Via Coaching4excellence.com
A few weeks ago a co-worker and I sat down for a talk. We were good friends long before we started working together and our common ADD as well as love for Waffle House, Seinfeld and other random things causes us to drift to the “office across the hall” sometimes. Our problem is, Nathan’s schedule is very different from mine. It seems that our peak productivity, much less responsibilities are quite opposite. It’s easy for either of us to find a down time in our day and wander across the hall to the other’s office to check-in for some “water cooler” time. The vast majority of these times is not good for the other.
We both realized there are times when we don’t “have the time” to talk.
The concept of time management is a joke. There is no way to “manage” time. It’s like saying I’ll draw a cup of water from the ocean and move it a few feet down shore and drop it back in the sea. Ridiculous. Time is more vast. It cannot be altered. As much as we want to say we can manage time or move it around, there really is no way to do so.
What about all these apps?
I have several apps on my laptop and iPhone to help me stay focused and remind me of the essentials, due dates, meeting times and more. I’m a junkie for productivity apps and using all my digital toys with the intent of being productive.
But if I can’t control time, and place each minute or hour where I want it, how am I to manage my time? How am I to accomplish anything?
The idea is not about time management, but priority alignment. What are your priorities? What is most important to you…today?
For two months I’ve been using a modified version of time management I heard Dave Ramsey share.
I know this sounds simple. That’s the point.
I do this one the old fashioned way. I sit down at night to consider the next day. I have my regular tasks or ongoing projects in Things for Mac and on my iPhone. I’ll write out everything in priority of A,B and C.
A. What needs to be before my lunch break
B. What needs to be done before I leave the office for the day
C. What can I do today if I get a chance, or can wait till after work or tomorrow.
I go back and prioritize the A’s. I try not to go more than four deep in a letter. I’ll have A-1 (mmm), A-2, A-3, A-4. These are the tasks that must be completed before I think of where I might go to lunch and who can join me. The same with letter B and also C. If I go beyond 4 tasks per category, it’s usually multi-tasking in an area. For example, today I needed to send several emails, but because they were similar in nature, I created a task of “Send emails” with 4 bullet points under each about the different subjects and recipients.
My purpose in life is not tasks and errands. Those things are necessary so I have to organize them so my priorities are first and foremost, and these tasks however great or small, fall in line where they should be.
A life wrapped up in tasks and errands is not a life any of us want to live. Managing, or taming these things so they become secondary to your life’s priorities will help you get things done, but under the umbrella of a bigger purpose in life, and a better way of life.
Questions for you…
- What are some ways that you get everything done?
- What are your top 3 priorities in life?
- What distractions do you have to fight in being productive?
By most people’s standards I am pretty productive most days. But I am always looking for ways to make my life simpler and omitting things I want to do, try, or be is not something I’m willing to do. So…I have to find easier ways to accomplish all of it. I like this ABC thing from Dave Ramsey…I may implement after the new year…we’ll see! Thanks for sharing.