You all voted today on what we should talk about next. Time Management edged out Self-Editing by one vote.
So we’ll be talking about “Best Practices in Time Management” for the next few days.
I’m glad this topic won, because it’s something that I’ve been trying desperately to get better at for the last year and a half. When I was laid off from my day job 2 years ago, I thought I’d have all the time in the world to do all the projects I’d ever wanted to do.
I was half right. I started working on all the projects I’d ever wanted to do — all at the same time. But I still had exactly as much time as I had before. And I got defocused pretty quickly.
After about six months, I realized that I needed to learn to manage my time better. So I started looking. And thinking. And looking some more.
There really aren’t any deep secrets here. The key things everyone tells you to do are these:
1) Prioritize
2) Focus
3) Take Action
I’ve gotten better at those, and have written several columns in my e-zine on various facets of time-management. But one thing I really wanted was some software to help me out with the boring, repetitive parts. I couldn’t find what I wanted.
Here is what I wanted my software to do:
1) Help me decide my priorities.
2) Help me sort out the Big Picture from the Little Picture.
3) Keep track of tasks for the future, but hide them until I’m ready to do them.
4) Roll over items that I didn’t do yesterday to today.
5) Keep track of tasks I’ve delegated.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any software to do that. So I came up with my own scheme using a series of To Do Lists on paper that manage my life in smaller and smaller time increments (years, quarters, months, weeks, and days). That’s worked well for #1, #2, and #3 above, but I couldn’t easily roll over daily tasks on paper (I had to copy them by hand) and I didn’t have a good scheme to track tasks that I’d delegated. And it was ON PAPER, which is a hassle.
For awhile, I was seriously considering writing my own software so it would do exactly what I want it to do.
Then I found a tool that’s ALREADY WRITTEN that meets all 5 of my requirements above and it has a few other advantages:
1) It’s web based, so I can manage my time from any computer connected to the web.
2) It comes with a 20-day training program to teach me time management skills.
3) Every day it walks me through a procedure to set my goals for that day.
The funny thing is that I’ve known about this tool for about six months, but I didn’t start using it until recently because I didn’t like the name: “Simpleology 101“. I thought it sounded too simplistic to be useful. And I hate simplistic solutions to complex problems. But I finally decided to give it a whirl, even if I didn’t like the name.
I love this program! I’ve been using it for the last 5 weeks, and I have suddenly become a LOT more focused. Simpleology 101 helped me define all the things I really want in life and then it asked me to choose one to work on RIGHT NOW. I did, and . . . that was the key to getting me focused.
Of course, Simpleology 101 isn’t magic. It’s a little bit of work every day. I spend my first 10 minutes every morning going through a procedure to set my goals. But I actually enjoy doing it, because the program walks me through each step and keeps track of all my decisions. I don’t have to remember the process. I don’t have write anything on paper. All I have to do is make executive decisions.
Here’s the best part of it. Simpleology 101 is FREE. (Simpleology 101 is about Time-Management. There are some followup courses on managing your money and increasing your energy that you have to pay for. But those are optional. I liked Simpleology 101 so much that I bought 102 and am working through that right now.) Quite simply, I think Simpleology 101 is the best thing going in time management.
So I hereby declare Simpleology 101 to be a “Best Practice in Time Management.”
Here’s a link to Simpleology 101.
In the next few days, I’ll talk more about what I love about Simpleology 101.
Both my votes have lost! Drat!! On the other hand, long live democracy! Actually, I’ve been studying scenes, sequels, storyworlds, snowflakes and ‘pesky little things’ for the past three months so I guess now is a good time to learn as much as possible about time management.
Thank you for the information above and also for the link to simpleology 101. I very much look forward to all the postings and comments over the next few days.
Ummm…this software sounds nice but I’m not allowed to download anything much on my computer, and I would love to also learn a bit I could do without Simpleology 101 (till I get permission to download it from my parents)
I can hardly wait to use it. Thanks, Randy!
I’d also like to know what else can be done apart from Simpleology.
Sidebar: I laughed at your reaction to the title, Simpleology. I, too, have snubbed things with titles I don’t like. Intriguing titles seem to hit me like the current V-8 commercials. I have a whole file of them–no projects to go with them, just titles!
Looking forward. . .
Destiny and Holly –
Gordon Macdonald’s book “Ordering Your Private World” has helped me more than any other. It’s about much more than time management, both practical and spiritual.
One of the more workable methods I have found is Dave Allen’s “Getting Things Done”. He uses a Palm device, pretty much as is, apparently. I’ve found the Palm useful, too; just their basic business model is fine, though you can go higher-end as well. Check out the software enhancements, such as Datebk. One nice thing about Palm is that it gives you the portable device and some useful software for the computer. There’s even a keyboard you can use to write the next opus on the device itself.
Other software I’ve looked at includes LifeBalance and, more recently, a free program called Thinking Rock, which aims to implement GTD methodology.
Just wanted to leave a quick note to everyone about Simpleology. I’m pretty sure Randy will get to this stuff, but I thought I’d add my two cents.
The software is web based so you don’t have to download anything. It’s cool because you can do your daily planning from any computer.
Also, Don mentioned Getting Things Done, which is a great book. Simpleology uses very similar concepts. Definitely, worth looking into both. There’s also a Simpleology course on having more energy which is fantastic. My job can be a little physically demanding sometimes, plus I’m back in school and pursuing writing, so this was a godsend.
Anyway, like I said there’s my two cents. 🙂
I definitely look forward to learning more about time management. I’ll check out Simpleology too. Between being a Pastor’s wife, a homeschooling mommy, and a writer, etc etc etc…I think I need this. I hate to say it, but most days its the writing that gets pushed to the side, because it’s still very much a “dream” whereas teaching my kids is “now.” I can’t stop teaching to write. Anyway, hopefully with some help, I can learn to schedule more time for writing.
I definitely look forward to learning more about time management. I’ll check out Simpleology too. Between being a Pastor’s wife, a homeschooling mommy, and a writer, etc etc etc…I think I need this. I hate to say it, but most days its the writing that gets pushed to the side, because it’s still very much a “dream” whereas teaching my kids is “now.” I can’t stop teaching to write. Anyway, hopefully with some help, I can learn to schedule more time for writing.
Like D.E. Hale, I’m a homeschooling mom, as well. I work half-time with a ministry to single parents and their kids, and try to keep track of the educational needs of my four kids (one high school, two middle school, and a fifth-grader). I find I’d much rather write than anything else, but of course, that’s not practical. I do most of my writing in orthodontic and doctor’s waiting rooms, scribbling in my notebook at red lights, and occasionally having an hour to myself before they go to bed. Somehow, I’ve managed to squeak out 25K in the last three and a half weeks. I sure would like to keep up that pace, but I know Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming!
At Conflux4 the best workshop I went to was with Kevin J Anderson who publishes over 700,000 words per year. We went through Kevin’s Eleven – his keys to using his time for writing. for me the most important one was his mind set. When he’s not writing he’s thinking ‘I should be writing.’ Which reminds me…. 🙂
Timely topic for me right now because I’m juggling many responsibilities without order and am concerned about losing some to forgetfulness despite umpteen lists. I’ll check out SO 101 (yup–agree with you about the name), but I also hope for something I can employ offline to let me get my head out of the computer.
Looking forward to the next few posts…
I hate the way Simpleology pops up windows like a pushy salesman and I’m only on their main page (we may not be free forever, so sign up now – sheesh). I can’t even see what it’s about without signing up. I don’t like sites like that.