| I recently conducted a survey to look at the | | | | her black leather Day-Timer(R), in the |
| relationship between an individual's | | | | week-at-a-glance format. She doesn't feel her |
| personality type and his or her organizing | | | | computer is reliable enough to use as a time |
| and time management style, and noticed that | | | | management tool. Another tried using the |
| the majority of participants said they have a | | | | Outlook(R) calendar, but found it wasn't |
| calendar system that works for them. As there | | | | functional for her, since she isn't always at |
| are so many time management systems | | | | her computer. She believes a PDA would be |
| available, both paper-based and electronic, I | | | | useful as it would allow her to easily |
| thought it would be interesting to find out | | | | transfer information between the two, but |
| which calendar systems are most popular with | | | | until she can afford one, she uses paper |
| each personality type, and asked my ezine | | | | Day-Timers(R), one page per day format. She |
| subscribers and visitors to my website to | | | | likes the monthly planner for seeing the |
| describe their time management system, what | | | | whole picture and the one page per day gives |
| they like and dislike about it, and their | | | | her enough space to "explode the detail" when |
| personality type according to the | | | | necessary. She also keeps a family calendar |
| Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R) (MBTI(R)). The | | | | in the kitchen. Yet another makes maximum use |
| MBTI measures your preferences in four areas: | | | | of technology, combining a Palm Pilot(R) with |
| | | | desktop contact management software, and |
| The source of your energy (Introversion / | | | | synchronizing the two regularly. |
| Extraversion) | | | | |
| | | | The only ENFJ participant uses Outlook(R) |
| Taking in information (Sensing / INtuition) | | | | combined with a Palm V(R). She likes the |
| | | | ability to set recurring meetings and dates |
| Decision-making (Thinking / Feeling) | | | | like birthdays, organize a list of tasks and |
| | | | memos by category, flag email for follow up, |
| Dealing with the outer world (Judging / | | | | and set reminders. Other benefits she enjoys |
| Perceiving) | | | | include only having to handle paper when she |
| | | | chooses to print something, and the Palm(R)'s |
| Because the Judging / Perceiving preference | | | | compactness. On the downside, she mentions |
| pertains to the way you deal with the outer | | | | the Palm's fragility and the risk of losing |
| world, it has the greatest influence on the | | | | data. |
| way you manage time and space, however, the | | | | |
| other preferences also come into play, as | | | | Individuals with preferences for iNtuition |
| described in earlier articles. Your | | | | and Thinking also reported using a wide |
| preferences in the four areas listed above | | | | variety of time management tools. |
| combine to form one of 16 different | | | | |
| personality types. | | | | All of the ENTJ's who participated in this |
| | | | survey reported using a combination of paper |
| This article is a summary of the responses I | | | | and electronic systems. One prints her own |
| received, according to the participants' | | | | calendar from MS Outlook(R) on Day-Timer(R) |
| stated personality type. Where specific time | | | | computer paper (Desk size, 7-hole punched) |
| management products were named, this | | | | and uses several of the Day-Timer(R) |
| information has been included. | | | | accessories that are available. Another uses |
| | | | a combination of "brain power, paper calendar |
| Due to their preference for planning and | | | | and electronic organizer". |
| their attention to detail, the Sensing | | | | |
| Judging types are generally considered | | | | ENTP's reported a distinct preference for |
| natural organizers with a strong attachment | | | | portable electronic systems. One found a Palm |
| to schedules and deadlines. Most formal time | | | | Pilot(R) to be effective because she could |
| management systems on the market were | | | | sync it with her computer, but no longer has |
| designed by and for SJ types. | | | | the technology available to her. She has had |
| | | | little success with paper calendars. Another |
| Although one ISTJ participant stated that he | | | | uses a Palm Zire71(R) with the Palm |
| doesn't use a time management system at all, | | | | Desktop(R) system. The features she considers |
| the others showed a preference for a | | | | most important are the color screen, the |
| paper-based system. Most like the | | | | ability to take hand-written notes, and |
| week-at-a-glance format, either the Day | | | | alarms and snooze buttons. She found that a |
| Runner(R) or the Taylor Planner(R), because | | | | paper planner was too much trouble to carry |
| it allows them to visualize what they have to | | | | around. |
| do. One student supplements her daily planner | | | | |
| with a wall-mounted dry-erase calendar as | | | | INTJ's, on the other hand, showed a |
| well as a dry-erase board containing her | | | | preference for paper-based planners. One |
| weekly time map. | | | | stated a reluctance "to go the Blackberry(R) |
| | | | route" because she likes to flip ahead to |
| ISFJ participants also showed a preference | | | | whole weeks of appointments and to staple |
| for a paper-based system. Although one stated | | | | information to pages in preparation for |
| that she loves technology and was given a | | | | various events. |
| Palm Pilot(R), she has no desire to give up | | | | |
| her Day-Timer(R), which has a monthly | | | | As no INTP's responded to the survey, I will |
| calendar that allows her to see her | | | | share the following quotation from Larry |
| commitments at a glance. It also includes two | | | | Demarest's Out of Time: |
| pages for each day, with space for a to-do | | | | |
| list and daily schedule, as well as blank | | | | INTP's tend to be conceptual planners - their |
| space for jotting down phone messages and | | | | plans being neither specific nor fully |
| important thoughts. Others are less concerned | | | | developed. They work in blocks of time, and |
| with scheduling, but use daily to-do lists. | | | | what gets written down may be sketchy and |
| | | | seem incomplete. INTPs are not likely to use |
