It's time for another school fundraising time management post!

Yep, it's been too long.  I cruise right along forgetting that my time management skills need constant attention.  Here's where I'm at and maybe this is similar to the situation you find yourself in:

Many small daily tasks to complete.  Some ongoing big picture tasks and a heck of a lot of ideas filed away for future use.

I am writing a list daily of no more than 4 things to work on.  This list is setup so that I can get the items done.  It seems to be working.  Everyday, it's a clean slate and the only challenge is remembering what to put on the list and keeping open to adjustments throughout the day when things come up.

If you are a planning a fundraiser then you know time management is a huge part of that. Focusing your efforts where they will make the biggest impact is crucial to the success of a fundraiser. Great marketing and promotion will lead to higher participation and ultimately more money for your school or organization.

Here are a few time-management tips I ran across that may help you as much as they will help me :)

1) Plan, Plan Plan
Instead of making a "to-do" list that's miles long, take a few minutes and organize your priorities. What is it that requires your immediate attention? Is there a deadline that you have to meet? What is going to take the most ammount of time/ what is going to take the least ammount of time? Asking these questions while you are organizing your tasks will ensure the most efficient use of your time.

2) Set attainable goals
Do not get overwhelemed. Sometimes you have several important tasks with a short deadline, or many items that may take a long time to complete. Take a breath and have a zen moment, then look at your plan. Set a a goal for the day and set a goal for each hour. If you break down your larger tasks into smaller, attainable tasks, everything will look much more manageable.

3) Give 100% effort
It's important to remember to give whatever you are working on all of your focus and attention. I know it's hard to only focus on one thing at a time when there are a million things vying for your attention, but I promise it's worth it. If you give one task at a time all of your attention, you will finish it effectively and you will know that it is the best that you could possibly do. Then you can move on to the next task and give that just as much time and attention. Not only will you accomplish your goals, but everything you finish will be valuable.

4) Eliminate distractions by taking breaks
When you have been working on one item for a long time, it is easy to find your mind wandering. Instead of trying to just keep pushing through til you get to the end, take a five minute break. Visit your favorite website, get up and walk around, go outside, call a friend or family member. Don't look at these things as a distraction, sometimes it's important to back away from your work for awhile to gain fresh perspective later on. This will make you more efficient, and keep your mind fresh.

5) Don't procrastinate
Plan early and give yourself plenty of time to finish your tasks so you are not waiting until the very last minute to finish something. Stick to your plan and don't put things off. The reason you took the time to organize your tasks and make a plan was to avoid procrastination and rushing at the last minute. So stick to it!

Tips for a Better Event Fundraiser from an Unlikely Source

The worst thing in the world is the period before an event when you wait to see if people come.

It's like the hour before a kids birthday party where you forget for a moment if you invited everyone, if they R.S.V.P'd and if they will ultimately remember to come.

Have you forgotten something?

There must be something that you forgot to do and disaster is coming at any moment. Something will require you to run to the store. Did you forget the candles for the birthday cake? OMG!

Yes, there is a lot to do, you're rushing around and in the blink of an eye, it's over and you get the big smiles and even bigger hugs from happy kids :)

Throwing an event can be stressful.

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Fundraising events are no different!

There are many similarities between a fundraising event and a birthday party. Let's take a moment to learn a few marketing and success lessons from an unlikely source - a kids birthday party.

Most everyone has some experience planning, executing or attending birthday parties. These parties tell us a lot about how people work.

First off, people don't all show up at the same time. So, how could something like that impact your fundraiser event? Well, if you are planning on a specific starting time, just know that you absolutely will have people showing up late - if these folks feel excluded, it would be like getting to a party just a few minutes late and hearing 'you've missed the cake and presents'.

Plan the main event so that people can arrive at different times if possible. A concert or other event must have a starting time but try not to put anything too critical right off. Remember, you want everyone to feel included.

There is still a period of wonder before the event. Did you get enough volunteers? do you have signs posted? do you have all the entertainment dialed in? There's no doubt another hundred questions that will flood your mind.

On top of organizational stuff, you also have a similar preparation and the follow through of the event. This is also very similar to event fundraising planning. As the organizer of a birthday party, you have the responsibility of creating a flow from activity to activity such that the children and parents alike feel engaged.

There are some things about birthday parties you need to remember. Things need to move fast so that people can leave. Any activities have to have a natural flow and then when people are going to leave, that is when the more general activities should take place.

Don't be boring!

Planning the flow of your event is critical. Don't make people look at their watch. Make sure one activity flows nicely into another. Without knowing what type of event you are throwing, it's hard to say how to do this but every event has the perfect flow for the amount of people you are having. You need to dial it in... before people show up.

Plan ahead!

If you've got your planning done and make the appropriate calls for volunteers and such, just like the birthday party, the event will go off without a hitch and you will be thanked for your efforts!

Set Priorities!

It's best to make a list of the top 5 things that would make a big difference to your event and concentrate on those. If it's advertising in the newspaper, make sure your efforts go there. If signage to the event is important do that. If it's awareness, get your marketing hat on and let everyone know!

Every birthday cake is important and it's best not to leave that to the day of the party. Finding the cake and lining that up ahead of time is the safe way to go. Do this with the important elements of your fundraising event and you'll be very successful!