Comments on: Most Time Management Is Rubbish. Here Are Ten Things That Work for Me.

By: JasonD

JasonD — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:11:31 +0000

Multi-tasking is a crock of $h!+. Checking your email and using twitter is NOT multi-tasking. Both tasks are complete once done. (Directed at one of the comments.)

Multi-tasking is like driving while you are texting. Two separate tasks which both require individual attention. You may never get into an accident, but you will never be a safe driver or text a complete thought. (That was the point.)

It is not always avoidable, but places that demand multi-tasking are eminently set-up for failure. They create high stress, more errors, waste time, and leave everyone wondering what they just did. Or if they missed anything. (The mind believes it has done things which did not happen, but were simply thought about.)

Unfortunately, multi-tasking can not always be avoided. You need to watch your speed, the sidewalks, signs, lights, other cars, while staying in the lines, and looking for your destination turns… That is multi-tasking too… And presents the same mentioned problems… (I thought the light was green. I didn’t see him crossing the road. I missed my street. That car came out of nowhere.)

By: Geoerge

Geoerge — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:20:17 +0000

Ummm, when do you live life? It seems like your life is pre-planned… Life is short so why don’t you stop wasting your time doing something at every moment!

By: Ali

Ali — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:59:13 +0000

Great post. One of the tools that I use for time management is a “time map.” I have written about it here: http://motivatedmama.net/?p=30

By: Michelle | When I Grow Up

Michelle | When I Grow Up — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:14:42 +0000

Awesomely awesome post, Trent. I just wrapped up (Time) Management March on my blog, but I gotta tell ya, I get the itch for a new way of doing things every few weeks! I appreciate the details in this post, and the way you shared your findings. I’m focusing on being a better uni-tasker now & that’s been a big help. Next up: checking email twice a day & responding there & then. Scary!

By: Allison

Allison — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:29:55 +0000

The Simple Dollar has been picked and featured as the Best of the Web on the Worthington Wire. You will see your article linked in the healthy living category today.

Feel free to grab a badge to show off that you were featured on the Worthington Wire.

http://worthingtonwire.com/badges

Congrats on the feature!

By: Charlie Park

Charlie Park — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:08:41 +0000

Trent, thanks for linking the AutoFocus system. I hadn’t heard of it before, and I’ve just started using it in conjunction with Evernote (which I had signed up with close to a year ago, but hadn’t found a compelling use for until now). I’ve tried a number of other tools (Backpack, RTM, Things, etc.), but AutoFocus really seems to be working well for me.

Thanks again.

By: Max

Max — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:00:38 +0000

This is really an obscenely well written and well thought article. Props bro.

By: Sabrina

Sabrina — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:10:36 +0000

How did you get Remember the Milk to sort tasks by the date added?

By: Marcia

Marcia — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:44:27 +0000

Great ideas! Thank you for your clear and sensible writing. And the personal experiences! I’ve adopted several items that you’ve referenced such as BackPack, and Mark Forster Books. Mark Forster’s notebooks work wonders for me.

Thanks again.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:57:55 +0000

Why do you use Evernote and Remember the Milk? Wouldn’t it be better to have one software “input” method? Or do they offer significantly different features?

By: Carey

Carey — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:32:17 +0000

I love the idea of going through your inbox daily and filing things daily. I had myself dedicated to doing both once a week, on Fridays. This did not go well! I inevitably found myself stuck in some last minute work-week task and pushed off the chore for ‘later’. I now have an overflowing inbox full of things that I probably was supposed to handle long ago. This is my goal for the weekend, now, which is a time that I shouldn’t be handling such things. I’m going to try your approach starting Monday!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:06:04 +0000

Thank you for this post. I am very busy and sometimes I can feel overwhelemed with all of my responsibilities. I have been thinking about adjusting my time management methods and seeing this helps me to focus. This will be especially helpful when I start law school in the fall and my free time will be severely limited

By: Ed

Ed — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:10:47 +0000

Nice ideas here – my time management skills definitely need work, and these will make a good start!

By: Daina

Daina — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:57:28 +0000

As you noted, other tips are great for people who think differently. I’m a scattered person, so I love a LONG to-do list with everything I need to do on there. Otherwise, it’s amazing how often I’ll forget to do some things, like walking down to the mailbox to check the mail or taking my vitamin (especially important while I’m pregnant). I also like the long list because at those parts of the day where my brain comes up blank, I can scan and quickly see what I need to do today, even if it is just making a mail run.

By: Mahoji

Mahoji — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:54:33 +0000

Some are old ideas frankly, but don’t know why on earth do I always fail to do time management right. This is a good reminder post, with some extra value-added point in it. Thanks..

By: littlepitcher

littlepitcher — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:47:38 +0000

Today’s laugh–I check my e-mail once a day. I have a hospital table set up above the treadmill, with the laptop and fan on a vibration-absorbing pad. I get the cardio in while checking the e-mail. Not that this is conducive to high-quality typing, of course…

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:19:58 +0000

Hi Trent,

I have been visiting your site and recieving your posting in my email for the past few months. My partner and I have been stuggling with time managment. We are both at home with our infant son each day. My partner has been finishing up her masters degree, we recently pruchase an new home and have a bathroom we are rebuilding, a teenager, I have been re-training in a new career and organizing a new business and we have a new infant to care for. We are also working to restucture our lives so we have more family time and less work or job time. As you can see we have alot going on and it is easy to become distacted through the day and the day is gone before we get started on a project. We have found we pick a project for the day…school work may be the focus of a day or the bathroom…mixed in is caring for our son and my teenager. I enjoyed your artcle on time managment as well as many of your other articles. One job I had the day was brocken into time blocks, no one could bother you when you were in a time block..we are trying to do this at home but have found we need to be much more fluid. I agree with you on multitasking…mostly I think one needs time to focus on a given task, uninterupted maybe asking to much with an infant in the home, as I write this I can hear he is most unhappy at the moment and my attention is split. Thank you Trent for your continued articles. If it is not to much I would be interested in starting a caonversation via email with you…..Larry

By: FruGal

FruGal — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:58:36 +0000

Unfortunately these are not all practical ideas if you work in a busy role in an office with many people competing for your attention constantly. People tend to want instant contact all the time with others these days. It would be nice to try and avoid multi-tasking, but it’s not possible if you want to appear flexible, able, and basically, good at your job. Sitting at your desk avoiding calls and emails while you work on one single thing is not going to give your superiors that confidence that you can multi-task and handle a busy, varied role.

By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad

DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:16:41 +0000

Love this post! I am a real supporter of #2. I always have a Moleskine notebook and my FiloFax . . .

By: TB

TB — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:37:59 +0000

Great post, I’ve certainly found multi-tasking to be a poor substitute for focus unless the tasks things like brushing teeth whilst watching TV…