? Daily Spirit Unplugged | Main | Going Blind and Knowing it ?
May 09, 2006
Time Management
I started to do some basic research on "Time Management." And one article I read really hit home. The author said something like, 'forget about time management! We cannot manage time. Time is the great equalizer. We all have the same amount of time in a 24 hour period.' We cannot manage or control time, because it is what it is. But we can manage our actions within our allotted time. So she said that we should instead focus on 'Task Management.'
I don't think I've ever been real good about managing time, but one reason I've been so successful at many things I've done is because I have been very task driven. When I have goals, I break them down into tasks that have to be done and I do them. I'm flexible about my time, but also have been known to diligently plan and execute tasks toward my goals. I make lists and I check things off.
I think when you plan your life around time, you are going to lose out, or miss out on something important. Tonight is a great example. My wife and my sister-in-law were having dinner together and when I called to see what was going on, they asked if I'd join them, so I dropped my plans and raced up there on my bike. I joined them for some great food at a secret little garden restaurant in St. Paul that was fantasic! The food was great and the company was even better. So, yes, I had things to do tonight. I had something planned for the time tonight, but I was not time driven. I will still get these things done, not on my original schedule, but they will get done. To me though, it's better to be task driven but be time flexible. It allows me to take advantage of special opportunities like this when they come up. The idea of 'Task Management' instead of 'Time Management' seem so simple to me. Mainly because tasks are something we can control. We cannot control time. Task management focuses on the tasks that need to be done. Time management says, 'do this now, do that tonight, do such and such tomorrow morning. That's why so many people fail at managing their time. We cannot manage time. Things come up that throw our schedules way out of order. I know I still have things that need to be done, but I'm doing them now because they have to be done. Now I'm off to bed to get some sleep. Task Management seems like something we CAN do in life, whereas 'Time Management' always seems elusive. There never seems to be enough time to do everything we want to do. But we control what we do. So Task Management is do-able.
Posted by carl1236 at May 9, 2006 10:20 PM | Balance
Comments
After your last post on time (http://blog.lib.umn.edu/carl1236/dailyspirit/045243.html) I checked out the Wikipedia entry on time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time). Very interesting ideas. I tried to link you to it but UThink wouldn't cooperate for me.
Oh, and that restaurant sounds idyllic! I don't suppose this blog is a safe place to share the secret? ;)
Posted by: nathan at May 10, 2006 09:56 AM