardless of what care they receive.

• Those who will die regardless of what care they receive.

• Those for whom timely care can make a difference in survival.

Today, triage is a fundamental aspect of emergency medicine and disaster response, guiding healthcare professionals in making difficult decisions when resources are limited. It has evolved over centuries to become a standardized and essential practice in healthcare settings around the world.

Triage Your Time

You can use the same principles of triage to help you with your time management:

1. Establish the habit of making a daily to-do list

2. Rank all your tasks using the Red/Yellow/Green system

   • When you log a task, take a moment to think about how important it is. Using the idea of triage, you can come up with your own equivalent of red, yellow, and green. Be careful though. It's a common trap to feel like everything is red when you log it, but always refer back to your own description of the colors. For reference, mine are:

     • Red is something that must be done today, as it relates to a critical work or personal-related deadline. It will have significant consequences if not completed.

     • Yellow refers to something important, that's either not due today, or delaying it a bit further won't cause serious challenges down the road.

     • Green is something that's nice to have, without a particular deadline.

   • I tend to get a mixture of all three colors every day, making sure that I always focus on the reds first, then moving on to the yellows. If I'm able to take care of a few greens, I consider it a bonus.

3. Regularly Review and Adjust:

   • Periodically reassess your priorities and time management strategies. As your goals and circumstances change, your time allocation should adapt accordingly.

   • Reflect on how you've been spending your time and adjust your schedule to align with your most important objectives. Be open to making changes to optimize your time management.

   • By using these strategies, you can efficiently triage your time and ensure that you allocate your efforts to the most critical tasks and responsibilities, helping you achieve your goals effectively.

Conclusion

Pat started using the triage method and slowly improved his ability to complete projects on-time. Try it out and see if it helps you too. Do you need help with your time management? Then hit the button below to schedule your free consultation with me and see if I might be able to nudge you in the right direction.

In the meantime, use the concept of triaging your time to help make you more productive and effective.