As the years have gone on, I’ve tried a variety of time management systems and have a big collection of tricks I’ve used.
You want to know what I’ve found to often be the best method for me?
The one that’s new.
User Interaction
A time management system has a crucial ingredient that many forget about: the user.
First, the best time management method in the world is useless if you don’t actually follow it. But there’s more to this than just compliance. Success isn’t as black-and-white as “Did you use the system?”
Did you enjoy it?
Did the system inspire you? Were the tricks fun? Did you work effectively without it feeling like drudgery? Do you believe in the system and its effectiveness? Are you convinced that it’s worth still doing?
Novel Solutions
A new way of working often fits this bill.
It can be exciting for some people to try a novel approach. There’s hope that maybe some new tricks will be real winners. You smile with a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day seeing how the new methods worked.
And eventually that feeling wanes over time. The novelty wears off. The allure fades.
That’s OK. Don’t feel bad about trying something else. Have fun with it and enjoy the novelty of another method.
A Few Personal Examples
There was a time when I loved the Prayer Test whenever I felt like taking a break. Many days I’ve benefitted from an incredibly detailed plan. But I don’t do either of those right now.
I’m using a kitchen timer as I write this post now, but I’ve only recently started that back up. I was just thinking the other day that, due to the nature of what I’m working on now, it’d be a good idea to start switching tasks and maybe even annoying myself again.
So give it a shot. Try something new.
Photo Credit: Melissa Wiese (Creative Commons)
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