The 2Time eZineFrancis Wade

September, 2009Vol 1 Issue 12Introduction

It's interesting to me to see how

many professionals think of time

management as if it were a skill

that they could learn once and

then forget about. I've seen

people get defensive at the idea

that they could improve their

capacity for productivity and peace

of mind, and their reaction

inspired me to think about what

might be at the cause.

I do know that most people don't

think about time management

until they have a problem and

from what I can tell, they respond

by making a purchase or looking

for a few tips. Unfortunately,

there is no substitute for making

the necessary changes in

behaviour, even if their purchase

is an expensive one that uses the

latest technology!

In fact it could actually make

things worse...

Francis

Inside

Why is it that so many professionals believe that they have good time management skills, when there is abundant evidence that something is lacking?

In a recent article in the New York Times entitled Driven to Distraction, it's reported that more and more kids and spouses are nagging drivers to put away the SmartPhone and pay attention to the road (or to them.) There is a backlash occurring among those who use these devices.

What's interesting about the article is that there is not a single link made between these dangerous habits being demonstrated by so many professionals, and their time management skills.

Even when the users agree that there is something dangerous about sending a text, talking on the phone and steering at the same time, they still seem to be unable to see the connection.

The truth is that people who see their lives as one in which they don't have enough hours in the day, are the same ones who end up doing the crazy multi-tasking that is endangering the lives of so

many others. They see themselves as suffering from the ubiquitous problem that is repeated in the following comment many times each day: -- "I don't have enough time."

Well, it's one thing to commiserate politely over a cup of coffee at this insane belief. It's another thing to turn it into crazy habits that endanger the life of others. In the article, those who are acting this way are oblivious to the fact that their time management skill is at the source of the problem.

Why are they unable to see what seems to be so obvious?

1. "I Am Good at Time Management"Some of them believe that

I Don't Need Time Management

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they simply don't have a problem in this area. Where does their belief come from?

Many do what we all do -- they compare their time management habits with those of unproductive people around them. When they do the comparison, they conclude that these others are the ones who have the time problem.

And they are right.

There are lots of people who remain stuck at lower levels in companies without basic time management skills. Their lives are in turmoil and they can barely be counted on to stay focused on their work and produce results.

They give the user a false sense of accomplishment. "At least I am not as bad as these other people! After all I learned how to manage my time in college and have never forgotten."

The problem with this line of thinking is that it assumes time management is a static skill that is learned once. In most courses in time management, the same mistake is repeated as gurus sell programmes that promise to be the answer to every user's situation.

The truth is that a professional's time management skills cannot be allowed to get stuck at any particular skill level. Their lives change too many times for this to be true. First there are the life changes: marriage, having kids, promotions, new jobs, etc. Then there is the fact that technology is always changing, and a time management designed for the

days before email can't possibly stand up to the onslaught of the iPhone, spam and FaceBook.

They don't see all this, however, and instead point the finger at every other place than themselves. Their belief is almost religious -- they have faith in their ability to manage their time, and when problems crop up, they habitually look outwards for a cause instead of inwards.

2. "It's Not My Fault"The working mom texting with the kids in the back-seat justifies her actions by blaming them on her crazy job, the amount of email that she

gets each day and the need to be responsive during the recession in order to keep up. The guy who interrupts conversations by answering email on his BlackBerry complains that he desperately needs another one or two hours in the day: therefore, God is to blame.

I was struck by a clear sense of blame that ran through the New York Times article.

The statistics have been known for some time: studies show that people who talk on the phone while driving face four times as great a crash risk as those who do not. At the same time the US government estimates that at any given time about 11 percent of drivers, or about two million people, are talking on a cellphone.

When asked, very few would say "I love talking on the phone and risking my life and that of others." Instead they say "I have to because..." What comes after the "because" is always something to do with time.

"Many... compare their time management habits with those around them."

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What we all would say in our defense is that we aren't just doing this for no reason. Instead, we do it because we MUST. Our lives give us no choice.

What we rarely admit to is the unattractive truth: "I routinely put myself at risk because of my weak time management skills."

3. "I Am Very Important"And then there are those who habitually must demonstrate to others that they are overworked. They drop balls all the time, and as one professional said to me after forgetting to call: "Do you know how many things I am managing?"

In other words, "I am important, and a lot of people rely on me so I can't make it to appointments like yours."

She didn't admit to the fact that her time management

system simply wasn't operating at a high enough level. Therefore, there was nothing she could do about forgetting to do some things, and I would just have to put up with it from time to time. Tough.

What she needed was a long overdue upgrade.

Bottom Line: Time management systems that no longer work don't stop functioning overnight, and it sometimes takes courage and awareness to realize this fact and do something about it.

2T