I know many folks who are obsessed with deadlines and targets. Hopefully they are very few in my part of the world. But the GREATER problem is that there are the hopelessly disorganized folks who have spent an entire life time on procrastination. This piece is for those folks.
As a starter, although I do believe I am rather better than average on time management, I am not preaching here. I am simply trying to suggest some simple if radical ideas to those who create all sorts of trouble for themselves and others by poor time mangement. Hope this helps.
Definition: if you have at any time more than seven really important and urgent things you have been meaning to do but haven't done in the last seven days, then you are a hopeless time manager. Remember seven things, seven days.
Now make a list of all the things that you MEANT to do. Make in fact three lists, call them Red, Green and Yellow.
The Red List: list all the things that you meant to do FOR OTHERS - and they are hurting because you didn't do it for them. The Red List is what you owe to others because you committed to do it for them.
It could be a simple thing like a phone call or even a text message giving a phone number. It may be as big a thing as returning a borrowed book or keeping a date. The Red List shows you how you are failing as a member of society. This is hopeless because no religion, no politics, no career and no family pressure should come in the way of doing the RED LIST.
The Green List: this is all the things you promised to do for YOURSELF. you are shooting yourself in the foot by not doing it. It may be exercise, taking medicines, studying for tests, fixing your home or wardrobe or kitchen or whatever. By failing in the a green items, you are failing your own life. This will have long term and short term consequences.
The Yellow List: this is the most benign list. it lists simply all the things you would like to do, when time permits, like seeing a movie or going to a temple or church. You agree this is not an important or urgent list, but by doing this you have a better life. This includes even important things like planning your finances and buying or remodeling your home.
Now that you have three lists, Red, Green and Yellow, take SEVEN to-do items.
The first four are the TOP FOUR RED items.
The 5th and 6th are the TOP TWO GREEN items.
The last one is the ONE TOP YELLOW Item.
You now have a To-Do list of seven items, consisting of four you committed to do for others, two you must do for yourself, and one nice to do thing.
NOW DO THESE SEVEN THINGS TODAY.OR LATEST THIS WEEK.
Remember, those things that take longer to do, are tackled by just starting to do them and keeping them on the burner, front or back, but keeping track of them. I think most things don't take too much effort to complete but take a hell of a lot of effort to just start. That is the idea of To-Do lists anyway.
Keep striking off all done items from the three Red/Green/Yellow lists, and keep adding new To-Do items as they come up.
If you run through your lists well for seven weeks like this, I promise you that you will become a time management expert!!!!!
SEVEN-SEVEN-SEVEN formula of time management. For the no more hopeless folks!!!
