How to make TIME your best friend

Time. Original thinking. Real conversations. Aesthetics.

These are the four components that I believe will matter most in the future of work to create winning business models. In this article, I want to focus on the first subject: TIME.

Time – or more specifically, the productive use of time – is something I have been fretting about all my life. As a teen, I spent much of my time in the swimming pool trying to become one of the top swimmers in my state. It was always difficult finding time to attend swim practice, get all my homework done, see my family, and relax with friends. And yet, somehow it always worked out. I can’t imagine the time pressures on the youth of today who have the additional demands of smartphones, social media, and the expectation to always be online and up to date.

And it’s not just the youth – for most in the professional world, time is a scarce resource that must be managed with rigour.

How often do you reflect on your time spent at work?  

Is most of your time spent sitting in meetings, answering e-mails, and in front of a computer?

If your answer is yes, it’s time to pause and think.

Have you ever looked at an endless e-mail chain and wondered why no one picked up the phone and short-circuited the tsunami of often random words and sentences? Unproductive work habits such as this waste our time and will only get worse unless we consciously choose to disrupt such mindless ways of operating.

Wealth-managers are experts at advising investors on the right mix of asset allocation to maximise returns from a finite pot of money. If “time is money”, then time allocation is equally as important to individuals and businesses to maximise returns from a finite pot of time.

I have observed a number of highly successful people over the years and how they use their time. I want to share four practices I have learned from these individuals that I often try to incorporate in my own life:

1.    Think, think, think, do, do, do – in exactly that order.

In September 1999, after almost of year of space travel, the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter was nearing its Martian destination. However, just days before arrival, the spacecraft was unexpectedly lost – forever! – all because of a basic math error. Some engineers on the team were using the Metric system, others were using the English system and they forgot to convert to the same units.

Taking time to think deeply before we act can help us avoid making mistakes and wasting time. Thinking allows us to get clear on what really matters. Before you jump on the route from A to B, consider what conversations need to occur along the way, what your backup plans are if you hit a roadblock, and whether you’re taking the most efficient route from A to B (and whether it’s the right route to take at all!). An example of this comes from Germany. Despite their much stricter labour laws, output per hour worked in Germany is more than 25% higher than in the UK. They spend more time upfront thinking about a plan, which normally leads to more productive execution. I call this process, ‘shaping the path’. 

2.    Make your calendar your best friend and manage it intimately

Earlier in my career I used to take copious note and keep meticulous to-do lists. I found this system became overwhelming and inefficient: I wouldn’t read my notes and would often lose track of my lists. As a replacement, I found that keeping a detailed annual calendar with key meetings and planned tasks is a more effective use of my time. Doing so allows me to shape my days, weeks, and months ahead to make sure I’m focusing on the most important things. I regularly review and adjust my calendar to keep the right balance of meetings, working time, and thinking time (which I label as ‘sacred time’). During any given time period of a year, month, week, or even day – I try to identify and focus on the 1-2 things that really matter.

3.    Stop being reactive and embrace the power of saying no

Last year I received 8,036 work emails that required some kind of action. On top of this, I received countless texts, WhatsApp messages, and instant messages from work colleagues. I also had over 1,300 scheduled meetings. I could have easily spent 2018 in a non-stop loop of replying to messages and attending meetings without really making a difference.

I would encourage you to resist the temptation to reply to every message and enter every conversation. Only say something if it will move the dialogue to a new dimension. Otherwise, have the courage to be silent. Equally, have the courage to request clarity on the purpose of meetings, and say no to meetings where you won’t gain or add value.

4.    Make time to look after yourself

In Stephen Covey’s iconic book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, one of the habits he outlined is ‘Sharpening the Saw’. In the book he tells a story of a man in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree. A second man approaches and notices the man is exhausted. His saw is dull. “Why don’t you take a break and sharpen the saw, I’m sure it would go a lot faster”, he says to the man sawing, “I don’t have time to sharpen the saw, I’m too busy sawing!” says the first man. The lesson is clear.

Covey suggests having regular practices of renewal in four areas of our lives: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. This is a system that I have found works well for me. Here are some examples of activities I do in each of these areas:

• Physical: eating healthy, lots of swimming, and getting plenty of sleep
• Social/Emotional: Spending time with people who inspire me, including my 92-year-old mother
• Mental: Reading good books and writing articles (like this one!)
• Spiritual: Practicing yoga, spending time in nature, and listening to uplifting music

Carving out time to look after yourself and 'sharpen the saw' will make you more effective in all other aspects of your life.

Lastly, I must mention that so much of our time management is bound to our routines and habits, which can be challenging to break. Instead of changing everything at once, I suggest you identify two areas in your life where you can better manage your time. Once you make sustained changes, then find two more areas to change, and keep repeating. I can promise you that your effectiveness and fulfilment will increase.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next article, where I will share more about the importance of original thinking.