By: Lauren DeClaire, M.A., BCBA
Recently a fellow BCBA posed a question that got me thinking about time management. She asked, “How do you tend to manage all the tasks required as a BCBA?” Between supervision of full caseloads, parent trainings, treatment planning and your daunting, constant flow of emails, it is no secret that BCBAs tend to have very busy, stressful jobs. On top of that, working for companies that provide primarily in-home therapy can also be difficult. This can either be a blessing or a curse for the BCBA. It’s great because you’re able to create your own schedule, but it also requires more planning, constant communication with your team and of course, more driving.
So, what are some ways a BCBA can better manage all of these daily tasks and activities? Let’s take a look at a few time management hacks that may help!
Task management techniques Timers! We use them a lot with our clients to help them stay on task, so why not use it for yourself? If you’re working from home or working on a project, treatment plan write ups, creating programs etc., using a timer and working in short durations can help you stay more focused. Working for 20-30 minutes followed by short “brain breaks” can be a useful tool to help improve your performance and productivity throughout the day. In addition, during those small work increments, try turning off your email notification and putting your phone on silent. Those are distractions you don’t need! And no, don’t check that email during the breaks! That can distract you and disrupt your work flow when it’s time to get back to work!
Emails– while were on that topic, what to do about that annoying inbox! Personally, the little red bubble on my iPhone is aversive to me, especially when it hit starts to get up to that 80-100 mark. Try to keep sane by keep this number low, but at the same time not living in your inbox. Emails can take away time, are distracting, and it is easy to lose track of what you were doing. Try setting time aside 1-3 times a week. During that time check your email, respond if necessary or create action items if necessary. Unless of course, it is your boss or an emergency! You may want to check those!
To Do Lists– Creating to do lists on a monthly, daily, weekly basis is a way to help you achieve bigger and smaller goals. Try making one for the month with bigger goals/projects, then taking those and breaking them down into smaller more manageable tasks. Those smaller tasks then become part of your weekly or daily To Do lists!
The way you set up your list is also important. You can either create it in order of priority and deadlines. We all know deadlines are effective ways to maintain behavior! Or you can create it in terms of least preferred to more preferred. Putting your most difficult, aversive task at the top following by easier more preferred tasks can help. This is because the more you work through your To Do list, the more reinforcing it becomes, with each task reinforcing the previous task. Or you can set it up in a way similar to the Premack Principle with less preferred followed by more preferred and switching back and forth.
It is also important to keep the lists short and manageable with no more than a couple tasks (3-5) on it. That way it’s not too aversive when you sit down to complete it and you keep your spirits up as it is more reinforcing when you complete all or most of it! This is why it is important to take those bigger goals and break them down into smaller more manageable goals. While you’re at it, try making a what, “not to do” list as well. This helps you stay focused and away from distractions like social media, emails or candy crush!
Google Maps and Google Calendars– BCBAs working in home, this one is for you! It is tough to manage a caseload in general, due to the nature of our jobs. Take that and add on scheduling supervision, parent trainings, IEPs, dealing with cancellations…you get my point! One tool that can become your best friend is an electronic calendar (iCal or Google Calendar) as well as Google Maps!
Calendars– They allow you to put addresses, drive time, color code by activity etc. It is also a lot easier to switch things around when you get those texts or emails saying session has been cancelled. In addition, electronic calendars allow you to put notes in your events. So, if you’re working from home on that To Do list we talked about, you can ditch the pen and paper, and create an event entitled “To Do List.” Double click it and put your tasks right there in the notes section.
Mapping your clients– Creating a Google Map with the general area of your clients is also a good way to map out your week. Try creating your own map and putting your client’s general area (city, county etc.). This can help you create a more efficient schedule and cut down on drive time. This too can be color coded. I like to color code mine by day (i.e. Clients I see Mondays all in red, Tuesday blue etc.) If you’re note sure how to create a Google Map of your own, this may sound silly but, just Google it!
I could probably go on and on, but, these are just a couple techniques that could help you save some time and help increase productivity throughout your week! Remember to work smarter, not harder! What are some techniques you use? Feel free to share!