The Management Of Time
If a project brings us purpose, it can lead to increased fulfilment. We discussed this last week for those who missed it. But, considering projects alone, there will still exist missing pieces in our lives. How can we integrate personal projects into our lives, with family, friends, and work, also known as the Four Burners Theory?
· Priority – In my piece, “The Jigsaw”, I discussed how we all have a centrepiece. This piece provides structure to our life jigsaw, and it’s from this piece that all the others fall into place.
Priority used to be singular. The existence of the plurality of “priorities” makes little sense. If we have multiple priorities, are any of them a priority at all?
Our priority can shift, but in an individual moment, multitasking is demonstrated to decrease concentration on an individual pursuit. Do yourself a favour: focus on one thing at a time.
· Time Management – I love a good schedule. Not so tightly constricting that we have no spontaneity in our lives, but a loose model upon which to follow. There are many strategies we can adopt to ensure our schedule moves us forward, not constricts us. The first I adopt is to set negotiable and non-negotiable tasks. Maybe you have plans with a friend today, so the writing is put on pause for today. Or perhaps you need time alone after recent frequent social endeavours, and so you naturally retreat into your thoughts and begin to write.
It’s easy to get caught up in “growth”. But we overestimate what we can do in a day or week, and underestimate what we can do in a year or a lifetime. Allow yourself to slow down by adopting negotiable and non-negotiable tasks. That way, we’re showing up consistently, but we give ourselves some breathing room.
A final comment: We can never perfect our schedule. It’s always adapting based on our needs and the lessons we learn along the way. Don’t strive for the perfect schedule because you’ll never reach it.
· Levels of Human Connection - We need human connection. One way to switch off from our projects can be to always schedule time for human connection. It could be a weekly phone call with a loved one, or a trip to the pub for an hour every Tuesday. Perhaps you meet for a walk in the park or meet for a coffee every Sunday morning. Whatever your vice, it’s important to keep those we love in our lives. I’ve noticed in these last few months; that the winter months can move by slowly. It’s easy to hibernate in solitude. But I’m much happier in life in general when I interact with my friends and family frequently. These periods of human connection don’t need to be day-long grandiose events. It can be as simple as a walk in the park.
To aid in maintaining these important relationships, we can “track” them. I’m aware it can be a peculiar concept but it helps me. Every month, we can monitor which relationships are fuelling us, and which are draining us. We can take action to cultivate these energy-giving relationships and to lessen our efforts on these energy-sapping relationships.
If we’re also slacking on our human connection with those who fill us with life and joy, the tracker can monitor this. Which relationships do we need to catch up on? Drop that person a message or a call and schedule your next meetup!
· Boundaries and Limits – This is more important for some aspects of the grid more than others. Have you found yourself a pushy boss who creates a sense of urgency in all work through poor time management, and so you find the work piling up so high on your desk that you start moving tasks from your work desk to your home office? Some have argued if you want to make it in any job, you have to sometimes push yourself outside of work. What do we define as “making it?” This ties closely to work satisfaction. If we enjoy our work, taking up a larger portion of our life-balancing grid could naturally bring us happiness. For those who gain less enjoyment from work, setting clear boundaries can help separate your work from any solo projects you could be pursuing.
Boundaries can also be useful with friends and family. If your social candle is burnt within a centimetre of its demise, perhaps it’s time to allow the candle a period to sit dormant. There’s nothing wrong with time alone to recuperate, and friends and family who care about your well-being will understand this.
· Health Above All – Remember, if we’re not maintaining our health, all this goes out the window. If you are healthy, be grateful for how lucky you are. Many around the world aren’t this lucky.
· Non-Negotiables - It’s all well stating a project can bring increased life satisfaction, but what of the small daily or weekly tasks we have to do, like cleaning? There are certain tasks we have to complete, with the added incentive of living another day, like eating food and drinking water.
Do we all differently frame the incentives around these tasks based on personal preference? Some of us live comfortably in a certain level of filth while for others, this would be earth-shattering and day-ruining. Consider what your non-negotiables are and schedule them accordingly. I have a set day where I complete all my non-negotiables. I clean, I wash (my clothes not myself – a weekly wash wouldn’t leave me in a great hygienic state), and I plan my meals for the upcoming week. We can set these tasks up as almost automatic. Every Monday, as I wait for the flavours to induce in my morning coffee, I turn on the washing machine. The alarm I set then rings a few hours later to indicate I need to dry said washing. Like clockwork, every week. Routine is good, but isn’t to be overdone otherwise our lack of flexibility can negatively affect us.
Concluding Remarks
This marks the end of my series on balancing our friends, family, work, and hobbies – also known as the Four Burners Theory. As discussed earlier, it’s a balance we’ll never perfect, and it will likely shift throughout our lives. The most important takeaway is that striving to fulfil all four aspects of life is impossible. If we try to pursue them all, we’ll input less effort into all.
The beauty of the grid is the ability to shift focus. At different moments, we have a different priority. We can be overwhelmed in the pursuit of too much by seeking to tackle all four grids, or we can focus on the one segment of the grid we find ourselves in pursuit of at this exact moment, right now. Being aware of the grid could well negate the need for the grid itself. The priority at this current moment gives us the best chance to fulfil all segments of the grid.