“Time management” is a life skill that gets developed and refined over time. And for many cancer survivors, be they in active treatment or into survivorship, taking the time to refresh one’s approach to time management can help mitigate the overwhelming feelings that often arise when balancing a job and/or job search, ongoing doctor appointments and all of the other things that come with life.

Recently, the online publication The Job Network released a list of 20 Quick Tips for Better Time Management. Below are a few highlighted to show how they can be applied specifically in assisting working people with cancer.

1. Keep a to-do list. A detailed, prioritized list of tasks is possibly the most valuable tool around for taking control of ones time, particularly at work. For folks living with “chemo brain” (or any of the other 98% of people who struggle with multitasking) having a written record of all the things that need to be accomplished in the foreseeable future can eliminate the stress of having to remember everything. Added bonus: That awesome sense of satisfaction that comes from crossing an item off that list


2. Create a plan. Take some time to specifically chart out how things are going to “get done.” Maybe your first steps will be to knock out those items that take only a few minutes. Do you want to tackle tasks that require heavy concentration early in the day when your energy is highest, or for midday once your brain has “warmed up?” Or if you’re not feeling your best, maybe the more involved projects can get moved to the next day? The guiding principle is to check in with yourself, and then consult your calendar and your to-do list and come up with an approach for maximizing your own productivity that day.


3. Turn Off Your Technology. Chances are you’ve experienced the phenomenon of a single, unexpected phone call throwing off your whole day; or suddenly realizing its 5:00 PM and your whole day has involved responding to every email the second it hit your inbox. The antidote to both of these circumstances (and likely countless others) is scheduling time to turn all notifications off so there are no distractions. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done.

To read the full article on The Job Network, click here. And consult the CAC resources below for more on working through treatment and conducting a successful job search.

Check out Work & Your Cancer Treatment for additional tips on managing your cancer diagnosis when you’ve decided to continue working or made the decision to return to work. Articles featured in our Back to Work section offer information on how to adjust to working following a cancer diagnosis. 

If you’re interested in further information on what it might mean to work during or after treatment, we would love for you to join us for our upcoming Balancing Work & Cancer webinar session on Working Through Treatment on Wednesday, September 14. Register here!