INFJ: Time Management

The INFJ will reflect idealism and a conceptual vision in their time management use.

Another way of putting that is that the INFJ will work with traditional personal time management tools planning from the general, conceptual, first then to the specific.



Actually, part of the INFJ's use of time management is to capture the details that so easily escape them (me, for example: I am INFJ). The technique is to work, as noted above, from the general to the specific.

Going over the easily seen and understood concept several times, each time adding details of the design, or plan, or activity, or the appointment…..that was missed before.

The INFJ can, at times, really be very detailed if their “passion” for something has been aroused.

Then they will work hard to capture detail because that will round out or fulfill their “vision” of what the end result should be. The use of personal time management tools will help them to do this.

Methods
Many INFJs will actually debate, or as I like to call it…”research” the best time management tool to use because after all the INFJ has the internal drive to fulfill the concept they see in the best way....the perfect way.

The INFJ normally has a strong work ethic and will somewhat easily embrace time management philosophy first and in the general sense, then….ah…. “research” what the best specific tool may be.

Don’t be surprised, INFJ, if you find yourself doing this; you're good at it. Just don’t let the “research” be an excuse to not get something done.

INFJ can also be wonderful at beginnings and sometimes stumble at finishing.

However, a good understanding and use of To Do Lists, day planners, Franklin planners, etc can certainly help them to finish what they enthusiastically begin.

This type will also be working to balance realities existing between the institution and organizations and their strong drive for people and their welfare. Again, the use of time management tools will help them in achieving this balance.

One concept within accepted and traditional time management teaching is the idea of “prioritizing” work.

Depending on what needs to be done and the degree of “passion” the INFJ brings to the specific work they may struggle with prioritizing.

They may find themselves once again, moving from the general understanding or concept several times, down to the specific importance they should put on one work step or activity versus another.

In other words if the INFJ has an “A” category of importance it may be more difficult for them to break that down into a subset of what constitutes an “A” high priority work task. (A1, A2,A3…etc.) Oh they can and do perform it; it just might make them work a bit harder.

Tools and Traps
So, the INFJ will approach time management with a certain strong sense of value, believing they know what is important; they will work “backward” from the concept or the beginning as they see it including the detail as they go; and they will naturally embrace day planners, calendars, things like that, oh PDAs…I can’t keep them working myself….INFJ can be a fine, strong, time manager.

Being interrupted, being under stress, a last minute change or a series of last minute changes, allowing themselves to get too “deep” into a task or idea, working on something that really is not interesting to them or something they do over and over and over again…these things can trap the INFJ as they plan, delay action, irritate them, bore them and basically make it more difficult for them to manage their time.

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To do lists are horrible things, I recommend a common sense systems, like a perpetual project tracker (large pad)