This is a guest post by Francis Wade of Time Management 2.0.
Most professionals can name a handful of time management systems that they have come across in their professional careers. They can probably also list a few people here and there who have embraced these systems and are quite happy using them. If they were to think of improving their productivity they would probably look to adopt one of the systems they have heard about, and take a course, read a book or visit a few websites in order to learn what to do.
What if the way we think about time management is completely confused, and the fact is that we are each walking around using unique systems of our own creation?
Perhaps our time management systems are like fingerprints – one of a kind. The most recent research has focused on the fact that habits, rituals and practices are the building blocks of ALL time management systems, whether we realize it or not. It implies that the habit patterns that we use on a daily basis were especially created by us, even if we didn’t do so consciously.
The fact that our habit pattern is utterly unique implies that our time management systems must also be one of a kind. In other words, there are some four billion time management systems walking around, one for each person on the planet.
Is there something wrong with thinking in this way? Should we all be following one system instead of infinitely many? While it’s possible to teach groups of people to goose-step in unison in some settings, companies should not be encouraging their employees to take the same approach to managing their time. The fact is, needs differ from one person to the next, and it would be a mistake to try to implement the CEO’s habit pattern, for example, in the life of all employees.
Why so?
First there is the fact that habits are quite difficult to change. New rituals are hard to establish, and old ones are tough to quit. It’s the misguided executive who wastes the company’s money and time trying to get all the employees to follow a single time management system.
Secondly, the CEO’s lifestyle is very different from that of employees. While he may be a black belt in time management, the front-line employees may simply not need such sophisticated skills, nor even want them. Sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander, if top performance from employees is what is most desired.
This isn’t to say that companies shouldn’t encourage employees to be more productive. Instead, they should help employees learn how to manage and upgrade their own time management systems, in order to achieve their individual goals. This kind of assistance would start by helping employees to see and understand the time management systems they have been using on a daily basis, without being fully aware of them. Then, once they gain some understanding, it’s not too hard to teach employees how to perform upgrades to their system using best practices taken from wherever they can be found.
In this way, each employee ends up with a custom system, plus a pathway for steady improvement. That’s the way to tap into the creativity of each person on the payroll, as a way to ultimately achieving superior results.
January 12, 2010 at 06:04PM
Four billion time management systems? Hmm, what happened to the last three billion people on the planet? It should be common knowledge that there are above six billion people on the planet as of the year 2000!
January 12, 2010 at 07:43PM
Good point, but I’m assuming he’s not including people like children, though the sight of a toddler planning out playtime would be interesting. The total world workforce is estimated at over three billion so maybe he’s referring to that.
January 12, 2010 at 10:57PM
I like this post, great read Francis! It’s so true as well. You’ve got to evolve your time management system to suit your own needs, wants, personality, etc. Systems like GTD provide a great foundation for learning existing techniques but to get the most out of it, you have to eventually adapt it to suit you.
January 13, 2010 at 12:55PM
James, good point. That is though not what the text says, and yes, yes I am an editorial assistant. It’s in the blood, I cant help it.
Plus even kids down to a fairly low age work in some parts of the world, and most western kids do a myriad different things, so maybe time management is something that should be taught at a fairly young age, say primary school.
But Francis does have a valid point and I do have to agree with him, whether it applies to 3, 4, 6 or 7 billion people.
January 15, 2010 at 11:35AM
I absolutely agree about teaching time management at a young age. In fact, personal development, managing your finances, etc. should be covered at school. These sorts of life skills that are needed in the 21st century just aren’t covered.
February 6, 2010 at 10:37PM
James, I couldn’t agree more. I’d go further and also agree with Jamie Oliver when he was at a school in Italy that children should be taught all about food and cooking as well. Just think our future generations may be able to leave school, look after themselves and believe in themselves. How radical!!