A Dancer's Guide to Time Management
Some days, your to-do list might seem like it’s a mile long: On top of your dance commitments, do you really have time to sew new pointe shoes, squeeze in cross-training, tweak your resumé for audition season, meal-prep and clean your apartment? Trying to stuff too many things into one day can only leave you frustrated when every item doesn’t get crossed off.
If this sounds like you, you’re what’s called a “time optimist.” But you could benefit from teaching yourself to be a “time realist,” a concept coined by productivity and time management expert Julie Morgenstern. It involves using simple math to figure out how long each task will take and how much you really can do with your time. Here’s how it works:
If you need to break in new shoes right away for a performance, make sewing on your ribbons and elastics a priority. Set aside 20 minutes—or however long it takes you—and budget it in to your day. And if you don’t need printouts of your updated headshot and dance photos for three weeks, put that trip to the printer on hold.
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Make a game plan for tomorrow, and the next two days, before you go to bed. If you want to take two yoga classes between Thursday and Saturday, see if it’s feasible with your other commitments and which days have enough free time.
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Figure out if you prefer scheduling events on a paper calendar or on your smartphone. Organizing all your activities in one place will make you less likely to overbook yourself.
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If you want to spend an hour updating your dance resumé, hold yourself to it. Don’t abandon it 30 minutes in just because you’d rather be watching Netflix.
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