A Start to Mastering Time Management and Reclaiming the Moment You Are In

Greetings all,


In light of the most recent Podcast episode on Stress, I began to think about how much time management plays a role in our lives and in our stress levels.  Time is one thing that none of us can escape (Please don't get me started on the topic of time travel), and if you are a reflecting kind of person like me, you might experience the occasional "Life is too short for this" emotional breakdown kind of vibe.  It's usually on a Tuesday.  Weird.

Time Management is a topic I have researched a ton for work and personal interests, so I wanted to share some practices and concepts that are undeniable. The last thing I want is to look back on life someday and realize I spent most of it worried about what I had to do next, nor do I want to plague my mind with the thought that I could have done things much faster or more efficiently.  That's an equally burdensome trap at times, and it robs us of the joy of living in the moments that define us.

I don't want that for you either.  So let's get out of the way of our own happiness, and try two things:

1. Master Systematic Time Management
   
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   Multi-Tasking is a myth.  Take it from Nancy K. Napier Ph.D., who wrote a concise and informative article here.  Essentially, she noted that doing two things at once almost always produces a collection of wasted time switching between tasks - even micro seconds at a time - but those add up when we switch tasks hundreds, if not thousands of times a day.  For that reason, many have deemed it "Switch-tasking" instead of Multi-Tasking.  Don't believe me? Try this 2 minute letters and numbers exercise listed in this article.  You will see just how much time you lose even when you know what to expect ahead of time.
   
   
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   Use Time Blocks to systematically complete your to-do list in chunks.  The idea is to complete a set of individual tasks to first catch you up, then second, easily manage the rest.  Here is the thing though.  You have to be disciplined about the ones that you start with.  And by disciplined, I mean, start them, then finish them.  Tip for tasks that are too long to finish in one sitting:  Plan out the action steps needed, then dedicate 15-30 or 30-45 minute increments to focusing on finishing that task in segments.  These are likely the most pressing things that need to be done.  I know it sounds like a lot of prep work, but it is not (Use iPhone Reminder app or Android reminder app on your phones to organize your tasks and alert yourself when they need to be done - I live by this).  It took me a little getting used to as opposed to just winging it all the time, but the time saved was immensely rewarding.  Plus, who doesn't enjoy a really efficient and accomplished morning or afternoon?
   
   
   
   
   
   Learn to Focus.  Simple, right?  Wrong.  Nothing is ever simple when it comes to being disciplined about focusing on single tasks at a time in a time where we are more stimulated than ever.  It comes from TV, music, podcasts, people, work, and our freaking smartphones (which I can't live without by the way, let's just make that clear).  I am not saying to close yourself off from the world or that you have to do this single task crap forever.  Like someone who showed up to the marathon late, you have to catch up first, then you can coast.
   
   What needs to be done and what it feels like needs to be done are two completely different things. Good businesses know this well.  A good project plan will reduce the mounting anxiety and pressure of knowing what else needs to be done because now you have proven to have more efficient methods (which saved you time), and you will likely feel less prone to procrastinate or apply a negative association to tasks of this nature. 
   
   
   
   
2. Retrain the Brain to Be Stimulated by Fewer Sources
   
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   I once read (and no, I cannot find the source for the life of me) that our brains are beginning to change so that we are more often stimulated by multiple stimuli as opposed to just one.  Think of a college student wanting to listen, but having extreme difficulty focusing on the professor's lecture, instead preferring to default to his laptop or iPhone to check text messages, social media, and the like.  We do it in other ways as well.  Even TV is not enough for us to focus on.  Often, we also have our phones and a laptop out at the same time.  That is three sources of electronic stimuli that we chose to turn on at once - never mind the distractions that we do not choose.  We even do this while driving, people.  While driving. The author suspected based on research that our brains are responding with preferred focus to the multiple stimuli instead of just the one because our brains are being taught to respond that way due to our actions. 
   
   freedomafterthesharks.wordpress.com
   
   But here is the problem:  Neither state of brain stimulation is producing high levels of focus, retention, or cognitive engagement.  So, Option 1 is that we do what our brains have been trained to do thanks to our busy yet scattered thinking - split our focus between multiple sources, not catching much of anything. Option 2 is that we focus on one stimulus at a time, but fight against our brain's new tendencies to wander off.

Take Option 2.  Reclaim your focus.  Work hard to retrain your brain and live in the moment again. Option 1 is harmless in the moment, but detrimental if the research proves true, and we are actually reprogramming our brains to only be able to focus or be stimulated by multiple sources from which we are gathering little data of each.  Option 2 is the hopeful option.  The healthier option.  The data gathering option.  The option that gives us back our focus and ability to live in the moment we are in.


There will always be more to do, but also, there will always be less time today than yesterday, so at least consider these thoughts.  And if you have thought these things before, but you are not doing them, then what's holding you back?

Luis and I (Teddy) would love to hear your thoughts on the subject, and of ways that you have found to eliminate the stress of time limitations and give yourself back more of the moments that make life priceless.  Comment below or on our Facebook page. 



We are better together,

-Teddy 
(The Buddy System Podcast )