Time

I was going to begin with the quote that talks about all of us having the same 24 hours in a day, so why are some people more productive than others; then I read this article. It makes a valid point: we don’t all have the same resources and experiences. That truth takes a lot of the pressure off. I shouldn’t compare myself to others and what they’re able to accomplish. I should focus on how to make my life work and make the best use of my time.

Why are we talking about time today anyway? I thought we were going to continue with relationships and particularly those I have with my mom and friends. I will get back to that in another post, but as I was reflecting on my “words for the year,” it occurred to me that organizing, finishing and relationships require a proper use of time, and I probably don’t use mine effectively.

“Show me how you spend your time and I’ll tell you what’s important to you,” says Kent Clothier. As I started to look at how I spend the hours in my day, I had to admit that there was room for improvement. In fact, I thought about tracking my activities for a week just to see where the time is actually going. Perhaps I will, starting Sunday. I know time is definitely being wasted and it would be interesting to see just how much and what activities are involved. I’m sure Facebook is one. Phone calls are another. I’m not prepared to give either of those up (though I did recently reduce my Facebook friends list by 66 people), but I will need to set better boundaries around them.

I think I work best with structure. Give me a routine to follow and some form of accountability (I’m an obliger, remember) and things go well. Give me days that are loosey-goosey and at the end of them I’m vexed that “nothing” got done.

The problem with part-time work and inconsistent shifts is that it makes for days that are also inconsistent. Add in extra shifts according to the needs of the employer and we’re all over the map. A few years ago I tried to schedule my days on a weekly calendar but when it was clear that I wasn’t following it there was no point in continuing. I apparently don’t hold myself accountable very well. What to do? What to do?

Julie Morgenstern’s book, Never Check E-Mail in the Morning, was written to address workplace problems, and I admit I haven’t read it (yet). But checking e-mail in the morning is one of the things I do. I don’t usually check my workplace e-mail at home; I just think that something important will come in in my personal e-mail and I wouldn’t want to miss it. That leads me into Facebook and we all know what a time-sucker that can be.

So, help me out, readers. Are you an effective time manager? What  strategies work for you? I’ll start with tracking my activities as noted above and see if that helps me eliminate wasted days and wasted nights. In the meantime, I’m thankful I no longer have to feel like a failure because I haven’t achieved as much as Mother Teresa or Michelangelo. That is a huge relief.