Using time wisely is all about consulting a calendar and faithfully prioritizing its contents
I teach Sunday School once a month to a small group of boys. Last week, I taught a subject that is dear to my heart: using time wisely. Spiritual advice aside, the lesson also included some excellent secular counsel, in the form of the following short story:
Once an efficiency expert approached the president of a large steel corporation and outlined his firm’s services. “It’s no use,” the president responded. “I’m not managing as well as I know how to now. We need more action, not more knowing. If you could get us to do what we know we should, I’d pay you anything you ask.” “Fine,” answered the consultant. “I can give you something in a few minutes to increase your productivity by 50 percent. First, write on a blank sheet the six most important tasks you have to do tomorrow. Second, put them in order of their importance. Third, pull the sheet out the first thing tomorrow morning and begin working on item one. Fourth, when you finish it, do item two, then item three. Do this until quitting time. Don’t worry if you finish only two or three, or even if you finish only one item. You’ll be working on the most important ones first. Fifth, take the last five minutes of each working day to make out a new list for the next day’s tasks.”
Then rinse and repeat. I do this daily in my Google Calendar and always consult it before making a new entry, so I can decide when and where to prioritize. If you need help with prioritization, categorize each commitment as either “must do,” “should do,” or “would like to do.” Works like a charm.
3 Comments
@ Sara,
If they all seem equally important, then it doesn’t matter which one you start with. The key is starting one and finishing it before moving onto the next.
I used to have the same problem. I think it comes from the idea that multi-tasking is so important. As soon as I ditched the idea that I needed to complete 50 tasks at once and focused on one task at a time (see 4 hour work week), my productivity went through the roof. Not only that, but work is more enjoyable because I accomplish tasks more regularly and it is like a shot of adrenaline to help me get started on the next task. I never feel up to my neck in work when focusing on one task at a time.
Chewing gum and walking at the same time is over-rated (see Kobe Bryant;)
Oh Google Calendar… how I can’t live without you!
I think my problem is prioritizing. Everything seems to be necessary and highly important sometimes, so I don’t know where to begin!