And now, for a change of pace, a short post solely on a unique view of looking at time management.

Trying to organize your time when you have an excruciatingly busy life is like spending $2,950 of a $3,000 monthly budget, and then asking “How can I better manage the $50 I have left to get the most out of life?” It’s simply not possible, it can’t be done.

Better time management needs to start at the very basics, with a fresh clean slate. You’re given 24 hours in one day – that’s a pretty great starting point. You’re also given 7 full days in a week – another fabulous reference point! The trick is to build up from there, divvying up how much time you want to spend on various activities:

• How much time are you going to sleep per night? 6 hours? 9 hours?
• How much time will you purposely devote to your family?
• How much time absolutely needs to go to your job?
• How much time would you love to spend on free time activities that have no relevance to your future, such as video games or shopping?

You need present-minded activities to keep the fun in your life, but you also need to consciously choose how to allocate your time to future activities. (When I say “consciously choose,” I’m referring to making it a point to say “I will spend X amount of time doing Y activity because it needs to get done.” You’re choosing your activities with an intent in mind, and that purpose is what guides you to make your time management decisions.)

This is why having priorities and goals is so vital to managing time. If I’m unsure of what I’m going after, it’s easy to dawdle and get nothing of value done. Sure, I might do some activities that have a great deal of intrinsic value to me, like playing Sims 2, but that’s not going to directly being affecting my immediate life. But if I know my goal is to be able to play a Chopin nocturne perfectly from memory, I know what my time should be funneled into.

Instead of scheduling activities and then looking at time management techniques, start backwards and work your way up. If you had $3,000 to spend, would you invest it in building stronger ties with your family or friends? Advancing in your career? On fun and games? Likewise, if you only had 24 hours to get your affairs in order, what would you invest it in?

Start with just your time, and fill in your activities accordingly!