Spend half an hour creating this effective color-coded noticeboard, and organize tasks with color. Then see at a glance all approaching writing tasks and deadlines: urgent, due soon, and in progress.

Writers working on books have various milestones: the plot, the characters, the synopsis, the first chapter, query letters, outlines, and the final deadline. Freelance writers working on various projects might need to complete a batch of articles, an e-course, promotional material, or a self-help book.

They may also have to post bids for work or write a sample article; they sometimes need to update their blogs or social networking sites to get backlinks to their work. All creative essay writers are likely to have competition deadlines to add to the mix. And what about writers who run workshops or have to prepare information before sitting on a panel?

In no time at all a writer’s calendar can fill to overflowing, and the stress level will rise dramatically. In desperation, writers search for a time management plan that will show them how to handle it all.

A time management ‘expert’ will tell them to make lists then rank the tasks in priority order. The hapless writer finds himself muttering about the “Four D’s” and tries to remember what they were, exactly… was it do, delegate, dump and destroy? Or was there a ‘delete’ and ‘delay’ in there somewhere? Anyway, there was something about delegating…

With a groan, the writer gets busy making ‘to-do lists and tries to rank the tasks in order of importance. But that doesn’t work, because although some of the tasks might not be as important as the article that is due today, they are still essential. If they aren’t done, then something else falls over later.

What to do?

General Tips on Time Management

Pretty much all advice on time management tells people to make lists, delete what isn’t important, delegate what they can, and then prioritize the rest. That’s good basic advice, and most people can make a start on getting back control by doing this.

Then what? A sheet of paper with a to-do list tends to be mislaid. Usually, half the contents are moved to the next day. Then the next. Then the next. Before too long, the list-maker is back where he started – still being overrun by tasks and missed deadlines. Organize tasks with color, and you’ll have a visual system that helps keep everything in check. Is there nothing that will work?

Enter the color-coded noticeboard!

The Colour-Coded Time Management System

The idea of using color to track various components of a project is not new. Colour coding can be used to analyze the balance of content in scenes, classify email, and sort tasks into groups. The Colour works because it’s so highly visual. A glance can tell people what they need to know.

That’s why this simple time management technique works so well. Writers can tell at a glance what needs to be done immediately, what needs to be attended to soon, and what is in progress. All that is needed is a simple noticeboard and some colored paint. Step by step, this is how it works.

Start by making a list of tasks that are due, overdue, or essential. Remove unimportant tasks and delegate what you can. If needed, request deadline extensions. Buy a cork noticeboard and paint three columns: red for urgent, yellow for soon due, and blue for in-progress. Write tasks on sticky notes, placing them in the appropriate zones, and prioritize them within each zone.

Efficient Task Management With Color Coding

Work through the red zone first, removing completed tasks. At the end of the day, reassess and move any tasks from the yellow zone to the red if necessary.

Now, rinse and repeat! Instead of making any more ‘to-do’ lists, write new tasks on a notelet and add them to the appropriate column on the noticeboard. Organize tasks with color by keeping the noticeboard on a wall near the computer, where a glance will reveal what has to be done next. Worries about time management will become a thing of the past: being organized is simply a matter of adding new tasks to the appropriate zone, monitoring them, and moving them along the timeline.

About the author: John J. Gregg is an experienced writer on  https://essaywriter.nyc/ where he provides students with an opportunity to get high grades. Besides, He is fond of reading and playing the guitar. By the way, John dreams of traveling a lot and visiting as many countries as possible.