5 Steps to better Time Management

How many days in a month do you get home and say to yourself, “That was a really great day, I made solid use of my time, and got a lot accomplished”.

Seldom?  

My best guess is you get home most days and say to yourself, “glad that is over”. What a total $#it show.” 

I’m going to tell it like I see it, time management advice is everywhere, and company’s invest millions of dollars each year on anything and everything related to the subject hoping to boost employee engagement and performance.  I know when I spend money I want to see results, and my general assumption is that anyone reading this wants the same.  Now I know I shouldn’t assume, as it makes and a** out of u and me, but I digress.

Honestly, why the struggle?

Chat GPT tells me it’s the following:

1.        Lack of Clear Goals
2.        Poor Planning Skills
3.        Procrastination
4.        Distractions
5.        Overcommitment
6.        Lack of Motivation
7.        Ineffective Tools and Techniques
8.        Lack of Routine
9.        Stress, Anxiety, or other Mental Health Issues
10.  Perfectionism
11.  Poor Time Estimation

That’s quite the list.

In my case, I believe the answer is far simpler.

If you don’t care about the “Standard” skip ahead.  If you would like a bit of context, stick with me for a moment, it won’t take long. 

Let me be clear for a moment.  Nothing I am about to share with you is “net new”.  What I tire of is theory that doesn’t work in practice.  The problem with time management is a lot of the theory does work in practice… but with a large asterisk next to it *.

Most time management experts provide standard advice that can be summarized into several key areas: 

1. Goal Setting and Prioritization
- Defining Clear Goals
- Prioritizing Tasks

2. Planning and Scheduling
- Daily and Weekly Planning
- Time Blocking

3. Eliminating Distractions
- Minimizing Interruptions
- Creating a Productive Environment

4. Task Management Techniques
- Breaking Down Tasks
- Using To-Do Lists

5. Effective Use of Tools and Systems
- Digital and Analog Tools
- Trusted Systems

Focus and Deep Work* (*newer)
- Single-Tasking
- Deep Work

7. Time Analysis and Reflection
- Tracking Time Usage
- Regular Reflection

8. Building Good Habits
- Habit Formation
- Consistency and Discipline

9. Work-Life Balance
- Balancing Priorities
- Setting Boundaries

10. Mindset and Attitude
- Positive Mindset
- Adaptability  

To be fair, this stuff kinda/sorta works…

But, it doesn’t consider how your day unfolds in real time.  

Mike Tyson famously said, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

That’s it right there. 

Your plan is going to change. 

Now, full credit to many time management experts as they do talk about the importance of adaptability. Where they fall short, in my estimation, is that they fail to register that they were punched in the face.  

Recognition is the missing piece. 

It is also the first step:  we MUST recognize we are presented with an opportunity to change tasks. 

I call this task switching, and it's essential to begin recognizing this opportunity in our daily lives.

Consider how Netflix keeps viewers engaged by automatically starting the next episode. This subtle nudge can lead to additional time of mindless watching because it takes more effort to stop than to continue.

Netflix wants us to switch to autopilot. 

This is exactly what occurs when we switch between most tasks.  It is easier to subconsciously meander from task to task – leading to sub-optimal output – then it is to recognize and choose our next task.

We must (when wanting) begin to recognize when we are punched in the face.  Now, some of those are subtle jabs, and others knock out shots, but there are all moments where we have choice.

Recognition is a critical first step in preventing our subconscious from taking over and placing us into autopilot, but it isn’t all that is needed for better time management.

The second step is to rate your energy.

Why?  Your energy level directly impacts your outcome ability. For instance, if you're feeling low on energy, it might not be the best time to tackle a high-priority, cognitively demanding task.

Experts often advise tackling top priorities first to ensure they're completed. While this is partly true, it overlooks a crucial element: mental energy. Each task consumes mental energy and can fatigue us, making subsequent tasks harder or easier based on our emotional response. It's crucial to prioritize tasks that deserve our best mental energy.

Let me elaborate for a moment. Let’s say you have a big presentation tomorrow. You stay up late and want a short amount of time to prep before you get under way at 10am.

You wake up excited, but you remember you haven’t checked your email since yesterday afternoon. You have been so distracted by the presentation that a quick peak can’t hurt.  Intending to catch up quickly, you open your email.  90 minutes later, you finish, but your mind is now blank.  You struggle to recall any of your ideas and begin feel nervous about your pitch.

It may not seem like much, but each email depleted your mental energy. Emails require all kinds of decision making.   As a result, when you finally get back to focusing on your presentation, you are too mentally fatigued to think clearly.    

That is why it is crucial to pair your energy to the task.  High-energy tasks should be matched with peak energy periods, while low-energy tasks can be scheduled for times when you're not at your best.

Once you incorporate the recognition of task switching and rating your energy you can build on a better time management program.

SKIP TO HERE

5 Steps to better Time Management.

1.        Recognize you are Task Switching

a.        It is critical to acknowledge you are task switching.  Asking yourself what you should do next is usually enough to turn your brain off autopilot.

2.        Rate Your Energy

a.        Once you have made the decision to change tasks, it is important to rate your mental energy before you begin.  Trying to undertake a high energy task when you have low energy is sub-optimal.

3.        Review your “To-Do” Lists

a.        Review your lists. I like to look at my strategic plan and my weekly to do list.  

4.        Select the Task

a.        Use a prioritization tool and your energy level to select the most appropriate task to complete next. 

5.        Set your environment.

a.        Environment is critical.  Trying to complete a task in the wrong space can lead to sub-optimal results.  That is why is critical that you pair the correct environment to the task when available.  If you are doing a task that is going to require a heavy mental lift, don’t work in a space (if you can prevent it) that leaves you exposed to distractions and interruptions. 

While this process may offer nothing that is “net new,” I have found that the biggest obstacle to better time management lies with me recognizing first that I am task switching.  Once that recognition occurs, I have trained myself to check in on my energy and get off autopilot.  If I can do that, I am confident than when I review and select my next task I will be making a better use of my time. If I want to maximize my outcome, I then determine the optimal environment that would lead to my best chances for success. 

That’s really it.

Remember to cut yourself some slack. We all have moments where we make better choices than others, but in the end, it is acknowledging you actually had a choice to make that could make all the difference in your feeling of accomplishment.