Time Management: Finding Time Nuggets

Most of us have the same goal with time—to get more stuff done with the amount we have. To maximize the value of your time, first accept that you can’t gain more time, but you can manage it better. You are already managing your time; it’s just that you may not be maximizing the returns. Start by tracking what you do for four or five hours in a typical business day. That’s long enough to gain significant insight. Note what you have been doing every 15 minutes. Use a kitchen timer to stick with the process. Did you discover any time nuggets? These are blocks of time that typically get burned up by nonproductive activity. If you were idle for a few minutes, did you feel a draw to your email or social media? Decide how you can exploit these blocks by using a to-do list, in which you record plans, steps to your goals, and dozens of tasks that take mere minutes but you never seem to get to throughout the year. Reach for this list when the urge to defocus strikes. Instead of social media or another email check, head for your list. Evaluate your progress after three days.

Keith Stein | 4/22/2021

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