Collections management requires focus and uninterrupted time to accomplish the size and complexity of our work. In busy museum environments, that’s often easier said than done. With the sheer volume of work on every museum staff member’s list, approaching things with efficiency in mind is critically important.
Last week, we explored how to create time for effective collections management work, as we must first make time available before we can protect it.
Now that we have strategies for clearing time on our calendar, this week we will build on that concept by covering how to protect the time we’ve intentionally dedicated to collections management work.
Advice for Protecting Time
Once you’ve cleared space on your calendar, you’ll need to guard it. Experiment with these strategies to protect time allocated for focused collections management work:
- Designate “Meeting” and “No Meeting” Days
- Schedule Focus Blocks in Advance
- Consider the Physical Location of the Work
- Set the Tone
Designate “Meeting” and “No Meeting” Days
This piece of advice is a favorite of mine because of how easy it is for you and your colleagues to remember. If you’re able to designate Mondays as your “Meeting Mondays” and Wednesdays as your “No Meeting Wednesdays” (and you stick to them), it’s easy for everyone to fall into a routine where expectations are clearly set.
The consistency of the designated days also makes it easier for everyone to remember. When it’s easier to remember, it’s easier to respect.
Schedule Focus Blocks in Advance
Another strategy to consider is proactively blocking out time in your calendar to dedicate to focused collections management work. I recommend reserving at least 2- to 4-hour blocks. This is enough time to get into a task while also providing a natural stopping point to give your brain and body a break.
Focus Blocks Pro Tip: If your brain finds it harder to dip into focus-mode, try using the Pomodoro method. While the timing can vary, typically the Pomodoro technique sets a timer for 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5-minute break.
Consider the Physical Location of the Work
In addition to consistency and proactively carving out blocks of time, changing your physical location can also help. For example, relocating to a quiet office or the collections storage area can support deeper concentration and minimize distractions.
Relocating yourself to a space that supports the way your brain likes to focus has the dual benefit of also removing you from spaces where your colleagues or other museum matters may more freely interrupt you.
Set the Tone
The last major element to dial in is the tone you set for your focused time. Communicating to colleagues when you’re unavailable and respecting your designated blocks by not canceling or rescheduling them helps establish firm boundaries.
You may find colleagues taking a page out of your book and setting up focus time for themselves. If that’s the case, encourage them to stand firm in their boundaries and return the favor by respecting their protected focus times. Way to set the tone!
Pro Tip: Regularly schedule focus time in your calendar so you always have an open block during the week where you can slot in focus activities as they come up.
What’s Next? Making the Most of Your Time
Congratulations on making it this far! It’s not easy to clear and protect time for collections management work, but doing so will yield many benefits for both your professional wellness and the care of the collection.
Next week, we will explore how to batch collections management work and make the most out of your protected time.
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