Posts Tagged ‘time management’

 We’ve got PCs, netbooks, iPhones, iPods, and iPads; Wiis, Miis, and MP3s; Segways, GPS, and TiVo. But we still can’t tell the laundry to pick itself up off the floor, toss itself into the washer, and bring along one of those handy all-in-one detergent packs. No matter how much technology does for us, we still have chores—those tedious daily and weekly tasks that not even the Roomba robot vacuum can eliminate.

So how do we make these mundane tasks less mundane? Try turning them into a daily obstacle course.

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As a small child, I was so afraid of heights I was scared to go up on a teeter-totter. So I only got on with children much smaller than I was. That way I could control the experience, keeping myself in the middle and bottom ranges and sending the other kids soaring to the top. Naturally, they were thrilled with the view from on high. The view from the bottom wasn’t so great, but at least it didn’t come with a panic attack.

The other day, I realized I’m back on the teeter-totter, sitting at the bottom and hating the sucky view. Only this time, I don’t have the same level of control. That’s because the teeter-totter is my life, and I’ve somehow seesawed out of balance, becoming focused on work to the exclusion of almost everything else—including my health and well-being.

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“The whole world is set on fire.”

That’s one of the more memorable quotes from the 1992 film version of The Last of the Mohicans. And since I’m indulging my inner drama queen, that’s how I’ve felt lately. As loyal readers may have noticed, a nasty little virus wandered in and briefly staked claim on behalf of some probably nonexistent terrorist group. Posts have fallen behind as I’ve focused on other site-related issues. Like many people, I’ve gotten caught up in putting out fires instead of blazing my path. As a result, the mountains have started to seem overwhelming.

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Sometimes you’re coasting along through life when the sudden ringing of a telephone heralds a warning, the sky opens, and a mountain drops into your path. This mountain is the Family Emergency and it takes precedence over all the other mountains you’re trying to move.

Often the first thing you have to do in reacting to the Family Emergency is transport yourself from where you are to wherever the rest of the family is gathering to deal with the crisis. That means getting ready to travel with no time to waste while your mind runs in a thousand directions at once. So you’ll already have a leg up on that unexpected mountain if you’ve done part of your travel planning in advance.

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Not long ago, I heard the song “Live Like We’re Dying” by 2009 American Idol winner Kris Allen. As the title implies, it’s a message song about making the most of the time we have, which the chorus tells us is “eighty-six thousand four hundred seconds in a day to turn it all around or throw it all away.”

Did you know that? I didn’t either. Sure, the math is easy, but who bothers to find out that there are 86,400 seconds in a 24-hour day? Makes you think, doesn’t it?

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Mother’s always said I was an adorable baby who charmed everyone during the day then screamed nonstop through the night. By two, I was slipping around the house in the dark. By five, I was hiding flashlights and comic books under the bed. In high school, after Mom finally threatened to pour water on my head, I’d just go into the bathroom, lock the door, curl up on the floor, and go back to sleep.

Nature made me a night owl. And it’s a tough habit to break … especially since I set my own work hours. Believe me, I’ve tried every possible formula for re-setting my circadian rhythms—the internal dials that control such things as sleeping patterns and body temperature. For most people, circadian rhythms are influenced by light. So those people naturally begin to slow down as night falls. But that’s when I seem to rev up.

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“One singular sensation.” It’s the opening line of the song “One,” from the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. It’s also a good thing to keep in mind when crafting your New Year’s resolutions.

Yep, that’s right. One.

Sound underwhelming? Think about it. How many resolutions did you come up with last year? Five? Ten? Twenty? And how many did you keep? Uh-huh. Now you get the point.

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What’s more essential to being an effective leader, time or money? According to the money people, the answer is time.

In a recent survey of accountants by Ajilon Finance and the Institute of Management Accountants, 29 percent of respondents said what leaders most need to be effective in their positions is more time. Only 14 percent said leaders need more money.

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When we were kids, my dad bought a used Jeep Wagoneer from a family friend and drove that thing until it was ready for the scrap yard. Time and again Mom cautioned him that he needed to have the Jeep serviced or replace it before he found himself hitchhiking around town. Time and again Daddy said he’d get around to it tomorrow … next week … next month … one of these days.

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But despite doing all the right things, I haven’t accomplished anything substantive. So what went wrong?

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