--- title: "STYLE Savvy: Testing Time" description: Are you good at sticking to a schedule? Lisa Hess considers her struggles with estimating the time needed to complete tasks. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/stopwatch-style%20savvy.jpg ---                                           [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-testing-time#) [WORK](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/work) # STYLE Savvy: Testing Time Oct 28, 2020 11:30:00 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/stopwatch-style%20savvy.jpg) *Are you good at sticking to a schedule? Lisa Hess considers her struggles with estimating the time needed to complete tasks.* I am terrible at estimating how long things take. One of the pieces of advice often offered by those who do time management well is to estimate how long a task will take, then add at least fifteen minutes. Others suggest building buffer time between tasks to aid in staying on schedule. I don't know if I'm optimistic or dense, but no matter how I try, I cannot manage to do this successfully on a regular basis. I have my regular routines down so that I’m rarely late for obligations (like work) but, when it comes to things like getting ready to leave for (or from) a trip, I always cut things too close. I’ve considered the possibility that this happens only when it's something I don't want to do (like pack or leave for home after a weekend away), but my internal monologue is always the same. > It won't take that long. Ha. Famous last words. It always takes longer than I think it will. I'd like to say I'll do better -- or, better yet, actually do better -- and I probably will on a limited basis. The real problem, I suspect, lies in transitions. When I'm happily ensconced in an activity, it's easy to convince myself that the thing I have to next won't take as long as I think it will because I don't want to stop doing the thing I'm already doing. Just me? In the end, I'm on time for most things that matter and I'm good at cramming a lot of tasks into a day when I put my mind to it but, if the option for flex-time exists, I'll take it every time. > [CLICK TO TWEET > It always takes longer than I think it will. #catholicmom](https://ctt.ac/eJA60) **How about you?** Are you good at sticking to a schedule, or are you hoping someone will create a planner with dotted lines to accommodate your style of merging one activity into the next? ![deadline-2636259_1920](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/deadline-2636259_1920.jpg?width=1920&name=deadline-2636259_1920.jpg) --- Copyright 2020 Lisa Hess Image: [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/images/id-2636259/) (2017) ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-testing-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-testing-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-testing-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20Testing%20Time) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-testing-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-testing-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ Savvy Basics: Three Keys for the "I Love Stuff" Personal Style Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/11/25/savvy-basics-three-keys-for-the-i-love-stuff-personal-style) [ STYLE Savvy: Packing Them up and Bringing Them Home Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2020/03/18/style-savvy-packing-them-up-and-bringing-them-home/) [ STYLE Savvy: Strategies for Those with an I Love Stuff Personal Style Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/07/05/style-savvy-strategies-love-stuff-personal-style) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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