Time Management Problems? This might be the reason!

Are you a time management junkie? If you have tried and failed with various time management techniques and are hold out hope for yet another new technique that “really works,” then the answer is probably yes. Feel no guilt about your habit however. The truth is, most time management schemes simply do not work. There are two reasons for this:

1. Establishing new habits takes a minimum of 6 months. That is a psychological fact. It is also a fact that as we modify habitual behaviors that our brains - content with current conditions - throw up roadblocks to prevent new habits gaining a foothold. We usually succumb to our defense mechanisms well before 6 months is up.
2. You are attempting to manage an essentially unmanageable thing. Clock time marches forward, second by second, oblivious to our efforts to corral it. Nearly all time management techniques focus on clock time instead of relative time, which is the only time that truly matters to humans.

Relative Time

Relative time does not have a succinct, scientific definition. Its most distinct attribute is its elasticity. It slows down and speeds up according to our perceptions and mental state.

• Relative time accelerates when we are fully engaged mentally. The task might be fun or one that is propelling you toward an important goal. In other words, it is a productive activity.
• When our activity is unpleasant, unproductive or we are bored, time slows to a crawl. Each moment feels brittle, rough and tedious.

Without accounting for our perception of time relative to our productivity, no clock-time management system can be effective.

Making Relative Time Your Own

Unlike clock time, you own relative time. You control it and can make it work for you. You cannot opt out of clock time management altogether of course. Everyone else you work with will be on clock time. Meetings and schedules require hard synchronization. Changing your orientation from clock time to relative time, however, will mean accomplishing your personal tasks more productively. The key is to maintain a focus on results.

• Keep your focus on tasks with specific results, which are congruent with your near and long term goals.
• Allow for relative time elasticity by keeping your to-do list only half full or less.
• Never multitask. Mental context swaps will eat up 20 percent of your productivity. Only multitask foreground and background tasks such as waiting for a large file download.
• All tasks need mental “boot-up overhead.” This period is a combination of mental context switch, context loading and motivational ramp up, which can total 80 percent of task time.
• Take breaks before you feel tired to maintain high energy just as you would drink water before you feel thirsty in order to stay hydrated.
• Keep a log for the first month that distinguishes between tasks that achieve goal-congruent results and those that do not. Ditch as many of the non-result tasks as possible.
• Review your activity log to determine when your most productive clock time of day is and schedule important tasks during that daily period.
• Before starting any task, take 1 minute to note the specific result you require of that task. When it is complete, note if the result was achieved.

Making Relative Time a Habit

Overcoming the 6 month rule to establish a new habit requires determination. Mark off the days and weeks as you progress toward utilizing relative time. Focus on the days ahead, not the ones already passed to increase your motivation. The more you invest in practicing relative time, the faster those six months will go.