Time Management

I thought I had today planned perfectly. I had an appointment for coffee with a networking contact at 10 a.m., then a Women in Development (WID) meeting nearby from 11:30 – 1:30, then a visit to Associated Grant Makers (AGM) to do some research. All-in-all a very productive trip into Boston. My plan started to unravel just before I left the house this morning when I realized that pre-registration was required for the WID meeting. So that was out. Then, my 10 a.m. was a no-show and I was stuck in downtown Boston until noon when the AGM library opened. Ugh.

Time for plan B. My first meeting was in Third Sector New England's NonProfit Center. They donate space for Marketers Making a Difference meetings. So, I decided to stop by the TSNE's office and say ‘hi’ to the program director. She wasn’t in, but I ran into the communications director instead. She asked me to write an article for their newsletter. Great! My first bit of good luck for the day. Then, I sat in Starbucks until AGM opened and read a book about transitioning to the non-profit sector.

From this I learned (or re-learned) the following:

1. Always pay careful attention to the registration instructions the first time you see the meeting notice. (I got an F)

2. Always confirm appointments a day ahead. (I got an F)

3. Always have a plan to make good use of extra time. (I got a B)