For the longest time I have been creating my daily To-Do lists the traditional way. Writing things I have to do that day and sorting them based on urgency and importance. Little did I know that there is a better way. The following TEDx talk gave me a better framework for taking on daily tasks that multiplied my ROT (Return on Time). Enjoy!
The First Major Difference
How we choose to spend out time isn't just LOGICAL, it's also EMOTIONAL.
In fact there is not such thing as time management, there is only self-management.
Time Management History
- One Dimensional Thinking: Efficiency. The idea was to develop tools, technology, tips and tricks to help get our To-Do list done faster.
- yet everybody walks with a miniature computer and still we don't have time
- Two Dimensional Thinking: Urgency and Importance. It was a system for scoring tasks, base on which we could Prioritise them.
- prioritising - focusing first on what matters most
- but nothing about prioritising creates more time
Efficiency is like a hamster wheel, while Prioritising is more like juggling (borrowing time from one activity to the other).
In that paradigm there are only 2 strategies:
- Do things faster.
- Do more things.
You cannot solve today's time management problems with yesterday's time management thinking.
The Second Major Difference
Now emerging new thinkers that use Three Dimensional Thinking: Urgency + Importance + SIGNIFICANCE
- Urgency: How SOON does it matter?
- Importance: How MUCH does it matter?
- SIGNIFICANCE: How LONG does it matter?
When we assemble our to-do list we should stop asking: "What's the most important thing I could do today?" and instead ask: "What could I do today/right now, that would make tomorrow/the future better?"
Multiply Your Time
How? Give yourself the Emotional Permission to spend time on things today that will give your more time tomorrow. The 'significance calculation' changes everything.
The Thinking process of a Multiplier, 'The Focus Funnel':
- Can I Eliminate this? Is it even worth doing?
- Next generation time management has more much more to do with what you don't do than what you do do. Perfection is achieved not when no more things can be added but when nothing more can be taken away. Anything that we say 'no' to today, creates more time tomorrow.
- The challenge emotionally is that we struggle with guilt (we want to say no but feel like we have to say yes). It's futile to go through life trying to never say no, you need to realise that you are always saying no to something.
- Can I Automate the task?
- Creating a process for something today, saves time in the future. ROT = Return on Time. Compounding effect of automation. Multipliers invest time like wealthy people invest money.
- Can I Delegate this? Can I teach somebody else to do this?
- If you can't eliminate, delegate or automate the only questions that remain is: "should I do this task now or can it wait till later?"
- if NOW: Concentrate, the permission to Protect. Focus and eliminate distractions.
- if LATER: Procrastinate On Purpose. It will go again through the funnel until it disappears.
- waiting on something because we don't feel like doing it is Procrastination BUT waiting on something because we decided that now is not the right time is NOT procrastination but PATIENCE (it's a virtue).
Thank you for reading! 