Chapter 3: Widening the Circle
Book, programs, and more
I was not about to give up, instead keeping up my search for a clear and understandable methodology. I sketched out a modest plan and set to work reading TM books, though I should note that my reading was more of an in-depth study of the topic. Every book I picked up was studied chapter by chapter, including detailed outlining. At the end of each chapter I wrote down some thoughts I had based on the material and often went back to read once more.
In addition, many books offered practical advice that I sometimes needed to try out before moving on. I regularly had to master new programs: I was the first among my friends to buy an iPhone just because there are many TM programs available for iOS. Eventually I lost count of the number of various sites and programs for both smartphone and computer I tried, which does not even touch on the purchases I had to make.
For instance, I bought a pair of filing cabinets, a label printer, and even wall-hung filers. There were even more specific devices: after listening to Jim Rohn’s audiobook on keeping a journal, I decided to give it a try. I thought it would be great to be able to move pages back and forth from one section to another, sorting pages by topic.
That system is called ProClick, which offers special binding that can be opened or closed to move pages around. However, to use it I needed to buy a special hole punch that was at that time sold only in the US. Happily, soon after I was in Miami, though the seller started talking to me in Spanish. I should have answered, “I’m sorry sir, I’m not from around here; I’m from Israel, so I only speak Russian” (kidding).
I will not even begin to write about all the different types of stickers and folders I tried. In a word, there was no stopping me. I did, however, move slowly, taking enough time to be thorough and sure that I did not miss a single piece of the time management puzzle. It would be more accurate to call it, I suppose, not just one puzzle, but rather several different ones. Some may think I was wasting time, which is possible, but it did allow me to understand that not all the puzzles were even from the same set. I read a good deal and continued summarizing, leaving me with over 20 books read at the end of the first year.
Book classification
In the space of a few years I made my way through many new books, an experience that allows me to sort them into five categories.
1. Tricks and tips
Gleb Arhangelsky’s Time Drive is a class example of this category, one in which books do not offer a clearly laid out TM system. Instead, readers are provided with a wide array of time management tools and tricks: incentivizing calendars, memoirs, personal epitaphs, long-term goal maps, strategic boxes, results-oriented to-do lists, “strict” meeting planning, and much more. Could an average Joe
use all of that to finally achieve tranquility and be more efficient? I think not.
2. Do A, B, C
We already talked about the ABC method, so I will not go into it again.
3. Ideology
There are not many books like these that offer their own idea or system. Some highlights are Julie Morgenstern’s Time Management from the Inside Out, Marla Cilley’s Sink Reflections, Stephen Covey’s First Things First, of course, and David Allen’s Getting Things Done.
4. Rewrites by an authority
These books are simply attempts to rewrite an existing idea in other words.
5. Rewrites based on authority
While these are also rewrites of earlier ideas, the problem is that authors appear to not practice what they preach. The books are more collections of sage advice.
Many books talk about Vilfredo Paleto’s 80 – 20 rule, which has become some sort of time management enchantment. It is surprising how superficial time management approaches can be in the 21st century.
Once I was watching a program about the planet that talked about how mankind has been studying it for many years, each time making new discoveries that shatter old myths or fallacies. It hit me that TM also has its share of myths, resembling the study of the planet at its early stages.
Regardless, that understanding gave me the ability to tell if a book was worth reading after just glancing at its table of contents.
New directions
As I studied TM books I learned that some things I wanted to learn fell outside the bounds of time management literature, leading me to open up new avenues of inquiry. They were:
1. Books discussing how we make decisions
2. Books on making business plans
3. Books on strategic planning
4. Books on achieving personal goals
5. Books on project management
6. Books on documentation
7. Books on paper work
8. Books helping to understand one’s self, temperament, and character
Regardless of the enormous quantity of ground I covered, I was disappointed that I still could not find a simple and understandable method I could use. There was a good deal of information and great advice, but how was it that it was all about organizing and sticking papers in folders? There was a time after I finished the twentieth TM book that I was ready to read another 32, but that did not happen. I finally found something I will talk about in the next chapter.