FORWARD
While quite a few books have been written about time management, the majority of them simply regurgitate ideas someone else had at some point in the past. Many more are nothing more than variations on a theme, also written by someone else. People retell and rewrite others’ ideas without even personally seeing if they work by applying them to their own lives.
The word efficiency has taken on an almost mystical aura, and time management is something every self-respecting person should have in his or her arsenal. The abbreviation GTD is now a mantra to be repeated at every turn, which is why we see books and articles titled something like “750 Tried and True Ways to Be Efficient” or “Discover Inner Peace with These 100 Simple and Easy-to-Keep Rules.” That is, of course, a joke, but in every joke there is a kernel…
Sadly, today TM brings to mind some kind of share market, where we are sold a piece of paper with nothing backing it that we buy for no other reason than because everyone else is, too. When it comes down to it, we are not being sold an actual product; we are being sold something in which we want to believe. The same goes for the TM market, as the subject has become quite the cash cow. Everyone wants it and everyone needs it, which is why people are willing to pay for a dream, idea, or, we could even say, a mirage. Here in the desert of our everyday lives and problems is drawn a mirage: a lake of efficiency.
Many head off on that path hoping against hope they will be the lucky ones. This book is my effort to dispel the “time management mirage.” I hope I will be able to help you look at this topic in a new light.
I am not an author, and so I am counting on your indulgence as I write this book simply and understandably such that it is easy to both read and remember.
This book is for everyone and anyone, be you an old hand at TM or someone just getting into the topic. Regardless, I hope it will be equally useful in the former case and the latter. This, after all, is not just a collection of ideas; rather, it is my personal experience and the conclusions I have drawn after years of practice.
I would like to do two things in this book: first, I will share my experience and offer some warning about the different TM myths, following which I will offer my own TM system.
Your comments would be more than welcome! Please leave them on the site at http:// www.routinesystem.com.
GTD: “Getting Things Done,” the title of a book by David Allen
ТМ: time management
Introduction: Where It All Began
Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.
Michelangelo
The business club
I have since forgotten when, but at one point I had the idea of starting something like a business club with my friends. We all wanted to do something interesting and worthwhile, though nobody yet knew what exactly that was. I suggested studying and discussing different business-related books together, thus helping each other find good ideas or avenues to pursue in our lives. It was not that we were all just sitting around with nothing to do; each of us had our own family, work, children, and even different hobbies. However, not one of us felt fulfilled. We were just being carried along by the current, when instead we wanted to change something in ourselves and the world around us.
A new dream
We decided to organize our group and about a year later had not only gone through books on business, but also others on self-development, understanding one’s self, searching for one’s personal mission and vision, and much more. It was at that point I understood that I needed some kind of system to help me bring a little order to the deluge of information.
I started surfing the internet and came across an entire treasure trove called “time management.” I quickly clarified which books were considered the best and raked in a ton of positive reviews, ultimately deciding on David Allen’s book, “Getting Things Done.” As I read the book I became more and more convinced that I had found something I really loved.
Here I would like to take a moment to mention that way back in 1993 I had to spend some time in the hospital, and when I was released after my surgery I fell deeply into depression. I spent time at home developing my own carrot and stick system for meeting or failing to meet goals, following which I wrote down a list of things to do and got to work. Imagine my surprise when, after two weeks, the entire list was done! Not only that, but I had completely broken free of my depression. While I did not yet understand that I had taken my first steps down the time and project management road, I did know that I thought the concept was fantastic. Right at that moment I had an idea: while I understood that I no longer needed the business club, seeing as how I had already found what I was looking for, my new dream was to launch TM courses and help others more efficiently organize their lives.
My life as TM practice
For that I had to clearly understand how all this works and of course give it a try in my own life. I threw myself into it, ready for untold adventures. However, I quickly learned that it would not be quite that easy, seeing as how I would not be able to make ends meet if I quit my job and everything else I was doing to jump headlong into the time management world.
My job at the time had me working irregular hours, sometimes occupying me for days on end. For example, on Fridays I traveled to another city for meetings, returning home no earlier than 11 pm. I also frequently had to take phone calls in the evenings and handle a variety of other issues. Not only that, but I had my family, with whom it was important for me to spend more time, and I was also studying Hebrew and English, the latter for work and the former because I live in Israel. On top of all of that, I had a number of other goals, ideas, and hobbies.
Even so, do not think that I am some kind of energizer bunny: as it so happens, I tend to be quite sickly. Ever since I was young I have had bronchial asthma, psoriasis, other skin problems, and constant allergies. I get tired easily and cannot go without nine hours of sleep, otherwise my psoriasis acts up and my nervous system goes haywire. By 9 pm, when I am usually putting my kids to bed or readying them a story, I am barely awake myself. My struggle to maintain focus is just the cherry on top.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD, meaning that he has problems with concentration. As I kept an eye on him I realized he got the problem from me. Once, when my wife and I were at my son’s school talking with his psychologist, the psychologist was explaining why our son can be inattentive and easily distracted. A bit later she turned to me and asked what my thoughts on the matter were. I realized that for the previous five minutes or so I had not been paying attention, already carried away by my train of thought. I did not know what to say—clearly, I share my son’s diagnosis. For me that means that while a normal person would just sit down and get to work on something, I have to struggle with distractions right and left, eventually taking twice as long to accomplish the same task as that other guy.
I would like to add to all of the above that memory is not my gift. I am constantly asking my wife how old I am, and I only remember my son’s birthday because it is easy to figure out using the digits 1 and 2: he was born on 12.21.2001.
Knowing all of that, I was excited by the possibilities my life presented. I thought to myself that I would be the perfect guinea pig, given that if TM would work for me with all my energy, attention, and memory problems, it would work for anyone. Even as I set about tackling my personal issues I was thrilled to see how it would all end up.
What happens next
With that I knew what I was looking and striving for: time management courses. To make my dream a reality I would have to be prepared to offer people something tried and true, meaning that I needed a system or even some kind of simple, balanced, and harmonious methodology. For that I went back to David Allen’s book, which is what I would like to talk about next.