The simple, unpleasant truth is that we are probably busier
than we ever have been. Notwithstanding the fact that little science backs up
this notion, the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming.
"You can see it all around us," says Jana Jasper,
a New York-based productivity expert and author of Take Back Your Time.
"People talk too fast. We're always in a rush. We start things and don't
finish them and are constantly nagged by the idea that we've forgotten to do
something, but we're not sure what it is."
That people awash in labor- and time-saving devices, from
robotic vacuum cleaners to microwave ovens to computers, would feel so harried
so often seems counterintuitive. But what technology gives, it also takes away.
"As we have increased the numbers of time-saving
devices and products to make our lives easier we have found ways to fill the
time," says Tracy Lyn Moland a time management consultant and author of
Mom Management, Managing Mom Before Everybody Else. And a chronic lack of time
leads to stress.
But the time-management experts we spoke to all say that it
is possible to reduce stress. Think about it as adding an extra hour to your
day through time-management techniques.
Something as simple as "knowing where your keys are in
the morning, knowing where your kid's library book or homework is, will reduce
a lot of stress," says Moland. She has a number of time management tips.
Make a Time Diary
Take a week and plot out what you do every day. Be honest.
If you watch 25 hours of TV each week, write it down.
"This is a painful awakening for most people,"
says Jana Jasper. "You have to include everything --- gym time, eating,
driving, weekly meetings, all of it. It can be upsetting to see how little
unstructured time we allow ourselves. But it's difficult to make intelligent
decisions about using your time more effectively if you don't know what you're
doing with your time now."
Learn to Say
"No"
Turn off your cell phone and beeper. When someone asks you
to do something that you really don't have time to do, say so, politely, but
firmly. And don't allow yourself to feel guilty.
"One reason we are feeling so busy all the time is that
we are worse at setting personal boundaries around what we'll say 'no'
to," says Jana Kemp, founder and president of Meeting & Management
Essentials, a time-management consultancy in Boise, Idaho.
Part of declining to do things, is focusing on your goals,
Kemp explains. Your time diary can help in this regard. Once you've blocked
time for important, but often not scheduled activities, sign on for only those
things that are important, family, friends and health. Once you know exactly
what you have time to do, turning down things that don't fit into your
priorities is easier.
Time-Based, To-Do
List
"Create a to-do list that includes how much time you'll
spend on each item on the list," says Moland. Lists are always helpful,
but when you add how much time each task should take, it helps prioritize how
you go about the tasks. When you prioritize tasks you naturally focus on those
that you can do immediately.
Let Your Computer
Help
Technology helped get you into the time bind in the first
place, so use it to help get you out. Try some of the many personal scheduling
software programs that allow you to keep a calendar, "to-do' lists, and
phone and address books on your computer.
"It's not enough to be efficient anymore," said
Jasper. "The goal here is to use the technology to get rid of all the
paper in your life. I can't stress enough how important this is."
Much of organizing, these experts say, comes from
streamlining your life. The more clutter you have in your life -- phone numbers
on slips of paper, business cards in notebooks, a desk piled high with
calendars and lists -- the more likely you are to waste time trying to stay organized
and on top of things.
Multitask
Is there a more overused buzzword today? We all combine several
activities into one all the time. Some multitasking is dangerous. Talk on the
phone while driving and your chances of being involved in a traffic accident
rise dramatically. That being said, lots of activities can be effectively and
safely combined. Listen to books on tape while commuting. When you watch
television, pay your bills.
"Women are better able to multitask than men,"
said Moland. "Even if both partners work full time, the woman usually is
able to still think about the children's schedule, the home, the meals. Men are
better able to focus in on one task at a time -- and women can learn from this
at times."
Don't Be a
Perfectionist
There's nothing wrong with being ordinary. Perfectionism,
otherwise known as paying excessive attention to every detail, important or not,
is a kind of procrastination.
"Set rational goals for yourself," says Jasper.
"It's a fine thing to strive to be your best. It's counter productive to
try to be the very best."
Setting unattainable expectations of yourself just adds stress
to your life, Kemp explains.
Reward Yourself
Finally, don't let any progress, however small, go unrewarded.
"Use your time diary to make decisions about how you
want to organize your time better," said Jasper. "As you make
progress in prioritizing and saying 'no,' let yourself enjoy that. It doesn't
have to be a big reward, maybe it can be as simple as spending some time by
yourself or getting a massage. It's important to acknowledge and enjoy your
success."
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