I recently conducted a survey to look at
relationship between an individual’s personality type and his or her organizing and time management style, and noticed that majority of participants said they have a calendar system that works for them. As there are so many time management systems available, both paper-based and electronic, I thought it would be interesting to find out which calendar systems are most popular with each personality type, and asked my ezine subscribers and visitors to my website to describe their time management system, what they like and dislike about it, and their personality type according to Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). The MBTI measures your preferences in four areas:The source of your energy (Introversion / Extraversion) Taking in information (Sensing / INtuition) Decision-making (Thinking / Feeling) Dealing with outer world (Judging / Perceiving) Because Judging / Perceiving preference pertains to way you deal with outer world, it has greatest influence on way you manage time and space, however, other preferences also come into play, as described in earlier articles. Your preferences in four areas listed above combine to form one of 16 different personality types.
This article is a summary of responses I received, according to participants' stated personality type. Where specific time management products were named, this information has been included.
Due to their preference for planning and their attention to detail, Sensing Judging types are generally considered natural organizers with a strong attachment to schedules and deadlines. Most formal time management systems on market were designed by and for SJ types.
Although one ISTJ participant stated that he doesn’t use a time management system at all, others showed a preference for a paper-based system. Most like week-at-a-glance format, either Day Runner® or Taylor Planner®, because it allows them to visualize what they have to do. One student supplements her daily planner with a wall-mounted dry-erase calendar as well as a dry-erase board containing her weekly time map.
ISFJ participants also showed a preference for a paper-based system. Although one stated that she loves technology and was given a Palm Pilot®, she has no desire to give up her Day-Timer®, which has a monthly calendar that allows her to see her commitments at a glance. It also includes two pages for each day, with space for a to-do list and daily schedule, as well as blank space for jotting down phone messages and important thoughts. Others are less concerned with scheduling, but use daily to-do lists.
The only ESFJ who responded to survey indicated a preference for Palm Pilot®, which allows her to easily search for and retrieve information and to sync with her Outlook® calendar. She prefers to use paper for ideas that she needs to "sketch" visually and for face-to-face situations with clients where Palm Pilot® might seem a distraction or even rude.
Unfortunately, no ESTJ's took part in survey, but according to Sandra Krebs Hirsch & Jean Kummerow, authors of LifeTypes, and Larry Demarest, author of Out of Time: How Sixteen Types Manage Their Time and Work, ESTJ's like to-do lists and use a calendar or planner to keep track of what has been done and what still needs to be addressed. ESTJ's typically plan thoroughly, scheduling preparation time for meetings as well as for meeting itself.
Although a wide variety of systems were reported, due to their preference for Intuition, INtuitive Feeling types generally prefer time management systems that allow them to see big picture.
ENFP's reported using multiple calendars for different functions. One uses a Palm Pilot® for scheduling, but creates a daily to-do list using Microsoft Word®, so that she can cross out tasks as she completes them. Another uses an electronic calendar and task list along with a manual tickler file consisting of a folder for each day of month and a folder for each month, where she keeps all paperwork to back up her electronic system. A third uses a Day-Timer® system, one page per day, folio size, with monthly calendar inserts to keep on track, along with a calendar on kitchen fridge to keep track of family activities.
INFP's had widest participation rate in survey, and reported a variety of time management system preferences, encompassing both paper-based and electronic systems. One successfully manages her busy schedule with a PDA to schedule personal and private practice appointments. She schedules job appointments on her computer at work using Outlook® and syncs her PDA and work computer upon arrival and again before leaving work. Another uses Palm Pilot® for scheduling and alarms, along with Microsoft Streets and Trips® to find locations and download to PDA. She likes ability to print her calendar and have entire month in front of her.
Another uses a Franklin Planner® “when she thinks of it,” sometimes recording tasks that have been completed, in case she need to remember when she started something, and uses Microsoft Works® calendar occasionally as well. One INFP designed her own multi-ring planning system.
All INFJ participants identified very strong preferences in terms of their time management tools, although their preferences varied widely, and included both paper-based and electronic systems. One likes compactness, durability, and portability of her black leather Day-Timer®, in week-at-a-glance format. She doesn’t feel her computer is reliable enough to use as a time management tool. Another tried using Outlook® calendar, but found it wasn’t functional for her, since she isn’t always at her computer. She believes a PDA would be useful as it would allow her to easily transfer information between two, but until she can afford one, she uses paper Day-Timers®, one page per day format. She likes monthly planner for seeing whole picture and one page per day gives her enough space to "explode detail" when necessary. She also keeps a family calendar in kitchen. Yet another makes maximum use of technology, combining a Palm Pilot® with desktop contact management software, and synchronizing two regularly.
