The most important step in solving a problem, or overcoming a challenge, is to clearly define fully understand, what the challenge is. I believe that, collectively, we have a tendency to oversimplify our assessment of problems. We often see just the surface, assume understanding, and dig no further. I believe this is the case with the challenge of Time Management.
To make the most productive use of our time, we need to do more that just manage our time; we must effectively manage three things: our energy, our priorities, and then, finally, our time. In his best selling book "The Power of Full Engagement," Jim Loehr refers to "Full Engagement" as the "intersection of energy, time, and concern." He writes: In order to be fully engaged, to be performing at our best, we need to be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned” (Here “spiritually” refers to the feeling of believing in the value of what we are doing).
Let’s say you’ve successfully blocked off 2:00 to 3:00 to work on your project, but at 2:00 you sit at your desk feeling exhausted and “foggy brained” due to lack of sleep, and distracted by other critical matters. At this point, your apparent success at having managed your time means very little. You want the project to represent the best of what you can do. Under these circumstances that is just not going to happen. Time management must include both having the time available when you need it and being prepared to use that time well.
The fundamental premise of “The Power of Full Engagement” is that our first task must be to manage our “energy” – not our time. That over the course of our busy days we must allow ourselves the time and opportunity to replenish our energy. To get the sleep we need, to eat timely nourishing meals, to take regular breaks, etc. In his book, Jim Loehr suggests establishing daily “rituals” designed to help ensure that we have these opportunities to re-charge and thus maintain our ability to be “fully engaged.” These rituals that build regenerative activities into our day can take many forms, each designed to answer a specific need, for a specific individual.
Say you struggle with often feeling tired and physically deplete during the day. You might attempt to implement a ritual that would include some adjustments to your habits around eating, sleeping, and exercising. It might look something like this: You’d be in bed by 10:30, having already packed your gym bag, so when your alarm wakes you at 6:30, it's ready to simply be picked up and be carried out the door (also, the night before, you left a couple of energy bars on the kitchen counter to eat on your way to the gym). Perhaps you also tend to feel an energy slump in the early afternoon. If so, your daily ritual might include shutting your door at 2:00, putting your feet up on your desk, and listening to your favorite music until 2:30. If you feel the need, try it. I’m confident you’ll find that the work you interrupted to take your break will look completely different when you return fresh and re-energized. Just ask Winston Churchill…
“You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner with no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That's what I always do. Don't think you'll be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish notion held by people who have no imagination. You will accomplish more. You get 2 days in one - well, at least 1 1/2, I'm sure. When the war started, I had to sleep during the day because that was the only way I could cope with my responsibilities.”
Energy is a Renewable Resource - Time is Not
Your priorities should also be seen in the context of managing your energy. We must consistently consider if what we are doing, or planning to do, is/will be the best use of our precious time. If you can do this effectively, a fair chunk of what's crowding your calendar will likely disappear. There are many tools you can use to help decide what should be on your to-do list, one of which is the Eisenhower Matrix. It's a simple tool which asks you to decide which of your tasks are both important and urgent - needing to be handled promptly, which are important but not urgent - requiring that you schedule time to complete them in the near future, which tasks are not especially important, but still urgent - so should be delegated, and those which are neither important or urgent - and should be removed from your list.
Heads up - completing this task effectively is a far more complex challenge than it originally seems. While this tool is pretty straightforward, using it well requires focus as well as deep, honest reflection. For example, is a particular task really urgent? What criterion are you using? Why aren’t you delegating a certain task? Is it because it’s truly something you need to handle, or do you feel an unwarranted need to be in control? Are you not delegating the task due to a lack of faith in a colleague? Is your concern warranted? Is the task you listed in the unimportant box truly unimportant, or have you missed something? Are your family and personal health needs reflected in the matrix? Have you worked hard to account for how the inevitable biases you have regarding yourself, the people around you, and your situation may impact your decision-making? (Where possible, I suggest you review your Eisenhower Matrix with a friend or colleague - this is an excellent example of where a separate, hopefully less biased opinion can be most helpful.)
This approach to “managing time” will likely require some extra effort, attention, and discipline. There may be some additional elements of your behavior you'll need to modify, but if you succeed you will truly be managing your time! By spending more time “fully engaged” you will dramatically increase your effectiveness, as well as the pleasure you derive from your effort.