| The only ESFJ who responded to the survey | | | | the planning categories, structure, or |
| indicated a preference for the Palm Pilot(R), | | | | systems provided by the manufacturer of an |
| which allows her to easily search for and | | | | organizer (unless it somehow happened to make |
| retrieve information and to sync with her | | | | good sense to a particular individual). Like |
| Outlook(R) calendar. She prefers to use paper | | | | many other aspects of life, most INTP's will |
| for ideas that she needs to "sketch" visually | | | | find their own way of planning and |
| and for face-to-face situations with clients | | | | organizing. (Though, this may not be typical, |
| where the Palm Pilot(R) might seem a | | | | one INTP reported using three calendars - two |
| distraction or even rude. | | | | electronic and one hard copy). |
| | | | |
| Unfortunately, no ESTJ's took part in the | | | | As I found with my previous surveys on |
| survey, but according to Sandra Krebs Hirsch | | | | organizing and time management, not many |
| & Jean Kummerow, authors of LifeTypes, and | | | | people with preferences for Sensing and |
| Larry Demarest, author of Out of Time: How | | | | Perceiving responded. It may be that as |
| the Sixteen Types Manage Their Time and Work, | | | | action-oriented, spontaneous individuals, |
| ESTJ's like to-do lists and use a calendar or | | | | they are not likely to be interested in doing |
| planner to keep track of what has been done | | | | Internet surveys or in the topic of time |
| and what still needs to be addressed. ESTJ's | | | | management itself. |
| typically plan thoroughly, scheduling | | | | |
| preparation time for meetings as well as for | | | | In fact, the only SP respondent, an ISTP, |
| the meeting itself. | | | | said about time management, "I think those |
| | | | words do not go together for my type." She |
| Although a wide variety of systems were | | | | uses a thin 2-year monthly at-a glance |
| reported, due to their preference for | | | | calendar, and writes appointments with a time |
| Intuition, INtuitive Feeling types generally | | | | and an initial e.g. 5-T, which is enough to |
| prefer time management systems that allow | | | | remind her. She puts labels of frequently |
| them to see the big picture. | | | | called names, addresses, and numbers in the |
| | | | back and keeps a paper clip at the front to |
| ENFP's reported using multiple calendars for | | | | attach temporary notes. |
| different functions. One uses a Palm Pilot(R) | | | | |
| for scheduling, but creates a daily to-do | | | | In Out of Time, Larry Demarest states that |
| list using Microsoft Word(R), so that she can | | | | ISFP's keep track of what needs to be done in |
| cross out tasks as she completes them. | | | | a variety of different ways. Some use the |
| Another uses an electronic calendar and task | | | | popular calendars and organizers while others |
| list along with a manual tickler file | | | | attend to due dates and plan for the |
| consisting of a folder for each day of the | | | | priorities, leaving considerable leeway to be |
| month and a folder for each month, where she | | | | flexible and spontaneous about remaining |
| keeps all the paperwork to back up her | | | | work. |
| electronic system. A third uses a | | | | |
| Day-Timer(R) system, one page per day, folio | | | | Demarest also states that many ESTP's don't |
| size, with monthly calendar inserts to keep | | | | use a calendar or planner and that those who |
| on track, along with a calendar on the | | | | do tend to use them selectively. For example, |
| kitchen fridge to keep track of family | | | | one reported using a planner for work but not |
| activities. | | | | for his social or personal life. Another |
| | | | records only the important activities for |
| INFP's had the widest participation rate in | | | | each day. Some think and work in terms of |
| the survey, and reported a variety of time | | | | chunks of time rather than hour-by-hour. |
| management system preferences, encompassing | | | | ESTP's also report using electronic calendars |
| both paper-based and electronic systems. One | | | | and organizers. |
| successfully manages her busy schedule with a | | | | |
| PDA to schedule personal and private practice | | | | ESFP's keep track of their work, according to |
| appointments. She schedules job appointments | | | | Demarest, in a variety of ways, ranging from |
| on her computer at work using Outlook(R) and | | | | the prevalent, more formal systems and |
| syncs her PDA and work computer upon arrival | | | | computer calendars to relying on reminders |
| and again before leaving work. Another uses | | | | from team members and keeping a simple to-do |
| the Palm Pilot(R) for scheduling and alarms, | | | | list or a mental list. |
| along with Microsoft Streets and Trips(R) to | | | | |
| find locations and download to the PDA. She | | | | Before the new year arrives, take some time |
| likes the ability to print her calendar and | | | | to evaluate your current time management |
| have the entire month in front of her. | | | | system, and if it's not working for you, |
| | | | consider what other people of your |
| Another uses a Franklin Planner(R) "when she | | | | personality type find effective. If you've |
| thinks of it," sometimes recording tasks that | | | | never taken the Myers-Briggs Type |
| have been completed, in case she need to | | | | Indicator(R), maybe it's time that you |
| remember when she started something, and uses | | | | discovered the many ways that a deeper |
| the Microsoft Works(R) calendar occasionally | | | | understanding of yourself can benefit you, |
| as well. One INFP designed her own multi-ring | | | | both personally and professionally. |
| planning system. | | | | |
| | | | Although there are many online assessments |
| All INFJ participants identified very strong | | | | claiming to be the same as the MBTI(R), the |
| preferences in terms of their time management | | | | best way to understand your personality type |
| tools, although their preferences varied | | | | is to take an official MBTI(R) instrument |
| widely, and included both paper-based and | | | | from a professional who has met the standards |
| electronic systems. One likes the | | | | necessary to be "qualified" to administer the |
| compactness, durability, and portability of | | | | test. |