The job of Case Manager involves a very large number of tasks that are often interrelated. How do you make sure all of the requirements are met and help the families and children we serve? There are tools which everyone has access to that can allow us to meet all the challenges the job of a case manager requires.

• Organization is key to meeting the demands of the job. Everyone is different and there are different ways to keep yourself organized. Maybe it’s using a specific organizational system to organize your computer folders to store your work or scanning physical documents right away so that they can be stored electronically. The most important thing is to determine what works for you and be consistent!
• Time Management is essential because if you don’t manage your time others will. Block out specific time to tackle your tasks. Make a schedule and post it in your workspace so others can see your availability. Schedule tasks to match your level of energy. If something requires great concentration, schedule it for a time when you are at your peak performance.
• Outlook Calendar don’t risk losing all of the hard work put into a time management system by relying on a paper calendar that can be lost or ruined by the rain. Utilize the tools in Outlook for appointments, due dates, reminders, tasks, etc. Learning a new technique like calendar blocking can save time in the long run.
• Mindshare is an efficient way to help you track duties, dates, and deadlines for various tasks. Great features like talk to text, photo taking, navigation can save a ton of time.
• A “to do” List first thing in the morning for the day ahead or last thing at the end of the day for the next day. This helps keep us focused on what needs to be accomplished. Of course, emergencies happen and you may get only one task completed on a particular day, but you will still know what has yet to be tackled and are less likely to let things fall through the cracks.
• Prioritize the “to do” list. Work with your supervisor on this to ensure that you’re both on the same page when it comes to prioritizing. This will help prevent routine tasks from becoming emergencies.
• Remember the Goal is to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of the children we serve. To do this we ensure information is available to all those involved in providing care and services for families. Keeping track of a case and the tasks for that case yourself is the only way you will be in a position to make information available to others in a timely manner. The case manager is often the first person to notice a red flag because they can see the whole puzzle and not just a piece or two. Case managers are professionals who are the keepers of information, have the ability to make observations and well-founded recommendations for the safety of the children they serve.
• Boundaries are being able to separate your work and personal lives. Take the time to assess them, their limits, and how to set them.
• Personal Care is essential and builds resiliency which can help reduce the negative effects of stress over time. Being well organized allows you to confidently set work aside so that you can make time to do things that are sources of renewal for you such as: walks, reading, going to the beach, volunteering, meditation, hobbies, exercising, social activities, and personal projects that energize you.