It’s a painful pill to swallow. but you are going to die.
(eventually)
So, how will you fill whatever lifetime you have left? Will you use time management techniques and shortcuts. Do you see time management as a way to infuse your life with meaning and purpose?
Here's my two cents:
💡 I like to use process and time management techniques to reduce the time I spend on what I consider “non-essential” tasks (like do you really need to spend time sorting matching sock to dry or to put them together?🤔) so I can focus on what I REALLY CARE ABOUT aka my dog 🐶, my man 👨, my family 👪, my health, and growth🌻
If you want know more, please keep reading.
In this article, I want to share with you my ideas based on Brad Aeon’s study of time.
He focuses on the improvement of our temporal decision-making (so, basically how one makes decisions for time-related stuff) as a solution to achieve more success by leading a less busy life and instead live a life driven by our values and morality.
No secret formula here, just a different thinking approach.
Ready? let’s start then!
Time Management Movement: Use time to make life meaningful vs trying quick tips and tricks to do more work
Changes in Time Management
The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns have altered our perception and management of time. The modern life and work structure has a significant impact on our time management. However, in the past, time was slower and more organic, based on seasons, agriculture, and crops. The industrial age brought a new sense of time as factories introduced the notion of productivity, measured by the formula of total output divided by total input.
💡 In short: More performing machines, better organisation at work, better training, new technologies etc (input) give more results (output).
Routines, such as religious practices, also shaped how time was spent. The stock market introduced the idea that money never sleeps, but our ancestors had little choice in time management as everything was dictated by seasons, society, business, religion, etc.
Time Management & Philosophy: Why Do We Need to Manage Time?
When we think about it again, our great grandparents actually had less time than we do. They worked longer hours, and every task took longer to complete because they didn't have modern tools and appliances like washing machines, microwaves, and robot vacuums. Yet, they didn't complain about not having enough time. They probably accepted that certain tasks required a certain amount of time.
It's not that we don’t have time; it's the fact that we have too many choices.
Nowadays, we complain all the time that we don’t have enough time. We have all these modern tools and appliances to reduce the time required for many tasks. It's not that we don’t have time; it's the fact that we have too many choices. Our great grandparents didn't have as many choices and weren't living in a modern, hyperconnected world.
We have more flexibility, freedom, more time, and options to use as we please. However, that also means we have the responsibility to manage our time, and we need to make choices. What we don't choose, we miss out on, and this leads to FOMO (fear of missing out).
As I am writing this, I wonder when FOMO began. Personally, I heard about it maybe 10 years ago as social media platforms were exploding, and people would see their uni friend's party pictures on Facebook and say to themselves, "I wish I joined" or "If only I was there." And of course, the marketing world started to use it for flash sales and Black Friday sales, etc. It feels like it's just getting worse and worse.
Nowadays, Toxic Relationship with Time and Productivity
Nowadays, time is rational, measured to be more productive, to increase our performance, in a never-ending growth cycle. We are more productive than decades ago (I'm glad we have emails. Can you imagine going back to handwriting or typewriters and mails?). Yet, we have more to achieve, more to do, and always strive to perform better than the previous year.
There are books EVERYWHERE (you can find my list of books here: MUST READ | Nathalie Ou) on how to improve your productivity, save time, etc. But don't forget that the goal is not to do more just for the sake of doing more. The goal is to do things that make sense to YOU!
We have gained a lot of flexibility (I love working from home) and could do more meaningful things with our time, but we don't do it. (Don't ask me why 🤷♀️.) Yet, it is very important for our health, mental health, well-being, and happiness.
I personally try to improve my productivity. Previously, it was for the sense of achievement when you crossed off everything on your to-do list. But now, as I am getting older (and hopefully wiser), I can happily let go of things and accept that I didn't finish everything on the list. Instead, I focus on what makes me happy and contributes to the values I care about, such as reading, reflecting, and sharing what I learn, and thinking about how to prioritize my mental health.
Top 3 mindset shifts to consider to live better and make peace with time management
A. Align your values and aspirations with your goals and tasks:
Take a couple of hours each week to assess and improve your life, ensuring alignment with your values and aspirations as an individual. Personally, I do this every Sunday morning, reassessing various aspects of my life and asking myself if I'm happy.
Happiness = ((X% of work)^salary + (X% of personal life)^love)/2) ???
For a long time, I struggled with the idea of just being happy. I didn't understand it and thought I needed a magic formula (something like Happiness = ((X% of work)^salary + (X% of personal life)^love)/2) and to tick certain boxes by a certain age. Now, I've learned to chill and understand that life isn't about ticking boxes - unless that's what I really want.
When it comes to tasks, I like to list them per project. I don't have one large master to-do list. By breaking down each project into individual tasks, I avoid stress and feeling overwhelmed. If I want to work on my Etsy shops, I just pull up the related list. If I'm in the mood to improve my consulting/coaching business, I go to the related list. Not seeing what else needs to be done on other projects helps me stay focused.
To do this, I use Todoist (digital), as it's great for projects and I can list actions for each project. I've also integrated it with my Gmail inbox. For analog planning, I use a notebook from Moleskin and label each notebook per project. Then, I just pick up the related notebook when I work on the project.
B. Check the impact of your actions:
When approaching your to-do list, ask yourself: "What will bring me the most impact?" and "What can I do today that will make tomorrow better and easier?"
This can be applied to all areas of your life, such as work, personal life, finances, health, etc.
By checking the impact of your actions, you'll realize if they're necessary and fit into your values, moral code, and the big picture you have for your life.
C. Too much?
Have you considered that you may not have a time management problem, but rather a workload or commitment problem? If you have too much on your plate, the best time management, values, and good intentions won't solve the issue. 💔
One thing to remember is that people tend to overestimate what they can do in a day. So, stop overestimating what you can do in a day! If you never finish your to-do list for the day, it means you're being too ambitious. Try cutting the list in half.
Ultimately, if your to-do list is always too long, then you need to review your workload and responsibilities and learn to let go of some of them. You might come back to them at a later time when the circumstances are more appropriate.
For example, I wanted to restart learning German and pick up Chinese again, but I know now is not the right timing. So, I just leave it aside in a "maybe later" folder. By choosing what to do, I'm being strategic with the projects in my life.
Time is life, and how you spend it is how you spend your life.
By understanding your values, beliefs, and aspirations, you can optimize your time management strategy to align with your goals. Whether it's buying time with your money or implementing productivity and mindset strategies, the key is to be flexible and adaptable.
So, how will you choose to spend your time?
Comments