Do you get things done?

Let me ask a slightly different question, “Do you get things done on time?”

These days it seems that not many people do. The norm is to be late whether it is finishing a project or showing up to a meeting.

Our society has conditioned us to ignore deadlines. How often do you see people asking for an extension or simply not completing a project on time? The normal response is, “I’m still working on it.”

Oh well, who cares? Very nonchalant. It has become acceptable in modern culture. Workers get away with it, because it is the norm… everyone does it.

Where do deadlines come from?

Do you know where the word deadline comes from?  From earliest uses, it refers to:

“a line that was drawn around a prison.  If prisoners crossed this line they could be shot dead on sight.”

Hence, the word…deadline.

Would people get things done on time or finish projects by the deadline… if they were going to be shot?!?!?

Why we don’t care about deadlines…

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This is Part 3 in a 3 part series. See also Part 1 and Part 2.

In the previous posts, we discussed two potential impacts from a poorly designed or implemented time management system: Leak and Creep.

Leak was the loss of information from your system, usually due to inadequate tools to capture it.

Creep was the tendency to add more and more tools to your system.

Today, I want to talk about a third potential impact…Bloat.

Is your time management system too much?

As it sounds, a bloated time management system is one that has grown in size or complexity to the point that it is cumbersome to use effectively.  Its awkwardness arises from either too many tools or processes that are excessively complex.

Symptoms of a bloated time management system:

• Too many tools – Too many tools can be a result of Creep.  Redundant tools reduce efficiency and create duplication/sync issues for your information.
• Too much complexity – If your system has too many moving parts you will not be able to keep up with it.  It will slow you down, and parts of it will be forgotten.  Ever find the “other list” that you made and then forgot?
• Too big to be used effectively – This can be a literal thing.  I know people who are great with a dayplanner, but it is so big that they only carry it with them sometimes.  Your time management system has to be with you…always.  No exceptions.
• Wrong tools for the job – You wouldn’t use a hammer to fix a screw, and you wouldn’t use a blank spiral bound notebook for your calendar.  These examples are extreme, but you would be amazed what tools people will try to misuse in their systems.  Ensure that the tools you select are right for the job.

Too much to handle…

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This post is part 1 of 3 in a series.

A poor or incomplete time management system can wreck havoc on your personal organization and efficiency.  In fact, a poor time management system can actually make you less productive.  Let’s explore 3 impacts of a poorly implemented solution.

They are: Leak, Creep, and Bloat.

Each of these is different but they are often interrelated.  An ill-defined or implemented system usually contains all three in some manner.

Why are we concerned with this?  Bad time management slows us down and increases Life Friction, ultimately making things worse.  We want to utilize the simplest forms of time management that bring effortless efficiency.

Today’s post discusses Leak.  Parts 2 & 3 will cover Creep and Bloat later this week.

What is Leak?

Leak, as its name implies, is the leaking of information from one’s time management system.  Leak results from an incomplete system.  One that lacks all of the tools needed to get the job done.  The loss of information is due to “holes” in the system.  It could be a lack of ability to capture notes or not having a place to record contact information.

Symptoms

You time management solution may have leaks if…

• You have a desk drawer full of business cards – Why isn’t this information in your contact book?
• Scraps of paper and Post-it notes cover your desk (and computer) with important info
• You lose phone #’s and other info that you need again – Ever find yourself looking up the same info repeatedly?  Or wasting time looking for info you already had?
• You forget tasks and appointments that never reach your calendar or todo list

The scrap of paper syndrome (more…)

One of the main reasons that people fail at time management is… because their system fails.

Too often people try to implement systems that are too complex.  This leads to loss of information, overlooked obligations, and general frustration.  (See “Why complex time management systems fail…“)  It is ironic, that the #1 time management book today preaches a system that is so complex it needs a flow chart to explain it.

One of the basic Time Management Ninja principles is simplicity.  The simplest solution is usually the best and most efficient.  Simplicity is the key to stressless, efficient, and effortless time management.

To that end… you should have only 1 of each type of tool in your toolbox.

At a time management seminar, we asked the participants to bring with them all the tools they currently use.  Every calendar.  Every todo list. Every address book.  Etc.

It was amazing.  One employee had a pile of stuff.  A full-sized desk calendar, a PDA, a yellow pad of paper, and his cell phone.  He also brought a printout of his online calendar.

I asked him how he knew which calendar to look at in the morning.  He said it usually depended on where he was… at his desk, at home, etc.  He was quick to admit that he often missed appointments because they were written on one calendar, but not the others.  (Does this happen to you?)

The Power of 1 (more…)